It’s with a huge apology that I welcome Michael Craig to Linda’s Book Bag today. Michael was due to appear just as Mum became very poorly and ended up in hospital before she died so it’s taken me a while to catch up. I am, however, delighted to discover more about Michael’s thriller today.
Let’s find out more:
Staying in with Michael Craig
Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Michael and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.
Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?
I’ve brought Doppelganger, Harbinger of Evil. It is a crime thriller set in three cities, Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Leeds, all beautiful cities but with a dark underworld.
Oo. Exploring the thin veneer of civilsation then! What inspired the story?
The story was imagined on a trip to Edinburgh to see a friend, he’d restyled his hair and we looked alike. People mistook us for siblings, and I got to think what you could do if you had an actual doppelganger.
My memory reached out to twins I had known at school, they’d got into trouble, lots of trouble, and they took it in turns to take the punishment irrespective of who was the villain.
That’s brilliant.
In the corner of a Scottish bar, I began to plan the outline of a story, my doppelgangers began to come to life. Initially the story was a husband using his doppelganger so that he could escape his marriage for a short while until I visited Amsterdam with the same friend and The City of Sin offered opportunities for the story to take a darker turn.
I imagine it did! What can we expect from an evening in with Doppelganger, Harbinger of Evil?
The book follows the lives of two individuals, who are almost identical, Kyle a criminal whose wife is to inherit a small fortune, that he will not benefit from unless she dies, and Kirk, who is lost and at a crossroads in his life having failed to fulfil his dream of being a professional footballer and has drifted into the seedy world of male escorting, that brings him into the same criminal circle as his doppelganger.
A horrific and disturbing violent assault amidst a straightforward drug deal provokes the powerful and dangerous Bakker and Volvov families to track down the phantom known as The Apparition.
Will Isla’s inheritance be the death of her? Can a mistaken identity lead to an innocent man being framed for crimes that he did not commit?
That sounds like a real thriller Michael.
What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?
I’ve brought Kirk, anti-hero of the book, tall dark and handsome and easy on the eye. A treat for the lady reader.
And he’s very welcome!
He’s brought his chessboard, Ancient Greek soldiers, one army Gold and the other Silver, a present from the only friend he’s ever had. He’s also brought a bottle of expensive Scotch Whiskey, Laphroaig 12-year-old single malt, his favourite peaty whiskey. Kirk would like to share with you a ‘wee dram’ or two and game of strategy and death.
An evening playing cards or a game of chess is what Kirk would do with friends.
Um. I’m not sure I want to play to the death as my chess is a bit rusty. Tell you what, you get Kirk drunk and I’ll give readers a few more details about Doppelganger, Harbinger of Evil. Thanks so much for joining me this evening and telling me all about it.
Doppelganger, Harbinger of Evil
A horrific and disturbing violent assault amidst a straightforward drug deal creates tension between the powerful and dangerous Bakker and Volvov families. Who is The Apparition, is he a small-time incompetent criminal or an accomplished assassin, and master of disguise. The Devil has reappeared after two decades and is now on the hunt of The Apparition, the terror of The Dutchman has returned. Will Isla’s inheritance be the death of her and can a mistaken identity lead to an innocent man being framed for crimes that he did not commit….
Doppelganger, Harbinger of Evil is available for purchase here.
About Michael Craig
Originally from Halifax, West Yorkshire Michael Craig now lives in Garforth, Leeds, with his wife Victoria and five children. Michael is a Human Resources Consultant, currently working at York St John university.
Michael played both football and rugby league as a child for the school team and also local clubs and played football to a reasonable standard as an adult in the amateur leagues and now plays golf and potters around his garden to keep active.
For further information find Michael on Facebook.
English (US) · 