Pagans

James Alistair Henry author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Moonflower Publishing

Publishing:29th Jan '26

£9.99

This title is due to be published on 29th January, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

This paperback is available in another edition too:

Pagans cover

  • Major TV series by award-winning international production company Media Res (The Morning Show, Pachinko, Extrapolations, Scenes from a Marriage) in pre-production
  • Widespread press coverage including reviews, interviews and guest features across national press, lifestyle magazines, literary media, and cultural magazines
  • TV and radio appearances, both local and national, and entrance to radio book clubs including Magic FM and Radio 2's book clubs
  • Appearance on literary, fantasy, history and TV-related podcasts
  • Blog tour and high-profile (50k+ followers) social media influencer campaign
  • Extensive marketing campaign including paid advertising, print and digital
  • Celebrity endorsements from figures from the book and TV world
  • Several high-profile festival appearances
  • Submission for debut novel awards including British Book Awards, Nero Awards and Arthur C Clarke award
  • Book signings
  • <

    TWO COPS. ONE KILLER. HUNDREDS OF GODS.
    21st Century London - except the Norman conquest never happened.An uneasy alliance of ancient tribes has formed, but peace is threatened by a series of brutal murders. Detectives Aedith and Drustan must put aside their differences to track down a serial killer with a decades-old grudge.

    TWO COPS. ONE KILLER. HUNDREDS OF GODS.

    21st Century London.
    The Norman conquest never happened.
    The ancient tribes of Britain remain undefeated.
    But murders still have to be solved.

    The small, mostly unimportant, island of Britain is inhabited by an uneasy alliance of tribes - the dominant Saxon East, the beleaguered Celtic West, and an independent Nordic Scotland - and tensions are increasing by the second. Supermarket warpaint sales are at an all- time high, mead abuse shortens the lives of thousands, and social media is abuzz with conspiracy theories suggesting the High Table's putting GPS trackers in the honeycakes.

    Amid this febrile atmosphere, the capital is set to play host to the Unification Summit, which aims to join together the various tribes into one 'united kingdom'. But when a Celtic diplomat is found brutally murdered, his body nailed to an ancient oak, the fragile peace is threatened. Captain Aedith Mercia, daughter of a powerful Saxon leader, must join forces with Celtic Tribal Detective Inspector Drustan to solve the murder - and stop political unrest spilling onto the streets.

    But is this an isolated incident? Or are Aedith and Drustan facing a serial killer with a decades-old grudge? To find out, they must delve into their own murky pasts and tackle forces that go deeper than they ever could have imagined.

    Set in a world that's far from our own and yet captivatingly familiar, Pagans is "The Bridge" meets "Vikings", exploring contemporary themes of religious conflict, nationalism, prejudice... and the delicate internal politics of the office coffee round. Gripping and darkly funny, Pagans keeps you guessing until the very end.

TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER

"High concept brilliance supercharged by low humour, great characters and a gripping plot." - The Daily Mail

"Our pick of the best new debut fiction... Henry's mash-up of fantasy and crime genres is inventive, enjoyably nasty and frequently very funny." - The Financial Times

"Works beautifully, blessed with a plot that snaps into place at the end without ever seeming forced or contrived, and leads who are good company... More than good enough to give the likes of Ben Aaronovitch and Adam Simcox a run for their money." - SFX

"A compelling detective thriller set against the backdrop of an utterly original and credible alternate history of Britain. Will ensnare crime lovers, fantasy fans and history nuts alike." - Matthew Graham, creator of Life On Mars

"Simultaneously darkly funny and grimly authentic, Pagans reinvents crime fiction for a tribal age. It's Vikings meets The Bridge - and it really works. The most unexpected, brilliant fantasy crime novel of the year." - Ava Glass, author of the Washington Post Thriller of the Year The Traitor

"Bark out loud funny." - Radio Times

"A debut author to keep a close eye on." - The Daily Mirror

"Lots of delightful touches... a fun and well-worked out, engaging read." - Fortean Times

"Funny and original... a debut to brighten winter's dark nights." - Country and Townhouse

"A debut author to watch out for this year." - The Irish Times

"The concept is pure genius... It manages to be both a great alt-history and a really good mystery thriller... Enormously enjoyable." - KJ Charles, author of the Doomsday Books

"Unlike any book that I have read before. It's fast-paced, intricately plotted, and packed with richly drawn characters. It's downright astonishing. Easily my book of the year." - M.W. Craven, author of Fearless and The Washington Poe series

ISBN: 9781916678019

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown