Colony of Whores

When a screenwriter inherits a screenplay that may hold the key to both a sensational Hollywood murder and to his own sister's death, he is drawn into the dangerous twilight world that lurks at the edge of Hollywood. Aided by a disgraced former journalist and a maverick female filmmaker, he begins a journey of revenge and personal salvation that will pit him against the owners of one of the most powerful and corrupt film companies in Los Angeles. From the pen of grand prix de litterature policière nominee Matthew Stokoe, laced with sex and violence, this is a gutsy, controversial Hollywood murder mystery.

Praise for Matthew Stokoe's novels:

for High Life
“Stokoe’s in-your-face prose and raw, unnerving scenes give way go a skilfully plotted tale that will keep readers glued to the page.” — Publishers Weekly
“One of the most unstinting, imaginative, brutal and original contemporary novels ever written about the punishments that come with the prioritisation of fame...” — Dennis Cooper
"All of the classic ingredients of Californian noir are here, but Stokoe takes things further than most... This is a compelling and gripping novel." — Black Star Reviews
“...an unholy hybrid of Raymond Chandler's best work and Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho." — Henry Flesh, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of Massage
“...Chandler on heroin, Hammett on crack, James M. Cain with a blowtorch...” — Ken Bruen author of Priest

for Empty Mile
“Beautifully written and deeply gripping, Empty Mile is a great read. I’m already looking forward to the next one from Matthew Stokoe.” — Michael Connelly, author of Dark Sacred Night
“… heartbreakingly powerful contemporary noir…” “Stokoe stays true to a bleak vision of the world as he enmeshes his characters in the kinds of tragic setups reminiscent of a Thomas Hardy novel.” — Publishers Weekly
“The tension builds unbearably in this magnificent ‘Sierras Noir’ novel. Stokoe writes damaged people worthy of James M. Cain and Jim Thompson. His star-crossed lovers and broken families will steal your heart, even as Stokoe drives the knife home.” — Denise Hamilton, author of the Eve Diamond Series
“This book has everything a good crime novel should: a suspenseful story with violence at its core, characters driven by lust, love and guilt, propelled with prose that's poetic and profound.” — Carole E. Barrowman, Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel


Genre: Mystery