ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Massive thanks to Karen Sullivan and everyone else at Orenda Books for their continued love and dedication. Thanks to Phil Patterson and all at Marjacq for their hard work and support. I’m also indebted to Creative Scotland for their belief in this book and their financial support during its writing. This novel was partly inspired by my time as writer in residence at William Purves Funeral Directors, and I want to thank all the staff there for their kindness and help. Needless to say, all characters and events in this book are fictional, and any mistakes with respect to details of the funeral business are entirely my own. And the biggest thanks once more go to Tricia, Aidan and Amber, for everything.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Doug Johnstone is the author of ten novels, most recently Breakers (2018), which was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his work has been praised by the likes of Val McDermid, Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin. He’s taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime authors. He’s also player-manager of the Scotland Writers Football Club. He lives in Edinburgh.

Follow Doug on Twitter @doug_johnstone and visit his website: dougjohnstone.com.

COPYRIGHT

Orenda Books
16 Carson Road
West Dulwich
London SE21 8HU
www.orendabooks.co.uk

First published in the United Kingdom by Orenda Books, 2020
Copyright © Doug Johnstone, 2020

Doug Johnstone has asserted his moral right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978–1–912374–98–4
eISBN 978–1–912374–99–1

Resource: Image by acworks from silhouette-ac.com

Typeset in Garamond by typesetter.org.uk

AN EXTRACT FROM THE BIG CHILL

AN EXTRACT FROM THE BIG CHILL, BOOK 2 IN THE SKELFS SERIES BY DOUG JOHNSTONE

First published in the United Kingdom by Orenda Books, 2020

DOROTHY

Dorothy felt at home surrounded by dead people.