Being (1) a lover of horror | fantasy | folklore, and (2) British, it was unequivocally going to be the case that I would waste no time in buying and digesting Andrew Michael Hurley's third novel Starve Acre. Lancashire-based Hurley's first novel, The Loney, went on to sell in over twenty languages, win the Costa Best First Novel Award and the Book of the Year at the British Book Industry Awards. Hurley was undoubtedly pleased! His winning streak continued with the release of his second novel, Devil's Day, picked as a Book of the Year in five newspapers and winner of the Encore Award - the British literary award for the best second novel of the year. It would come as no surprise if this third work by Hurley, with its bold and original plot and narrative, also wins one or more awards.

The striking and memorable front cover image by Celia Hart has magnetic appeal. This edition by John Murray (Publishers) also has some of the text from the folk song 'The Hare' printed on the outer aspect of the pages on the top, bottom and right-hand side - a device that one rarely sees employed. An entirely enjoyable read from start to finish that was masterfully handled by Hurley. To avoid committing a spoiler faux pas, I'll simply finish with the four verses of 'The Hare' from Starve Acre, as the subject is so salient to the plot:

The Raker-of-Mud
The Hot-Footed-One.
Jolly-Night-Drunk.
Earth-on-the-Run.

Piece-o-the-Dark.
Lugs-in-the-Hay
The Owd Duke-o-March.
The Jester-o-May

Twitch-in-the-Bracken
Dandelion Jack
Eyes-all-a-startle
Marker-of-Tracks

Earth-Thumper.
Witch-Puppet.
Lurker-at-Dusk
'Tis part of his game
To vary his name.

'The Hare', a folk song

It only remains for me to go out and buy Hurley's first two novels; what a chore!