The Guardian review of Dead Men's Dust

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/may/30/matt-hilton-crime-books

Pretty good review here from a top paper.

SMOOTH Radio 105.2 interview

While I was in Glasgow yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting and being interviewed by Alex Dickson for 'The Smooth Bookcase' to be aired either this Sunday or next at 7pm. Once I have confirmation I will post a link so that you can listen in. There was so much that went into the interview - or the schmooze on the couch - that I can't believe how much was covered now that I reflect on it.

My gratious thanks to Alex and Michael for a great time.

DMD Number 12 in Sunday Times Hardback chart

Dead Men's Dust is number 12 in the Sunday Times hardback chart and I just wanted to thank all those people who have purchased my book in the UK (and elsewhere - but that's a different chart). If you enjoyed the book, please spread the word!

Many thanks to you all

Matt

Sunday Express 'S' magazine

Keep an eye out for the 7th June edition of the Sunday Express 'S' magazine, where my short story SPLITTING HEIRS will be featured.

My first look at Dead Men's Dust on sale in America

Rebecca Cantrell - author of A TRACE OF SMOKE, which is released this month in the USA by Tor Forge books - kindly sent me this photograph of Dead Men's Dust on sale in a book shop in Colma, California and is my first look at the US edition on sale anywhere.

Maybe I'm opinionated, but it looks damn good to me!

To find out more about Rebecca Cantrell, click this link:

http://rebeccacantrell.com/

Joe Hunter available in India

http://www.flipkart.com/matt-hiltons/

Hi all,

for those of you residing in India, Joe Hunter's adventures are now available from flipcart.com. If you follow the link, you will find Dead men's Dust and numerous other books for sale.

Noir rush at Thrillers, Killers 'n' Chillers

There has been somewhat of a rush of noir submissions over at my sister blog at Thrillers, Killers 'n' Chillers. Click the link title above to read A BAD DAY WITH BOTH BARRELS by Lee Hughes, BOO-BOO BABY AT THE BUY & BYE by Michael Pelc, THE SAVIOUR by Keith Rawson and IN THE BAG by AJ Humpage.

Don't forget also that there is a fairly large back-list of stories and flash fiction. Something for everyone who loves crime, thrillers and horror stories. Why not check them out?

COMING IN OCTOBER 2009

Remember that in the UK the paperback edition of Dead Men's Dust will be available in October, coinciding with the hardback release of Joe Hunter's second thrilling adventure in Judgement and Wrath.

Lockdown by Sean Black

If you like Joe Hunter, you'll probably like Ryan Lock's debut, coming soon...

New York. It may be Christmas in New York, but for ex-soldier turned elite bodyguard Ryan Lock it's business as usual: his mission is to protect one of America's most ruthless businessmen. A bloody shoot-out - suddenly gunshots ring out. People run for cover. Innocent people are mown down. Amid the chaos, Lock's hunt for the killers turns into an explosive game of cat and mouse. A deadly secret - Lock's search for the truth takes him from the rooftops of a New York skyscraper to a heavily fortified warehouse on the Hudson where he confronts one of the world's most dangerous women. As the clock ticks towards midnight on New Year's Eve, all routes into and out of Manhattan are sealed, and Lock realizes that not only is his own life in terrible danger but so are the lives of millions of others...

Joe Hunter in Ireland

Thanks to my good friend and fellow thriller writer, Sean Black, here are a couple of photographs of DMD on sale in Ireland. The pics were taken in Hughes and Hughes and in Eason, both bookstores in Dublin. Over there the trade paperback is on sale as opposed to the hardback.

Great review at Bookgasm

http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/thrillers/dead-mens-dust/

Thanks to Bruce Grossman for a fantastic review.

