Strange Ways (2020)
No magician has ever escaped Coldwater Prison…
But that is exactly where Amanda Coleman, heist artist and Abra-killer, must go.
Somewhere in London, a mysterious blackmailer has enough evidence to put Amanda’s head in a noose and ensure her only remaining daughter, Michaela, is right alongside her when it happens.
To save Michaela, Amanda must assassinate one of Coldwater’s most infamous residents. But the only way in is as an inmate.
But a notorious Abra-killer like Amanda can expect a few old enemies in a prison full of mages, and they have their own plans…
Strange Ways is available in ebook and audio.
Buy in ebook on Amazon
Buy in ebook on Apple
Buy in ebook on Kobo
Buy in ebook on Google
Buy in audiobook on Audible
Praise for Strange Ways
‘Starts off with a bang and ends up being a thrilling ride… Williams does a fantastic job setting the London and prison scenes with action-packed, suspenseful atmosphere… Supernatural mixed with Jessica Jones… I recommend picking it up today’ – Cemetery Dance Magazine
‘A thrilling ride into a world full of dangerous magic that feels all too real. Williams is truly a master of story-telling’s darkest arts’ – Mike Shackle, author of We Are the Dead
‘Different and cunning, fast-paced and thrilling, a hugely entertaining story from start to finish’ – Edward Cox, author of The Relic Guild Trilogy
‘Tense, oppressive and spectacular, a gritty and inventive tale of blood-soaked magic and razor-edged characters to root for’ – David Wragg, author of The Black Hawks
‘A brilliantly weaved redemption story with magic that will blow your mind’ – Mark Stay, author of Robot Overlords and screenwriter of The Little People
‘A great example of contemporary British fantasy; a gritty page-turner packed with creative twists on criminal magic’ – Phil Williams, author of The Ordshaw Series
The End of the Line (2019)
A race against time on a perilous journey through Siberia with a murderous demon, in this gritty fast-paced horror thriller.
Con-artist Amanda Coleman lives in a London rife with undercover magic. Abras, as they are known, can harness these illegal powers, but for Coleman – whose father was a powerful and abusive practitioner – magic is anathema.
When her criminal crew hire an Abra to help with their heists, they accidentally raise a dangerously violent demon. Now they must race across darkest Siberia to a remote stone circle to kill the creature, in this engrossingly tense and gripping adventure.
But as the demon’s power grows during their grisly chase, Coleman must fight to survive, facing demons both in chains and within herself.
This unique high-octane horror thriller is perfect for fans of Lauren Beukes and James Oswald.
The End of the Line is available in both ebook and audio.
Buy in ebook on Amazon
Buy in ebook on Apple
Buy in ebook on Google
Buy in ebook on Kobo
Buy on Audible
Praise for The End of the Line
‘Williams creates an original world of wonder and menace that leaves the reader guessing’ – No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author, Linwood Barclay
‘A sharply written supernatural thriller that takes no prisoners’ – RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships
‘Williams is a writer to watch’ – Steve Cavanagh, Sunday Times bestselling author of Twisted
‘A dark and thrilling mix of fantasy and noir, brilliantly told. Williams is a confident and exciting new voice in the genre’ – Mason Cross, author of Richard & Judy Book Club pick The Samaritan
‘The End of the Line is driven by non-stop action, strange magic, and gritty noir banter – fun, in other words. Gray Williams has created a matinee double-feature of mixed genre mayhem that aims to please’ – Andrew Pyper, bestselling author of The Homecoming and The Demonologist
‘An exceptionally satisfying read, by turns twisted, tense and heart-breaking with a couple of extraordinary set pieces that still linger on. This is a remarkably assured debut, with the promise of more greatness to come’ – Mark Stay, author of Robot Overlords
‘A tense and claustrophobic read. The End of the Line is a hugely imaginative debut’ – Cameron Johnston, author of The Age of Tyranny duology
‘Absolutely brutal, doesn’t look away, and doesn’t pull a single punch… Reeves is an absolutely stand-out character’ – S.J. Morden, Philip K. Dick award-winning author of One Way
‘Dark, devious and disturbing, will keep you guessing right to the last!’ – David Wragg, author of The Black Hawks
‘Great characters, brilliant set-pieces and so, so imaginative. A great new voice in fantasy’ – Michael R. Miller, author of The Dragon’s Blade trilogy
‘From the first chapter (well actually from the first sentence in the first chapter) I thought wow… in my opinion a bloody good story’ – Shotsblog
Short stories
Over the years, I have written a lot of short stories, and some of them even got published before I really dove into the novel writing. At the time, I was writing under the name Grey Freeman. I don’t do that any more. You can find them all below. Some of them are quite old, don’t judge them too harshly! You can receive a more recent effort by signing up to my newsletter for a short story set in the same world as my novel, The End of the Line.
Promises (2012)
Of everything that I’ve written, Promises has been the most rewarding. I once sent it around to a few of my colleagues at work and the new girl who had just joined that I was fast becoming good friends with loved it. She loved it so much that she asked me out. Now we’re married! Better than any advance, award or bestseller position.
Over its twenty-issue and seven-year lifespan, Something Wicked magazine published over 150 stories from new and established authors across the world. Volume Two marks the official transition of Something Wicked from magazine to annual anthology. The contributors are seasoned veterans and first-timers brought together in a single book containing tales of post-apocalyptic dystopias, alternate realities, far-future science fiction and good old-fashioned blood-chilling horror, edited and compiled by the doting godparents of South African genre fiction, Joe Vaz and Vianne Venter.
Let your mind wander across distant galaxies, down darkened alleys, and across oceans of floating cities and let Something Wicked be your guide. Let the journey begin.
Praise for Something Wicked
‘Joe and Vianne are talent-spotters of writers and illustrators par excellence, and superb editors. Definite recommend!’– Lauren Beukes
The Old Factory Award (2011)
‘A very unusual and clever satire’ – SFRevu
Published in e-magazine Abyss & Apex (who have also published big names like Lavie Tidhar, Jeremy Szal, Cat Rambo, Aliette de Bodard and have dozens of award nominations to their name), The Old Factory Award is my strangest (possibly most ‘Gaiman-esque’) short story I’ve ever written. It’s more a descriptive piece about a very strange annual award attended by some very strange people.
Kids (2010)
A short story published in Electric Spec about the new paving over the old.
When I first submitted this story, it was rejected by everyone. Then, months later, when I was procrastinating and googling myself, I found a blog post with my name in the title. Turns out Electric Spec‘s editor had read Kids in the submission pile for another magazine and though it had been rejected there, he wanted it for Electric Spec. Now you can read it here!
No Longer Living (2009)
It’s the Zombocalypse and a man fighting his grief holds a dark secret when a stranger begs for shelter.
My one and only successful zombie tale (I did right a few, they were all the rage back in the late 00s. Available free from RevolutionSF.
Contract (2008)
Two men, one graveside and a strange meeting.
The first short story that I ever had published. When I first sent this out, one rejection said I had ‘a gift for dialogue’ which was just the kind of encouragement younger me needed. This one appeared in (the now defunct) Twisted Tongue Magazine and is available to download free as a PDF.
So here you have my complete works from the start of my career. Remember, if you sign up to my newsletter, you’ll receive a recently written short story set in the same world as The End of the Line.
Gray Williams - Author 