Five You Can't Miss: Darren Sant

Darren Sant is a newcomer to the crime scene and an all-around good bloke. He is a sharp writer who has penned the Longcraft Estate series and the flash fiction collection Flashes of Revenge, both from Trestle Press. He reviews fiction at Daz's Short Book Reviews. Here are his five -- nice to see picks from the ebook side of things.

Drunk On The Moon by Paul D. Brazill

I make much of Paul D Brazill’s humour in my reviews.  This is a tad unfair and I don’t mean to.  Paul is the master of the crafty witticism. He sometimes makes you forgot that his stories are bloody entertaining and not just a laugh a minute. Only Paul could bring us werewolf noir and make it credible. He is master of style within the universes he creates.

The Writing on the wall by Julie Morrigan in The Writing on the Wall

Morrigan brings realism and the deft touch of a master storyteller to anything she writes. I am a huge fan of her writing style and stories she chooses to share with us. In this novelette I could see a feature film. Julie’s writing flows beautifully and she never wastes a single word. 

Sighted by Iain Rowan

Rowan is the master of mood.  His powerfully described settings always thrust me into the thick of the action. After reading an Iain Rowan story I find that I need to shake my head to return to the real world.

Padre by AJ Hayes in Pulp Ink

Hayes brings us poetry within his prose. Characterisation is key with AJ’s writing too as he manages to bring depth to a character with just a sentence or two. For my mind his writing is of such a high standard he should be a household name. Padre gave me characters I ache to see the return of. Dark justice at it’s very finest.

Smoke by Nigel Bird

Nigel is the guvnor of the short story format. However, with Smoke he upped the ante and gave us a hugely entertaining novella.  He kept the same intensity that I enjoy in his short stories. The same darkness and above all what he does best – give hope in dark places.