Look Out For… The Curse Of The Mummy by Maynard Sims

“Captures the feel of black and white films but with modern storytelling flair.”

A young actress attempts to revive a career shattered by the Second World War. The compromises she is forced to make pale into insignificance by the demands made on her by an ancient and unspeakable evil. Will the curtain call she has waited so long for, be her last.

The first in a series of six novelettes reviving the golden age of the monster from Hersham Horror Books.

Why We’re Excited About This Book: The Curse Of The Mummy is the first in a new series of releases from Hersham Horror, each focused on one of the classic horror monsters: The Werewolf, The Ghost, The Zombie, The Vampire… and The Mummy.

The mummy is a creature perhaps unfairly relegated to the second-league of horror monsters, more Scooby Doo villain than horror classic in many readers’ minds. Hopefully The Curse Of The Mummy can reverse this trend. It tells the story of a young actress in the West End of post-war London, attempting to resurrect her career… and of another young woman called Tiaa, rising from the sarcophagus to take her revenge. How these two worlds collide is something the reader will need to find out for themselves.

Capturing the feel of black and white films but with modern storytelling flair, The Curse Of The Mummy looks to be the ideal first story in this exciting new series of novellas. The second book, The Curse Of The Werewolf by Paul Kane, follows in February 2015.

The Curse Of The Mummy is out now from Hersham Horror Books.

Look Out For … It’s Only Death by Lee Thompson

“A neo-noir thriller perfectly suited to Thompson’s gritty style.”

Six years ago James blew town after killing his cop-father in a bank job gone bad. When his sister informs him that their mother’s health is fading fast, he returns home, wanting to make peace with her before she passes.

But James quickly finds there is little peace left for him at his childhood home.

His father’s old partner has been biding his time, waiting for a chance at retribution, and finally discovers James is back. But he’s only one of the many shady characters James must face if he is to survive the next few days.

Upon the edge of reckoning, James’s past comes full circle to the final showdown with his personal demons and the devils that are closing in.

Why We’re Excited About This Book: It’s Only Death is a diversion into dark crime for Lee Thompson, acclaimed author of A Beautiful Madness and The Devil Gave Them Black Wings. But given the dark subject matter, a neo-noir thriller is perfectly suited to Thompson’s gritty style.

Elmore James Jackson Jr. returns to his home town after years on the run from a botched bank heist, in which he killed his own father. He not only has to contend with people he used to know who want him dead, but with the anguish and guilt he brings back with him. Thompson specialises in writing about flawed and conflicted anti-heroes and it’s the character of James and whether he’ll flee again or not that drives It’s Only Death. It might not be supernatural horror, but it sure sounds like it will be dark as Hell.

It’s Only Death is out on 20 January 2015 from Darkfuse.

JAMES EVERINGTON