Summoning the Dead

"We have a dead child, and a crime scene that has been remarkably well kept for us."

A young child lies mummified in a barrel. His hands, cable-tied, appear to be locked in prayer. As forensic officers remove the boy they are in for an even bigger shock – he is not alone.

With his near-fatal stabbing almost a memory, DI Bob Valentine is settling back into life on the force but he knows nothing will ever be the same. Haunted by unearthly visions that appear like waking dreams, he soon understands he is being inducted into one of Scotland's darkest secrets.

When the boy in the barrel is identified as a missing child from the 1980s, it re-opens a cold case that was previously thought unsolvable. When further remains are unearthed, the facts point to a paedophile ring and a political conspiracy that leads all the way to the most hallowed corridors of power.

Summoning the Dead is a fast-moving mystery that eerily mirrors current events, perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Angela Marsons and Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus novels.

Tony Black has been shortlisted for the 2016 Crime Writers Association Dagger in the Library Award, which covers the entire body of an author's work.

​"Tony Black is my favourite British crime writer." IRVINE WELSH, bestselling author of Trainspotting

"Tony Black is the new Scottish noir king you need on your bookshelf... Twisty crime fiction at its best." SHORTLIST MAGAZINE on Artefacts of the Dead

"Among the best of the new Tartan Noir." DAILY MAIL on Artefacts of the Dead

"Dark. Relentless. Harrowing ... A gripping tome." DAILY RECORD on Artefacts of the Dead

"A darkly entertaining and splendidly gritty read." UNDISCOVERED SCOTLAND on A Taste of Ashes

"Tony Black is one of the leading lights in Scottish crime fiction." CRIME FICTION LOVER on A Taste of Ashes