Strange Weather

Four short novels from the author of THE FIREMAN and HORNS, ranging from creepy horror to powerful explorations of our modern society.

One autumnal day in Boulder, Colorado, the clouds open up in a downpour of nails, splinters of bright crystal that tear apart anyone who isn't safely under cover. 'Rain' explores this escalating apocalyptic event, as clouds of nails spread out across the country and the world. Amidst the chaos, a girl studying law enforcement takes it upon herself to resolve a series of almost trivial mysteries . . . apparently harmless puzzles that turn out to have lethal answers.

In 'Loaded' a mall security guard heroically stops a mass shooting and becomes a hero to the modern gun movement. Under the hot glare of the spotlights, though, his story begins to unravel, taking his sanity with it...

'Snapshot, 1988' tells the story of an kid in Silicon Valley who finds himself threatened by The Phoenician, a tattooed thug who possesses a Polaroid that can steal memories...

And in 'Aloft' a young man takes to the skies to experience parachuting for the first time . . . and winds up a castaway on an impossibly solid cloud, a Prospero's island of roiling vapour that seems animated by a mind of its own.


If you haven't yet grabbed a copy of Joe Hill's THE FIREMAN, you need to. Original and gripping, a page-turner (George R.R.Martin)

In these four novellas, Joe Hill shows himself to be a high-concept übermaster. From a single idea, he weaves brilliantly inventive and character-driven stories that enthral and thrill. (Jamie Buxton Daily Mail)

Hill really embraces the shorter format to really grab the reader by the throat. This is a must. (SFX)

I devoured this book as if the pages themselves were on fire...an end of the world tale with a blazing heart of hope at its core. A contender for book of the year (Sarah Pinborough, author of 13 MINUTES)

Joe Hill really could set the world on fire with this book: cleverly imagined and a compulsive read (Katherine Cowdrey, The Bookseller)

Joe Hill has always been good, but he's created something incandescent here, soaring and original. He's a master storyteller who writes with fire in his veins (Lauren Beukes, author of Broken Monsters)

'Very well-drawn characters, some serious shocks, a great sense of humour and a willingness to break hearts as well as raise pulse rates.' (SciFiNow)

I would put money on this being huge. Can't put it down (Sam Baker, The Pool)

You'll be instantly hooked if you're obsessed with The Walking Dead. It's got the whole post-apocalyptic world nailed...there is a brilliant humour amid the darkness, and the action scenes feel like a movie (Cosmopolitan)

Taps into fears we all have about the world coming to an end, as Donald Trump stokes the fires of racial hatred in America, wars continue across the planet and diseases such as Zika and Ebola spread with shocking speed. (The Mail on Sunday)