Dark Reaper

A hunter uses traps to catch his prey but what happens when the prey is also using snares … and his are more sophisticated?

LA Detective Oskar Salo investigates a series of gruesome murders all of which point to the work of a serial killer. Salo soon discovers that things are far more complicated than they first appear, and when his investigations threaten to uncover events concerning a case from two decades earlier, in the pre-Rodney King era when things were done a little differently in the LAPD, he risks having everything that he cares about taken away from him.

Dark Reaper is a subtle and intelligent exploration of the genre dealing with the psychology, politics and science of police work in a complex society.

Howard Chilvers was born and grew up in Ilford, Essex. Initially trained as a classical musician, Howard went on to major in Art Education before taking an advanced degree in the History of Design, having a particular interest in the transference of American values into British culture. After fourteen years teaching in secondary schools, Howard moved on to work in London at the Design Council before moving on to work in higher education at Middlesex University, where he led the MA Professional Practice and MA Design Leadership programmes before becoming an Associate Dean Business.

When working at the Design Council, Howard took a lead role in both writing and producing a full range of teaching resources for schools, including the drama-based videos, Quiche, Keys and Roller Skates — a New York Film Festival award winner— and Brilliant or What! He subsequently wrote a feature film script, Sacred Betrayal.

Howard’s first novel, Dark Reaper, a deep, psychological crime-thriller, set in Los Angeles, draws on his intense interest in and observation of US culture.

Howard lived in Devon with his wife and family until February 2018 when he sadly died, from a brain tumour, having been diagnosed 6 months before.