Local journalist's spooky new e-book

* The cover of Spooky Man by Garth ap Thomas.

A local journalist has had his latest book published online.

Garth ap Thomas, who lives in Denbighshire and used to cover Llangollen when he worked on the Vale Advertiser from 1998-2006, is the author of Spooky Man, an e-book comedy-mystery story, which is available on Amazon.

When a manhunt involving armed police officers takes place in a remote Scottish village the Daily Gazette sends Maddie Jones to cover the story.

* Garth ap Thomas.

But Maddie's investigations reveal there is more going on than the search for a fugitive wanted for murder. She discovers evidence of a Government military project researching Extra Sensory Perception which has gone badly wrong.

To try to find out more Maddie enlists the help of stage psychic Simon Hall. The duo soon realise a killer is on their trail – but just who is it?

Spooky Man is a follow up to Am I Psychic? – Garth’s first e-book featuring the adventures of Maddie Jones and Simon Hall.

Further details are available by logging on to his website at www.garthapthomas.com.

Here, Garth has given llanblogger permission to bring you an extract from Spooky Man ….

“Madeline Jones. Stay there, don't move a muscle,” screamed the warning from the security guard. 

Maddie had been walking briskly through the car park in an attempt to get away from the office building as quickly as possible, but now she knew she'd been caught. She turned round with a feeling of deep dread, to see Kevin running up towards her. 

Kevin Thomas was the newest recruit to the security team at the Gazette offices, the newspaper where Maddie worked as a reporter. They were the same age, 19, and Maddie feared he fancied her.  

This was awkward as she definitely didn't reciprocate. Just because he was a security guard Kevin acted as if he was a special agent for the FBI, so immature. And a big head as well. 

Maddie had finished a tough day at work and now just wanted to get home, take a soak in the bath, have something to eat and watch a bit of TV.

After being spotted by Kevin on her way out she'd initially ignored his calls to come back. But as the barking continued, getting louder and more insistent, she realised pretending not to have heard was not an option. 

Maddie hoped Kevin wasn't going to ask her for a date. She'd heard he'd just split with his girlfriend and had been trying to persuade virtually any female at the Gazette to go to a curry night with him organised by his local football club. Kevin was a big footy fan. 

“Hi Kev." 

“At last, got you,” he panted. “You can't half cover some ground. Didn't you hear me shouting before? 

“No," Maddie replied, forcing her eyes not to blink. 

“You must need your ears syringing girl. 

“I love it when you talk hygienic Kev, but honestly I haven't got time for this,” said Maddie, spinning to turn round and get back on her way before he could ask if she wanted to go out. 

"Your boss phoned down as you were leaving the reception area, I've got a message for you." 

"My boss, which one?" 

"Susan." 

"OK." 

Susan Roberts was the Associate Editor. Kev said the message was that Maddie had to be in at the office an hour earlier than usual tomorrow. 

"Why," asked Maddie. She's been through a grueller today and already her free time to recover was being eaten into. 

"Susan said there was a job that might be coming up needing special attention. Couldn't give any more details at the moment." 

"This wouldn't be a wind up would it Kev? One of your hilarious little pranks?" Kevin was known to like practical jokes. 

"Cross my heart girl. Phone her now if you like. 

Maddie surveyed Kevin's face for clues. "I'll believe you," she said carefully. "My sixth sense tells me you're on the level, this time at least."

"Think you're a magician mind reader like that Harvey Houdini? Whatever, you've been told so I'm in the clear. Before you go there was something else I was meaning to ask you." 

Maddie's sense of dread suddenly shot up again. It was pretty obvious what Kevin was going to say. She decided to nip it in the bud. "Sorry Kev I don't like curry." 

He looked at her in amazement. "Are you psychic?" 

"No, voodoo." 

"Really," Kev asked, his eyes widening with ever increasing astonishment.

"Yeah I'm the high priestess of the Ridley Wood coven." 

"Ridley Wood?" 

"It's up west, near Notting Hill. Don't want to sound like a snob but I find you get a better class of witch round there. Now if you'll excuse me I've got to go home and stick pins in some dolls. See ya." 

With that she twitched her nose a couple of times and walked away.