The Turtle Boy (The Timmy Quinn Series Book 1)

Winner of the Bram Stoker Award, and the first book in the Timmy Quinn series. School is out and summer has begun. For eleven year old Timmy Quinn and his best friend Pete Marshall, the dreary town of Delaware, Ohio becomes a place of magic, hidden treasure and discovery. But on the day they encounter a strange young boy sitting on the bank of Myers Pond a pond playground rumor says may hide turtles the size of Buicks everything changes. For it soon becomes apparent that dark secrets abound in the little community, secrets which come cupped in the hands of the dead, and in a heartbeat, Timmy and Pete's summer of wonder becomes a season of terror, betrayal and murder. (Contains strong language and graphic violence.) This edition includes an excerpt from THE HIDES, the second book in the Timmy Quinn series, and an interview with the author.

From the Back Cover

"Strange and out-of-kilter, a cold breeze come from nowhere on a sultry day; THE TURTLE BOY is a tale that takes your hand and leads you to a creepy, unforgiving place, a place you can never leave."- Michael Marshall Smith, author of THE STRAW MEN, and ONLY FORWARD"Kealan Patrick Burke's THE TURTLE BOY is a tale of dark secrets that combines skillfully etched characters with rich, evocative prose to create a haunting depiction of relationships shredded by violence and the supernatural. A highly memorable and disquieting work."- Chet Williamson, author of SECOND CHANCE, and ASH WEDNESDAY"THE TURTLE BOY is a fine example of the Dark American Pastoral--not the heart of darkness, a dead end of absolute despair, but a more shadowy realm that is equally troubling for its mingling of the sad and the sinister, of dreams and the things that kill dreams."-Thomas Ligotti, author of MY WORK IS NOT YET DONE, and THE NIGHTMARE FACTORY"At a time in Fabulist fiction when genuine vision has been replaced with nebulousness and affectation, Kealan Patrick Burke's THE TURTLE BOY is a startling breath of fresh air whose intensely focused style borders on revelation; not only is this story scary and atmospheric, but it's also poignant and wise, and will haunt both your days and dreams for a very long time. Easily one of the finest novellas I've ever read in any genre."- Gary Braunbeck, author of IN SILENT GRAVES, and COFFIN COUNTY

About the Author

Born and raised in Dungarvan, Ireland, Kealan Patrick Burke is a Bram Stoker Award-winning author described as "a newcomer worth watching" (Publishers Weekly) and "one of the most original authors in contemporary horror" (Booklist).Some of his works include the novels KIN, MASTER OF THE MOORS, CURRENCY OF SOULS, THE LIVING, and THE HIDES, the novellas THE TURTLE BOY (Bram Stoker Award Winner, 2004), VESSELS, MIDLISTERS, JACK & JILL, and the collections RAVENOUS GHOSTS, THE NUMBER 121 TO PENNSYLVANIA & OTHERS (Bram Stoker Award-Nominee, 2009), and THEATER MACABRE.Kealan also edited the anthologies: TAVERNS OF THE DEAD (starred review, Publishers Weekly), BRIMSTONE TURNPIKE, QUIETLY NOW (International Horror Guild Award Nominee, 2004), the charity anthology TALES FROM THE GOREZONE, NIGHT VISIONS 12 (starred review, Publishers Weekly, British Fantasy Award & International Horror Guild Award nominee), and DUST & SHADOW.A movie based on his short story "Peekers", directed by Mark Steensland (DEAD @ 17), and scripted by veteran novelist Rick Hautala (Bedbugs, The Mountain King), is currently available to watch on YouTube.He recently played the male lead in Greg Lamberson's film SLIME CITY MASSACRE, the long-awaited sequel to the cult classic SLIME CITY. The film is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and is scheduled for limited theatrical release this summer.Visit Kealan on the web at kealanpatrickburke.com, or visit his blog at kealanpatrick.wordpress.com/

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