Crimefest Bristol 14-17 May 2009

As many of you know, I attended Crimefest in Bristol and had a great time. Others have reported on the festival itself, and in a much better way than I ever could. All I'd like to add is my thanks to some wonderful people who made my time there so enjoyable. The list is long, but special thanks to Myles and Adrian, Sheila, Maureen, Adrian and Ann, Cara, Colin, Ali, Steve, Brian, Yrsa and Oli and Leni: all special people. Thanks also to those who purchased copies of my book (and sold me out on my first day!).

The group photo is just some of the little gang of friends I made. From left to right: Steve Warne, Sheila Quigley, Ann Magson, Ali Karim and me. The remainder of photos were of me on a panel with fellow debuters Alison Bruce, Steven Hague, M.R. Hall, Jenni Mills and Aly Monroe, with Peter Gutteridge as moderator.

Thanks to Adrian Magson for the pics.

The Book Launch - how it went.

Things have been a little crazy in the past week and I thought it was probably about time I got round to writing a short piece on the book launch that took place last Wednesday evening at Waterstone's in Carlisle.

Basically it exceeded all expectations with - at one point - more than three hundred attendees. I was a little awestruck by the volume of friends, family, well-wishers and readers who turned out to help celebrate the launch of Dead Men's Dust. Looking out from my little enclave, surrounded by books, there was a sea of faces looking back at me. The emotion in my voice wasn't feigned - very genuine and heartfelt, it was. Demand for the book was amazing, and the 120 copies I had to hand sold out in no time, with another 50 ordered. That was stunning. And I want to thank all those who kindly elected to wait to pick up their copies to allow those who'd travelled to get theirs first. What an amazing group of people. Thanks to you all.

I went back in to Waterstone's on Tuesday to sign and dedicate all the books that were ordered, so if you haven't picked yours up yet, they're there waiting for you. While I was in store, another six copies went to readers approaching me while I laboured away at a table in Costa. What a great feeling that was - being approached by people who had no vested interest in me, only a joy of reading.

Unfortunately, and even though I took along my camera, I was so carried along with the event that I forgot to snap any pics. Others did, so when these become available to me I'll post them here.

Thanks to everyone for attending - without you it would have been a pretty quiet affair.


Keep on keeping on folks!
Matt

Library Event

On Thursday 4th June 2009 at 7.30 pm I'm going to be appearing alongside bestselling author Sophie Hannah at Carlisle library. If you were unable to attend the 'awesome' book launch where Waterstone's was packed out this is your opportunity to come along and purchase a copy of DMD or have your copy personally signed. I look forward to seeing you all there.

DMD in Daily Mail today (UK)

In today's Daily Mail (page 76) Dead Men's Dust is mentioned in the thriller round up where Geoffrey Wansell declares: "Hilton is more adept at humour than Lee Child... the series should be electrifying"

Open Book on BBC Radio 4

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00kc262

Listen in to the interview I did alongside Karen Campbell with Mariella Frostrup on BBC Radio's Open Book.

Drag the start time to 20:22 for the starting point.

Another review I like

http://www.paperplus.co.nz/books/book-talk/kerres-book-reviews/article-1241471485

I just love this review

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25466756-5003424,00.html

I'll let it speak for itself.

UK Book launch up-date 1

http://colburysnewcrimefiction.blogspot.com/2009/05/matt-hiltons-dead-mens-dust-book-launch.html

Col Bury, good friend and co-editor of Thrillers, Killers 'N' Chillers posted an account of his attending the launch of DMD at Waterstone's in Carlisle last Wednesday evening. Click the link to read Col's take on the event.

I'll share my own impressions once the Dust has settled a little (pun to be excused please).

Out today in the USA

Today, Tuesday 19th May 2009, my debut novel featuring 'fixer' Joe Hunter launches in the USA.

I am thrilled and only wish I could be there to get some sense of its arrival and look forward with anticipation to how it will be received by the reading public.

