The town of Aurora is waiting to die. A few miles away a deep seam of coal burns underground, the fire creeping closer ever year. Businesses close. Families leave. Hope dwindles.
And then one day, nine-year-old Danny Yates comes back from the dead. He walks into town half-starved and silent, ten months after he and his best friend Will Keefe were presumed drowned. But when Danny does finally speak, he swears that he’s not Danny anymore. He’s Will.
Danny’s mother is convinced that her boy has come back wrong, and that the town itself is now at risk from whatever dark force returned her son. Chief of Police John Deacon is more interested in how the sinister disappearance of two boys could have been written off as a tragic accident, and who was responsible. What happened to Danny to make him take on his friend’s name, his personality? And does Danny’s return mean there’s a chance that Will is still alive?”
Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Hollow Boys by Tariq Ashkanani. The Hollow Boys was published by Viper Books on 14th May 2026 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free eARC of The Hollow Boys but that has in no way influenced my review.
As far as I am aware, I have read every book written by Tariq Ashkanani. And I can say with confidence that if you’re a crime fan, you need this author’s books in your life. No exaggeration. I am a HUGE fan of this author, and this book, The Hollow Boys, was one of my most eagerly anticipated releases of 2026. I had high expectations. Was I expecting too much? Was I being a smidge unreasonable? Probably. But that didn’t stop Ashkanani from completely flooring me with this incredible book. Very high, very unreasonable expectations = absolutely smashed!
Ten months ago, two nine-year-old boys disappeared, presumed drowned. Then Danny, one of the boys, suddenly reappears in town looking dishevelled and half-starved. What’s more alarming is that Danny swears blind that he is Will, the other missing child. Danny’s mother, who has been dealing with her grief by dabbling in the occult, senses her son has been changed in multiple ways, and that his return to Aurora brings with it a dark force that plans to destroy the town. Meanwhile, Chief of Police John Deacon is concerned about the boy’s well-being, the whereabouts of the remaining missing child, as well as how, in his absence, the disappearance of two young boys could so easily be brushed under the carpet as a tragic accident. Aurora is burning. In more ways than one…
Dang, this book is SO GOOD! The way this author writes small-town America gives me Chris Whitaker vibes (and that is a very, very high compliment indeed). The characters, the dying setting with the creeping, somewhat ominous coal seam fire inching ever closer, the mystery surrounding Danny’s disappearance and his unexpected return. His claims that he’s, in fact, Will and his belief that what he is saying is true, alongside John Deacon’s own investigation into why no real resources were put into finding Danny and Will ten months earlier, together make a highly readable, irresistible tale that I couldn’t tear myself away from. The Hollow Boys is a truly excellent book, and one I am sure will feature on my top books of the year list.
Ashkanani’s characters are beautifully written and highly believable, with Chief of Police John Deacon leading the way. Deacon has just returned to work following treatment for lung cancer. In his absence, Acting Chief Amanda Briscoe has been holding the fort. But Briscoe is reluctant to fully hand the role back to Deacon, whilst also keeping her higher political aspirations in sight. So when Briscoe is told to stay in town and work alongside Deacon, a palpable, simmering tension is created. Toes are very much trod upon. And when it comes to light that the boys’ disappearance wasn’t given the full attention it should have had, Deacon needs to tread very carefully indeed.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Hell yeah! The Hollow Boys is a superb piece of crime fiction and one of my favourite books of the year! The mystery is intriguing and well-written. I was trying to guess where the author would take the story, but I failed. Miserably. The characters are sublime. I really warmed to John Deacon; I cared what happened to him. His desire to do the best for his community shone through. I normally like my lead characters a little more on the flawed side, but he’s perfect in every way. I must give a special mention to Officer Kasey Warrington who also stole my heart. I liked the local occult aspect of the novel, with Danny’s mother believing that something else had returned with the boy. The rituals and beliefs gave the book an overall eerie vibe which I really appreciated. The setting is stunning. I love books set in small-town America and this one absolutely ticked all the boxes there. I particularly liked that Aurora isn’t that far from Centralia, where a coal seam has been burning for generations. A quick Google and a chat with my geologist husband told me everything I needed to know about that! All in all, I loved every single second of this outstanding, gripping novel. The Hollow Boys is exactly the type of crime fiction I want to read, which only cements my fandom of Ashkanani further. Devilishly dark, chock-full of suspense, highly readable and nigh-on impossible to put down (or spend any real time away from). Just superb. Trust me on this one. Highly recommended.
I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Hollow Boys. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
Tariq Ashkanani is a solicitor based in Edinburgh, who loves dark fiction and putting his characters through absolute hell.
His debut novel, Welcome to Cooper, was shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger and won the Bloody Scotland Debut Award. He also helps run Write Gear, a company that makes high-quality bespoke notebooks for writers, and co-hosts Write Gear’s podcast Page One.
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