Hearth of Darkness

_A TALKSPORT BOOK OF THE WEEK / TIME OUT ‘BEST BOOKS OF 2025’‘A fascinating exploration into place memory and the paranormal.’ Esquire, ‘Best Summer Books of 2026’'Captivating … a modern horror story.’ Julie Myerson 'Captivating. What begins as a modern horror story slowly reveals itself as something more ambiguous and, ultimately, heartening. Blake is a very winning narrator.’ Julie Myerson A haunting blend of true crime, psychological thriller and paranormal investigation.The doorbell rings in the middle of the night with no one there. The shower turns on by itself. So does the radio. Some rooms always stay colder than others, no matter how high the heating is turned up.Maybe it’s all down to an overactive imagination, or settling into an unfamiliar house. But what would you do if you saw shadows where there shouldn’t be any? If slugs started to fall from the ceiling? If you constantly felt something eerie following you around?Matt Blake tells the powerful true story of discovering that his new home – meant to be a refuge for him and his four-year-old daughter after a painful divorce – was once the lair of the E17 Night Stalker. Now he must unravel the house’s frightening secrets.Can a place be haunted by a dark history? And how does a rationalist who doesn’t believe in religion or ghosts make sense of the paranormal?Hearth of Darkness is a razor-sharp exploration of how the chilling events of the past can ripple into the present, and of our innate desire to feel safe and find peace at home. For fans of investigative writing, domestic noir, and those fascinated by the horrors that lurk behind closed doors. ‘Expertly crafted and blisteringly honest … I was drawn in from the very first sentence.’ Manni Coe, author of brother.do.you.love.meReaders LOVE Hearth of Darkness‘This is, without doubt, the best thing I've read in years.’‘A fascinating read about author Matt Blake becoming increasingly consumed by the dark history of his own home.’‘Thought-provoking, atmospheric, and often unsettling.’‘A thoughtfully researched and well written story that fans of spooky stories will love.’‘It was so fascinating to read someone's firsthand experience of living in the proverbial footsteps of the killer.’‘I devoured this tense, deeply atmospheric, and hauntingly suspenseful book!’‘Matt Blake delivers a suspenseful and impactful telling of his home’s disturbing history.’