An intro to classical Greece with a noir twist

I've been interested for some time in trying my hand at a historical novel - one of my earlier un-published books was a gothic horror/mystery called Shadow Walker - and I had the pleasure of meeting an interesting writer at Crimefest who does just that. Roger Hudson writes crime books set in ancient Greece and his first book, Death Comes by Amphora is out now. If you share my interest (or even if you don't but want to check out something new) take a look over at Roger's website here: http://www.rogerhudson.me.uk/

Review at The MALC

This book review appears in The MALC newsletter (a martial arts group) and I have reprinted it here for your enjoyment. The author was a student of mine back in the day when I was still seriously involved in Kempo Ju-Jitsu


Book Review
Dead Men’s Dust by Matt Hilton
Purchased at 7-15 on the 13th of May at the book signing in Carlisle and finished later that evening! I read books at every opportunity and like most of us, I form opinions instantly ; it's good, it's bad, or I just could not be bothered to finish it. This time I knew the author, so I was duty bound to complete the book. In fact I have hit him on numerous occasions! That he tended to hit me back a lot harder and throw me around the room as a sort of extra for attempting to hit him is just one of those things I seem to remember at my Kempo Black Belt grading (note the spelling as it was Kempo Ju-Jitsu) he choked me out.That aside here is a new author with a hero for our time. Lone working, hard hitting Joe Hunter is Mat's creation and he is the sort of guy we all want on our side. Read the book and look at some of the action scenes. Joe is a man who knows about martial arts and it shows. Mat is a 4th Degree Kempo Ju-jitsu exponent. I would imagine that Mat spent time with his brothers, who incidentally are also a handful, going over the fight scenes to make them as adrenaline flowing as possible. Joe Hunter is a decent guy who accepts that the world is not to be seen through rose tinted lenses. Who hopes for the best and prepares for the worst. In fact there is much of Mat in the fictional Joe Hunter. Kind and modest but certainly not to be taken lightly.Read this when you want to be thrilled and look towards Joe Hunters next appointment with the dark side of life.
Mike Ilderton 14th MAY 2009
"When in doubt, choke them out" ~ Scott Marker

Dead Men's Dust on sale tomorrow in the USA

With all the buzz about the UK launch, don't forget the the USA edition from William Morrow and Company will hit the stands in the US tomorrow!

http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/34927/Matt_Hilton/index.aspx

And the winner is....

Congratulations to Jaquie01 who was picked at random to win the signed hardback edition of Dead Men's Dust. The book will be dispatched to the winner once a mailing adress is received. Many thanks to everyone for entering. If you didn't win, don't worry, there will be other opportunities to win more freebies soon.

Thanks to all

This is just a rush blog having just arrived home after 5 days on the publicity trail. Just wanted to express my thanks to everyone for all the support - it's greatly appreciated. The launch was an overwhelming success, as was my day in London and the subsequent days spent at CRimefest in Bristol, UK.

I will do a much fuller report when I am able to get my head out of the clouds and un-cross my eyes!

A round up...

As it's highly likely I will be away from this blog for a few days, I just wanted to do a quick round-up of all that's happening with me over the next few days.

Today I launch the book - Dead Men's Dust - at the Waterstone's branch in Carlisle, Cumbria.

Tomorrow I'm travelling to London and will be recording an interview with Mariella Frotrup for BBC Radio 4's Open Book, to be aired on Sunday at approximately 4pm.

Those of you in the north of England and Southern Scotland can catch me on the 6pm Look North programme - I had a busy day recording yesterday, and though it hasn't been confirmed with me yet, I believe it will be aired tonight or tomorrow. Apparently you can watch it on-line as well (but I haven't got the appropriate link yet).

Crimefest will take up the bulk of the next few days. I will be there from Thursday evening until Sunday afternoon - so if you're attending come say hi.

Great guy and author of the superb spy novel, Free Agent, Jeremy Duns sent me a photo of DMD on sale in Stockholm, at the English Bookshop in Gama Stan, which is the old part of town, so as you can see the book has started to do the rounds in Europe. (see photo at top).

