The literary press would have you believe that author Paul Kane is the second coming in the world of horror writing. His Arrowhead trilogy was well received and a fantastically forward thinking touch of sci-fi/fantasy that brought Robin Hood into a post apocalyptic nightmare. Since then he has steadily built up a body of work that has gained him accolades from some of the genres biggest names. But in his new book The Colour Of Madness, Kane has really upped the ante and believe me when I say that the hype is very real.

A tie in with the forthcoming movie of the same name, there is lot to unpack here, including extracts from the script, other short stories and production photos. But the bread and butter of the whole thing is the Men of Cloth novelette which inspired the film. The film might be set in Norway, but the original work is based in good old Blighty, as Lance and Shelley, the couple who are the focal point of the story uproot their family for a journey across Britain to find “home.” Having been in and out of foster care from a young age, Lance has a sense of not belonging and a wish to find out more about his roots. But an uneasy welcome at a mysterious village indicates that sometimes you are better off not digging up the past and home isn’t always where the heart is.

The Colour of Madness is imaginative as it is spine tingling. You just can’t help but get drawn into the mystery as it unfolds with a very Wicker Man-esque sense of quirky wickedness. The suspense filled story is nearly impossible to put down and it will shred your last nerve. If it plays out on the screen as Kane intended, then we are all in for a cinematic treat, but until the world returns to some sense of of normality and we can actually go to the movies, immerse yourself in The Colour Of Madness and fall under the thrall of the new king of horror… Chris Andrews