The Dark Inside by Rupert Wallis

Book of the Week: 31 May 2015

James has been left with his violent stepfather after the death of his mother. He escapes from the misery of home by spending time in an abandoned house and it’s here that he meets Webster, an ex-soldier on the run from some travellers who want to do him harm. The travellers, a thug called Billy and his witch-like mother, believe that Webster is something more than a man. As Webster himself says, ‘Not everything in this world is what it seems. Not gold. Or men. Or even boys, come to that.’ James and Webster form a bond and together they try to avoid the clutches of the wily Billy and his creepy mother.

This is a tense thriller filled with menace, unsettling characters and supernatural elements. James’s life of constant threat is reminiscent of Zinny’s in Night Runner by Tim Bowler but reviewers have compared the book to Skellig by David Almond, due to the enigmatic character of Webster and his multi-layered relationship with James.

The author answers questions about his book here without giving too much away.