Andrew Michael Hurley Explained

Andrew Michael Hurley (born 1975)[1] is a British writer whose debut novel, The Loney, was published in a limited edition of 350 copies on 1 October 2014 by Tartarus Press[2] [3] and was published under Hodder and Stoughton's John Murray imprint in 2015 .[4] He was interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Open Book programme "British Gothic" in October 2015.[5]

Literary career

Hurley has previously had two volumes of short stories published by Lime Tree Press : Cages and Other Stories (2006,) and The Unusual Death of Julie Christie and Other Stories (2008,).

The Loney was reviewed in The Guardian and The Telegraph.[6] [7] It is set in the area of Morecambe Bay in north west England, described in the text as "that strange nowhere between the Wyre and the Lune". Hurley has said that the novel's two starting points were "to write a kind of dark version of the Nativity [...] and exploring ideas of faith and belief" and "various wild, lonely places on the north west coast of Lancashire [...] a sense of imminent menace or dormant power lying just under the sand and the water".[8] It is the winner of the 2015 Costa Book Award for First Novel[9] as well as the British Book Industry Award for best debut fiction and book of the year.[10]

His second novel, Devil's Day, was published on 19 October 2017 by John Murray [11] and Tartarus Press [12] Its setting, "The Endlands", is based on Langden valley in Lancashire's Forest of Bowland.[13] The book "deploys myth, landscape and the tropes of horror to chilling effect".[14] [15] Hurley was joint winner of the Royal Society of Literature's 2018 Encore Award for best second novel.[16]

Hurley's third novel Starve Acre was published 31 October 2019 by John Murray . The "Starve Acre" of the title is the home of a couple whose child has died, and it is "a novel which grapples with the irrationality and complexity of grief, the power and potency of folklore, and a moving examination of the effect a child's loss can have on its parents".[17] The Guardians critic described it as "an atmospheric tale in the same tradition of English folk-horror" as his previous two books.[18] The film Starve Acre based on the book, was directed by Daniel Kokotajlo, starred Morfydd Clark and Matt Smith, and premiered at the BFI London Film Festival 2023.[19]

His fourth novel, Barrowbeck is to be published in October 2024.[20]

Personal life

He lives in Lancashire, where he teaches English literature and creative writing.

Awards

YearTitleAwardCategoryResult
2015The LoneyCosta Book AwardsFirst Novel
Waverton Good Read Award—
2016Authors' Club First Novel Award—
British Book Industry AwardsDebut Fiction
2018Devil's DayEncore Award—

Bibliography

Novels

Collections

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Loney: Linked Data. Worldcat. 919313849. 15 October 2015.
  2. Web site: The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley. Tartarus Press. 11 August 2017.
  3. Web site: Authors: Andrew Michael Hurley. Hodder and Stoughton. 15 October 2015. 11 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170811182607/https://www.hodder.co.uk/authors/detail.page?id=hLtAGj1kPPaMJHO/Pq87juDVjnFCtabGjlRfSINiGHyefUL1NIXDBZsexcfkIwCHhw19zg__. dead.
  4. Web site: The Loney. Hodder & Stoughton. 20 November 2015.
  5. Web site: Open Book: British Gothic. Radio 4. BBC. 15 October 2015.
  6. News: Perry. Sarah. The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley review – a gothic masterpiece. 15 October 2015. The Guardian. 28 August 2015.
  7. News: Martin. Tim. The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley, review: 'haunted and haunting'. 15 October 2015. The Telegraph. 8 September 2015.
  8. Web site: About the author: Andrew Michael Hurley. Foyles. 15 October 2015.
  9. Web site: 2015 Costa Award Winners . 2016-01-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160107191537/http://www.costa.co.uk/media/391535/2015awardwinners.pdf . 2016-01-07 . dead.
  10. News: Flood. Alison. Debut novel The Loney wins book of the year at British Book Industry awards. 11 August 2017. The Guardian. 9 May 2016.
  11. News: The Bookseller . 2 February 2017 . New Andrew Michael Hurley novel called Devil's Day. Cowdrey . Katherine . 2 October 2017.
  12. News: The Bookseller . 18 August 2017 . Yorkshire indie to publish limited edition of Hurley's next novel. Cowdrey . Katherine . 2 October 2017.
  13. Web site: Andrew Michael Hurley: Devil's Day. New Writing North. 31 May 2019.
  14. News: Apostolides . Zoë . Devil's Day by Andrew Michael Hurley — northern frights . 8 April 2019 . Financial Times . 3 November 2017.
  15. News: Harrison . M. John . Devil's Day by Andrew Michael Hurley review – dark tales from the moors . 8 April 2019 . The Guardian . 26 October 2017.
  16. Web site: The Encore Award 2018 . . 8 April 2019 . May 2018.
  17. News: Film deal for Hurley as John Murray snaps up third novel . 21 August 2019 . The Bookseller . 28 May 2019.
  18. News: The Guardian. Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley review – an atmospheric tale. Merritt. Stephanie. 29 October 2019. 25 November 2019.
  19. News: Bradshaw . Peter . Starve Acre review – intelligent performances in sinister Yorkshire folk horror . 9 November 2023 . The Guardian . 12 October 2023.
  20. Book: Barrowbeck . 6 May 2024 . Hachette. 978-1-3998-1748-6 . 24 June 2024 .

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