OK, busy-busy day, so I'll write again soon.

Thanks to all the well-wishers who have been in touch

Matt

Tomorrow I launch!

Way too busy to blog much today. Radio Cumbria at 08.30, then with a TV crew from BBC from 12.00 - 16.00, then on with about a thousand other things that 'finally' came to mind.

Keep on keeping on folks

Matt

Don't forget to enter for the signed copy of DMD. See below.

3 Days!

Just 3 days until my book launches in the UK. In fact, it's even less than that considering today is almost history, and I'm doing a pre-launch on Wednesday evening. In real terms that means I've just a little over 45 hours until I achieve my dream and become a 'PUBLISHED AUTHOR'.

What a ride it's been - some hard work, some woes and worries, but on the whole absolutely marvelous.

And I get it all to do again in a week's time when my book launches in the USA (19th May).

All work and no play makes Matt (anything but) a dull boy!!

Don't forget that you can enter to win a signed copy of Dead Men's Dust by following the instructions in the preceding blog entry.

WIN A SIGNED HARDBACK EDITION of DEAD MEN'S DUST

This is your chance to win a FREE signed First Edition hardback of Dead Men's Dust by Matt Hilton.

The rules are simple:

Email Matt at matthiltonbooks@live.co.uk

In the subject line write DMD COMP

In the body of the mail tell me which edition you'd prefer, either the UK (Hodder and Stoughton) or the USA (William Morrow and Co).

The winner will be picked at random from all entrants.

Competition ends at Midnight (GMT) on Sunday 17th May 2009, so hurry.

The winner will be announced via this blog.

Please ensure that when emailing you have a valid email reply function in order for me to contact the winners to arrange delivery.

Best of luck

And please spread the word

Matt

The Road To Hell Competition

http://www.theseahills.co.uk/

Sheila Quigley, author of the SEAHILLS ESTATE series of crime books has announced a competition to win a signed hardback copy of her eagerly awaited The Road To Hell (Tonto Books to be released 5th November 2009).

For a chance at winning all you need do is email Sheila with the titles of three songs that best sum up her style of books. Competition ends 1st Nov 2009.

To enter, click on the link above and follow the instructions.

If you haven't read Sheila's books before, this is also a good opportunity to browse her site and see what you've been missing.

BBC Radio 4 - Open Book

On Sunday 17th May 2009 (approx 16.00 hrs GMT) I will be featured on Mariella Frostrups 'OPEN BOOK' on BBC Radio 4.

BBC Look North

I'm going to be filming a short piece with BBC Look North next Tuesday (12th May) and will be appearing on the evening news slot. Not sure which day yet, but I will update as soon as I know.

BBC Radio Cumbria

I will be appearing in interview on BBC Radio Cumbria between 8.30 and 9.00 am on Tuesday 12th May 2009 (GMT). Anyone out of the county who wants to listen in can do so via the internet.

Joe's in New Zealand

Joe Hunter has expanded into New Zealand. These are some of the street posters appearing in Aukland.

New Zealand Independent review

http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/news/entertainment/book-review-dead-mens-dust-matt-hilton/1504464.aspx

How's this for an awesome review from New Zealand's INDEPENDENT newspaper?

Page building at Booksnbytes.com

http://www.booksnbytes.com/authors/hilton_matt.html

Just wanted to share these with you all again. My page is building at Booksnbytes.com thanks to the efforts of Pat and Gina. Many thanks to both.

Message from Australia

As some of you are aware, Joe Hunter is currently in Australia pushing his campaign against the bad guys of the world.

I dropped him a short email via the contact details on his posters:

Hi Joe,

hope everything's going well with your trip to Australia. Great to see you expanding your network - you know what you always say: 'the scream of a victim sounds the same the world over' so I'm pretty sure you'll get plenty work while you're there. Is that Rink behaving himself? And say Hi to Harve and Walt for me. Take care now, and look out for those bone harvesting maniacs, they seem to crop up all over the place these days.

your good friend

Matt

This was Joe's reply:

Hi Matt,

Wish I could say I was on holiday down here, but you know me better than most. I'm not one of those people that can lie on a beach and forget about the worries of the world. At least not in my world.

