Author
Drag Me Under – 2022
“This book reads like an Agatha Christie Novel, with a stick of dynamite attached to it.” – Eoghan Egan, author of ‘Hiding in Plain Sight’ and ‘The Other Side of Fear’.
Marine Biologist Dr. Maggie Reid and her science team set sail for the Puerto Rico trench, where destiny in the form of a previously undocumented species awaits, which she hopes will catapult her career and provide a glimmer of light into her tumultuous personal life.
Halfway through their journey across the Atlantic, the unlikely crew cross paths with an unconscious woman floating in a tattered lifeboat. When she eventually wakes up, she recounts an experience that seems too strange to be true. This sends the group into disarray and soon after the new arrival settles in, the situation turns macabre and descends into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse aboard the RRS Pioneer.
Cast into the mix aboard the state-of-the-art research vessel is Chief Cook Jamie Wentworth, who is trying to outrun her past, and Robert Francis, the ex-military security officer who has more than one cross to bear. Leading the voyage is the malevolent Captain Ratliff and deep within the bowels of the ship roams the mysterious, Soviet-era engineer, Mr Chaika. Personalities clash from the first lift of the anchors and it seems everyone on board this vessel has a secret they are desperate to hide. The question is; Who can you trust?
Reviews for Drag Me Under
“I’m pretty new to thrillers, but I loved this one. van Schalkwyk has some serious talent and I can’t wait to read what he writes next!” – Dani Roberts (Goodreads)
“There’s a claustrophobic feeling in this, because of the setting. It becomes very exciting as the crew is reduced. I loved the ending which was very satisfying.” – Kath Middleton (Head Moderator of the UK Crime Book Club)
“Heart stopping, scary. This book is soo intense it actually made me jump a couple of times. A research trip could not possibly go more awry than the one on RRS Pioneer. Gruesome, violent and chilling. Kept me gripped from start to finish.” – Julie Young (Goodreads)
“This was an exciting fast paced adventure. Read it in one sitting as wanted to get to the end to find out what had happened and who the murderer was!” – Joanne (Goodreads)
The Discarded – 2021
Ellis Neill wakes up next to his family one morning, just as he had done for the last ten years, unaware that it would be his last taste of freedom. His life soon spirals out of control and he is cast into a remote prison in the Arctic wilderness where nothing is as it seems, the inmates rule and a sinister figure wants him and his family dead. Resulting from carefully laid plans he is plunged into a fight for survival, sanity and saving those he loves.
Reviews for The Discarded
“Intense, twisted, suspenseful.” – Allyson Kocour. (Instagram @thebookishmama)
“A nail-biting, page turner.” – Melanie Peters. (Amazon Review)
“Thought provoking and powerful, perfectly executed and thoroughly entertaining.” – Laura Duffy. (Instagram @thebookishhermit)
“Incredible! One of the most fast-paced thrillers I’ve read this year. Hooked from page one.” – Erica Factor. (Instagram @overbookedwitherica)
“This book was such a page turner and so brilliantly done, it felt like I was sitting in prison right next to Ellis. The detail was exquisite and the ending wasn’t what I expected at all. Love a surprise twist ending!” – Shemri Harris. (Instagram @reeree.reads)
“This was a great, action-packed read. I absolutely loved loved the wintry setting and the remote prison in the Arctic wilderness was a cherry on top for me!” – Jennifer Love (Goodreads)
“This is a fast paced book and the deeper you get into the story, the more twists, turns and surprises you’ll find. I can’t wait to see what Louis comes up with next.” – Tina Simpson (Goodreads)
About the Author
Louis van Schalkwyk was born in South Africa and currently resides in Hong Kong. “The Discarded” is his debut novel, inspired by years honing his writing skills and drawing influence from his favorite authors. This novel explores the effects of flawed justice systems and how they can impact our immediate surroundings while also reverberating well into our futures and those of the ones closest to us. His second novel, “Drag Me Under” is a psychological thriller/locked room mystery that deals with the deep caverns of the human psyche and how events from our past can determine how we navigate our lives, for better or worse. Louis is currently working on the first book in a crime series inspired by Ramona Lee, a character from his debut novel. When Louis isn’t writing he enjoys reading and doing life with his wife, Courtney and their daughter, Layla.
Order “The Discarded” on Amazon
Order “Drag Me Under” on Amazon
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Louis van Schalkwyk - Author 