In a boring and ordinary world, adopting the shadow of a dead girl seems quite exciting to Jake. But he soon learns that he’s not the only one with a second shadow, and he becomes involved in a violent and disturbing new world that existed all along on the fringe of society.

His boring and ordinary days become filled with strange characters, murder, torture, and deceit as he struggles to keep hold of his little girl, and ultimately stay alive.

Some people will do anything to adopt a second shadow. Others will do more to get them back.

What genre is it?
Horror. Dark Urban Fantasy.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?
People who love psychological horror and the idea that the paranormal could exist in our very own world, but we just never looked. The Lost Dark is not a brain-out splatter-fest – though it has its moments. Haunting at times, it appeals to readers who like to become emotionally involved in a story, who will judge the characters and their actions based on their own views of what’s going on, and who will question motives.

Tell us more about the story and the characters that people it.
The story revolves around Jake and the shadow of a little girl who has attached to him. Jake is a fairly ordinary guy who just wanders through life in a ‘given-up’ kind of fashion. But after the little girl has been with him for a while, that all changes and his past begins to show through.

Luce is a beautiful, quirky, but haunted young woman. She uses Moses, a sinister, unemotional brute to collect shadows for her. She also has Abe, a very special shadow of her own.

Bob and Freesia live in an abandoned ironworks with a family of outcasts who have turned their backs on what society had to offer them.

And then there’s Emma, Jake’s ex-girlfriend who turns up unexpectedly.

Each of the main characters have very strong views on what it is to adopt a new shadow. They have their own stories of once normal lives that haunt them. It is when they all collide that we ultimately see just what they are capable of, emotionally and physically.

Complete this sentence for us: if you like _________________, you’ll love The Lost Dark.
If you like being scared, emotionally challenged, yet hopeful for the characters you meet, you’ll love my book.

How would you like the reader to feel as they read the last word of your book?
Emotionally drained, excited, and wanting more. They will feel like they’ve experienced the world of The Lost Dark themselves and will quite possibly be keeping an eye on their own shadow for weeks to come.

Why The Lost Dark?
The title is the core premise for the story – shadows exist that have been detached from their original host, and they are truly lost. But as events unfold, we get to understand who the Lost Dark are as a collective, where they came from, and how they came to be.

Have you written any other books that we should read next?
I have written many short stories, some of which can still be found online. I am currently working on my next novel, The Pattern of Birds – a dark, uncanny tale of a girl who lives in Ravenscar, the Town that Never Was.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Andy Rigley?
Andy lives in a village on the Derby/Nottingham border. He has written for several years and has an MA in Creative Writing. He has published over twenty short stories in magazines, online, in regional newspapers and in America. His short stories It’s all for Free and Merry Go Round were placed first and second in Writers’ Forum Magazine (June 2010 and May 2011). The Lost Dark is his first novel. When not writing Andy has a multitude of other hobbies. He likes to escape into the hills for long walks where no one can find him. He also comes up with curious and interesting ideas to keep his three teenage kids entertained, like crafting full size animal suits or playing ‘Murder’ around his four story house. His kids are quite possibly more mature than him.

Do you have a website where we can keep up with your work?
www.andyrigley.co.uk
Check out my blog: http://andyrigley.wordpress.com/

How can we follow you on Twitter and/or Facebook?
Follow me on
Twitter: @andyrigley

What’s next?
I’m currently looking into cross-media projects revolving around the world of The Lost Dark – recreating the ideas and new characters using video game technology.