Rink is Rink. He complains about the flies. No one understands his accent but he gets his message across. It's funny how a three times interstate karate champion develops a way of persuading people without the need for words.

Best of luck with the launch of the new book, I've heard it's not half bad.

Cheers

Joe.

So, as you can see Joe's having a great time in Oz, but don't worry, he'll be around in time for the launch in the UK and USA. He's like Santa Claus in that respect. Right now he's checking his list, checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty or...naughty.

Matt

Eight days to UK book launch

It's only eight days to the UK launch of my debut novel, Dead Men's Dust, and the nerves are starting to kick in big style. Less than a week later the book will also be on the stands in the USA.

The UK launch is taking place in front of friends and family at Waterstone's bookshop in Carlisle, the city where I grew up. I think that's about the most nerve racking thing of all. Friends and family aren't afraid to heckle!

The official UK launch takes place the next day in London, then I'm off to Crimefest. If anyone's going I look forward to seeing you there. I hope also that some of you have had the opportunity to read my book before then.

OK, request time: if you've read the book and enjoyed it, please put a review on Amazon.com for me. There are some wonderful reviewers out there (Pat, Gina, Harriet, JV etc) who have kindly spread the word by way of blogs and sites, but a few more good un's wouldn't do any harm.

Anyway, now that that is off my chest, I want to once again thank all those people who have joined me on my journey towards publication, and I really hope you like the adventures of Joe Hunter.

Keep on keeping on folks
Matt

Evening News article

http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/people/former_maryport_cop_matt_gets_record_deal_for_debut_crime_novel_1_548659?referrerPath=/t_s_news_feed_1_17079

Here's another article/interview with me featured in the Evening News and Star

Dead Men's T.H.R.U.S.H. (don't worry, I've got some cream for that!)

There's a cool little mention for me and good friend Sean Black in Russel Mclean's collumn Back from the Dead at The Big Thrill webzine.
To help you out, it's under the heading Just Like S.P.E.C.T.R.E...or possibly T.H.R.U.S.H. (but that's not referring to our books).

http://www.thrillerwriters.org/2009/04/this-month-russel-gets-beaten.html

Sons of Spade review of DMD

http://sonsofspade.blogspot.com/2009/04/dead-mans-dust-joe-hunter-by-matt.html

Over at JV Steen's topnotch blog site, Sons of Spade, there is a great little review of Dead Men's Dust. Why not pop on over and have a look and then take the time to look at the other cool stuff there.

Thrillers, Killers and Chillers to keep you up all night

http://thrillskillsnchills.blogspot.com/

At my sister blog, where I'm ably assisted by crime writer Col Bury, there is a great selection of new short tales and flash fiction from some truly astounding and imaginative writers.

There has been an onus on chillers in the past week or so with the following:

Chocolate Button Eyes by Julie Morgan

Tucked Away by Jeanette Cheezum

Fashion Victim by Lily Childs

Reflections by LeeH (flash fiction)

The Late Show by Mike Whitney (flash fiction)

but there are two crime stories as well:

Humble Pie by Vallon Jackson

Black Male by Michael J Solender

enough thrills, kills 'n' chills to keep you awake at night.

Judgement and Wrath

Hi all,
this is the first look at the cover of JUDGEMENT AND WRATH, the second Joe Hunter thriller, which will be published by Hodder and Stoughton 1st October 2009.

Interview at The Big Thrill

http://www.thrillerwriters.org/2009/04/dead-mens-dust-by-matt-hilton.html

In the May edition of The BIG THRILL webzine from International Thriller Writers, you can find an interview I did with Janice Bashman. Hope you like it.