Really enjoyed the anticipation and resolution. Characters brought to life really well. A great first novel and would recommend to anyone enjoying the genre. -Amazon Review
THE TESTS:
Their terrible secrets are buried in the past, but the truth
can’t stay hidden any longer
At the start of the summer of ‘88, Alex Clayton was desperate to find his place in the world. Constantly bullied and reeling from the recent loss of his mum, he sought friendship from local girl Sheryl Denton, and her colourful group of friends, Ben, Janette, Corkscrew and Gavin. But to join their group, Alex first needed to undertake four notorious initiation trials, known as the tests.
That year changed everything for Alex and shaped his entire life. The events that unfolded during that long summer would haunt the group forever.
Now, over three decades later, and living in Edinburgh, with his wife, Natalie, Alex’s past jeopardises his marriage when he has memory dreams that are so intense, that Natalie becomes concerned her husband is hiding a secret about his childhood.
Alex arranges a reunion with the old group, and travels back to his hometown in Kent, to piece together the events of ‘88. He must face his past, and face Gavin, who is a tormented soul, with nothing to lose. Gavin harbours a deep hatred for Alex and holds him responsible for a tragedy that occurred when they were kids.
Whilst Alex searches for answers, so too does Natalie, as she becomes hellbent on finding out what her husband is hiding.
As Alex and the group revisit moments from their past, dark secrets come to light, old feuds reignite, and things spiral out of control. It soon becomes clear that everything may not have happened as Alex remembered, and the truth about what happened will lead to total devastation for all those involved.
About the Author
Robert W Kirby, I was born in 1979 and live in Kent with my wife, children and Dalmatian, Dexter.
I ran a private investigation agency for over fifteen years; dealing in cases that involved breach of contract claims, commercial debt recovery, and process serving. My agency also specialized in people tracing, so much of my work revolved around tracking down debtors, dealing in adoption matters and locating missing persons.
Since 2014, I have worked self-employed in the pet care industry, and I am a keen trail runner, mountain biker and kayaker.
I’ve had a huge passion for screenwriting for many years and started writing novels during the first lockdown. My first novel, The Tests, published on Amazon in 2021, was based on a spec screenplay that I originally wrote back in 2009.
My second novel, The Feud on Dead Lane, a dark gritty crime thriller, will be available in early 2022.
If you would like to be informed about my new book releases, don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter @ robertkirby.co.uk/subscribe.