This eerie tale sees a group of men haunted by one traumatic event from their childhood. They thought they'd moved on . . . but someone - or something - won't let them! 1988 : Thirteen-year-old Andy Miller and his friends – Carl, Brian, Johnny and Gavin – become witnesses to the vicious attack of their classmate, Poppy, and the brutal murder of her sister at a flooded railway line they call the frog ponds. They lead the police to a suspect, a vulnerable older boy whose differences single him out. But when he commits suicide, his guilt is never proven. And the crime goes unpunished, until . . . Now : Carl’s body is found beside the same body of water – and the lives of the four remaining friends start to unravel. Is the hag-like woman terrorizing their every waking moment really a grown-up Poppy hellbent on revenge? Or something else . . . something steeped in childhood nightmares? Something determined to reveal the truth and punish the wicked. For those who love spooky fairy tales with a twist - this first in a new series will not disappoint! Fans of British author Hilton know what to expect: a tightly wound tale with doses of dry limey humor on the way to a finale of gut-clutching violence ― Booklist on Death Pact Completely apocalyptic . . . With characters who are truly mad, bad, and dangerous ― Kirkus Reviews on Death Pact Hilton grabs readers from the outset of this superior standalone thriller ― Publishers Weekly on The Girl in the Smoke Hilton doesn't let the breakneck pacing or plot zigzags preclude in-depth characterizations. Lisa Unger fans will want to check this out ― Publishers Weekly on The Girl in the Smoke Trust Matt Hilton . . . to come up with some nice twists ― Booklist on The Girl in the Smoke Spooky ― Booklist Folk horror meets psycho thriller in this grim tale of murder, madness and slithering things in dark, hidden places ― Paul Finch , Sunday Times bestselling author of All the Devils Are Here Matt Hilton worked for twenty-three years in private security and the police force in Cumbria. He is a 4th Dan blackbelt and coach in Ju-Jitsu. He is the author of thirteen novels in the Joe Hunter series, and ten in the Grey & Villere thrillers.