The Midnight Man [Paperback]

Simon Clark (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009

Van Gogh paints works of transcendent genius, while in London a killer launches a reign of terror . . . - Nidabi is attacked by her master but is rescued just in time by Pastor Hux, a man who befriended Van Gogh many years ago. A decade later the men live different lives. But soon a deadly momentum will draw the two old friends together into a withering storm painted in madness and death.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Clark, the author of Lucifer’s Ark (2008) and several novels about vampires (London under Midnight, 2006), offers up an eerie period piece set in England and France in the late 1880s. In London, a killer preys on young women; meanwhile, the mysterious Pastor Hux rescues a servant girl from her violent master. In Provence, Vincent van Gogh makes the acquaintance of a soldier’s daughter, and she dedicates herself to rescuing the tortured genius from his own self-destructive nature. Both men, Hux and Van Gogh (who knew each other once), are wracked with self-doubts and contradictory natures, and both are—or so it seems—somehow connected to the series of murders. The novel is less successful than Clark’s other books:  the story is less cohesive, the characters less compelling. On the other hand, the atmosphere is genuinely spooky and threatening; clearly, Clark is a talented writer, even when his material is less than ideal. Is the book a misfire? No, because it delivers on its promise of chills and excitement. But readers familiar with his works may feel it could have been better. --David Pitt --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Simon Clark, described as "one of the most exciting British horror writers around," is the author of numerous novels, including The Fall, Darker and Blood Crazy. He was awarded the British Fantasy Award for his short story "Goblin City Lights" and for his novel Night of the Triffids, which continued where John Wyndham's original novel left off.

Product Details

• Paperback: 234 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847510612
• ISBN-13: 978-1847510617
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,213,199 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Simon Clark is the author of the cult apocalyptic novel Blood Crazy: "everyone over the age of 19 has been driven murderously insane... children and teenagers flee for their lives..." His novels include Nailed By The Heart, Vampyrrhic, Whitby Vampyrrhic, Ghost Monster and a bloody fistful of others that earned accolades from magazines around the world. This from Hellnotes: 'Clark's is surely the most outrageous imagination to grace horror since the discovery of Clive Barker' And: 'I actually loved Blood Crazy. Not just liked it, but loved it.' A quote from Beyond.

Simon was raised in a family of story-tellers. One told of a human skull buried under the family's garage. Currently he lives in the North of England where Robin Hood once roamed, and where legends of monsters lurking in ponds and caves abound. 2010 sees the release of his latest novella, Humpty's Bones, from Telos Books.

For news and videos about Simon Clark and his grisly craft be sure to Google his name from time to time.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vincent Van Gogh meets Jack the Ripper!, October 24, 2008

By 

Ray J. Palen Jr. "Ray" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Midnight Man (Hardcover)

Simon Clark is the best thing working in horror/thriller fiction today and each of his novels (mostly stand-alones) are works of imaginative fiction that recall the earlier efforts of Clive Barker.

In "The Midnight Man" we are given the account of Vincent Van Gogh and his mysterious friend, Pastor Hux. Van Gogh is living in Arles, France, and Hux in London, England. The tale is told from the perspective of two women - Ty and Nidabi - who are each living as companions who were saved by these two men. While we get a nicely defined picture of Van Gogh at the cusp of his creative height we are also shown the spiral into darkness of Pastor Hux that has caused him to slaughter many prostitutes and other unfortunates around the Whitechapel section of London.

The two pairs eventually meet and the build-up to the stunning conclusion is well paced. In addition to a fine thriller novel we are also given perspective that may explain Van Gogh's madness, self-mutilation and fear of poison. I also like the fact that the name, Jack the Ripper, is never mentioned - yet the murders commited by Pastor Hux fit that persona.

A must for fans of horror, thriller or historical fiction. Well done.

Ray Palen (Simon Clark's #1 U.S. Fan)