Debut novel for Coleraine author Chris McDonald

Chris McDonald’s first novel ‘A Wash of Black’ is already attracting attention and has been compared to the works of Ian Rankin, Val McDermid and Cara Hunter.

Formerly a teacher at Hezlett Primary School in Castlerock, Chris now lives in Manchester and said that the inspiration to write his first novel came to him as he was feeding his baby in the middle of the night. “Which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content,” he joked.

‘A Wash of Black’ tells the story of a famous actress whose mutilated body is found on an ice rink in Manchester - recreating a scene from a blockbuster film she starred in years ago.

Dr Erika Piper, having only recently returned to work after suffering a near fatal attack herself, finds she must once again prove her worth as the hunt for the media-dubbed ‘Blood Ice Killer’ intensifies.

But when another body is found, and this time, the killer issues a personal threat, Erika finds she must overcome her demons to crack the case or suffer the deadly consequences.

Chris says he has always been a reader - at primary school, teen amateur sleuths The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime.

A fan of five-a-side football, heavy metal music and dogs, Chris’s first foray into the world of crime writing has already attracted praise in the literary world.

Fellow writers have commented: “A pacy murder mystery, full of deceit, suspicion and revenge, Chris McDonald’s debut is a highly entertaining tale with plenty of shocks along the way” and also “A Wash of Black announces Chris McDonald as a superb new voice, not just in the Northern literary scene but across the national crime landscape. Highly recommended.”

Chris is delighted to be coming back home to Coleraine for a special book signing event for ‘A Wash of Black’.

Waterstones in Coleraine will host the event on Saturday, April 18 from 2pm. ‘A Wash of Black’ is available in hardback, paperback and ebook, published by Red Dog Press. For further information, check out www.reddogpress.co.uk