“Slowly, gingerly, they crept back down the stairway, one step at a time. As they neared the bottom, they turned their head torches towards the end of the tunnel and the platform beyond, and then all sense of reality left them.”
When Rich stumbles upon a secret Victorian underground network, he sees not only a great historical discovery, but also a way out of his humdrum life. He convinces three of his friends to join him, and together, they venture deep into the maze of tunnels beneath London’s bustling streets.
A rude girl made good. An aspiring writer. A cinema usher from Wales. A bookseller who dreams of being an urban explorer. Four friends trapped together in one nightmarish situation as they realise some things are kept secret for a reason.
Will any of them manage to escape the horror that lurks in the Deep Level?
Praise for Deep Level:
“Rock has a pithy way of peppering his fast-paced action with comic banter, and it works really well to lighten to darkness, but, be warned, it also takes you off your guard so when the scares come, of which there are plenty, you won’t be ready for them.” – Amazon review
“I couldn’t put it down, the story got better with every turn of the page. A rollercoaster of emotions, I laughed, I cried, I held my breath for a heart pounding hell of a good read.” – Amazon review
“A great read. An atmospheric horror, with brains.” – Amazon review
“Wow! Just wow!!! My new favourite horror writer!” – Amazon review
“An excellent debut; I look forward to whatever’s coming next.” – Amazon review
Published 1st October 2020 by Darkstroke Books. Now out of print.
“The boat hit shore at 09:27 EAT. We can be exact on this because it was picked up by the perimeter cameras. It was an old open lifeboat, navy blue, and we counted seven people on board. Eight if you want to include the baby. Most of them didn’t survive more than ten minutes.”
Two sisters and a baby, shipwrecked refugees, wash up on a mysterious east African Island crawling with giant, blue-skinned savages. They flee to an abandoned scientific facility where incredible and terrifying experiments have been taking place, experiments that could change the course of human history.
Meanwhile, the only person who can save them is a lowly monitoring station employee half a world away in Arizona – but the clock is ticking, and the universe is about to come calling.
Praise for Frenzy Island…
“Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. The characters are realistic, the storyline is gripping, and the action moves along, taking you with it. There were several moments when I had tears in my eyes which shows I’d become invested in the characters.” – Amazon review
“Rip-roaring, tense and even funny in places, Richard E Rock has given us a hell of a ride.” – Amazon review
“I’m usually a very slow reader; however, I devoured Frenzy Island in a few sittings! I was heavily invested in the story, especially the sisters’ arc which had me turning pages quickly to find out what happens next.” – Amazon review
Published 25th October 2022 by Cranthorpe Millner. Available from Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, Foyles, Forbidden Planet, Amazon and direct from Cranthorpe Millner.
Other publications…
Partly inspired by the events of the 2020 pandemic, this short story collection distils the best of creative thought from that year about change of all kinds. It includes everything from a man changing in the sea, to the change of planting seeds and watching them grow. The change of growing up, to career change and homelessness. Comprising poetry and prose, humour and serious thought, this is an absorbing and comforting collection from Swansea and District Writers Circle, a group of dedicated amateur and professional authors from South Wales who meet regularly to exchange ideas and learn from their peers.
This tome features two short stories by Yours Truly (albeit written under my mortal name of Rhydderch Wilson), ‘A Chorus of Vultures’ and ‘Career Change’.
Published 20th December 2020. Available from Amazon in ebook and paperback.
This is the 3rd anthology book from entrants of the Mentoring Writers Writing Competition. The theme for this year’s contest was to rewrite a scene in history. The results were unique, amusing and quite quirky. Contents include short stories and a selection of poetry.
Previous Mentoring Writers Writing Competition Books include The Mystical Treehouse, stories for children aged 6+ and the Mentoring Writers Short Story book 2021. All three books provide some light hearted reading.
This tome features a short story by Yours Truly, ‘Henry VIII’s New Tennis Partner’.
Published by Pen & Ink Designs in September 2023. Available from Amazon.
A collections of short stories and poems by members of the Swansea & District Writers’ Circle to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Plus, the winning stories and poems entered into the 2024 SDWC writing competition.
This book features two short stories by Your Truly (albeit written under my mortal name of Rhydderch Wilson), ‘Lilith’ and ‘Only Human Too’.
Published 6th September 2024. Available from Amazon in ebook and paperback.
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RICHARD E. ROCK 