In the shadow of ancient Cross Bones Graveyard, a killer is collecting skin—one tattoo at a time.

When a man's body is discovered at the ruins of Winchester Palace, his arms flayed clean of their full-sleeve tattoos and his mouth stuffed with goose feathers, ex-Detective Sergeant Jamie Brooke recognises the signature of a serial killer. But she's no longer on the force. She's a private investigator trying to build a new life in Southwark after the death of her daughter.

The victim is a community outreach worker at Southwark Cathedral with a complicated past. His tattoos told the story of his life—religious iconography mingled with symbols of pride and identity—now brutally erased from his body.

And he's not the first.

Two other victims have been found with similar mutilations, their inked skin harvested like trophies.

Jamie is drawn deeper into the investigation when she discovers the victims are all connected to Southwark's vibrant but vulnerable communities—sex workers, artists, and those who live on society's margins. The very people the historic Winchester Geese once represented: the Outcast Dead, buried in unconsecrated ground centuries ago for the sin of survival.

As Jamie navigates this world where ancient history bleeds into modern crime, she partners with Blake Daniel, a gifted artifact researcher at the British Museum who can read the past through touch. Blake's psychometric abilities reveal disturbing visions connected to the murders, but his own demons—grief, addiction, and a dark family legacy—threaten to overwhelm him.

The killer is someone who sees tattoos not as art or identity, but as marks of deviance that must be purged. Someone with access, authority, and a twisted vision for cleansing London's streets.

And as the bodies pile up in the shadow of Southwark Cathedral, Jamie realises the killer may be closer to power than she ever imagined—perhaps even running for it.

Dark Psychological Thriller Meets London Gothic

Deviance plunges readers into the atmospheric streets of Southwark, where Roman brothels once stood, where medieval bishops profited from sin, and where the ghosts of the past walk among the living. This is London's shadow side—Borough Market by day, murder by night, with centuries of darkness soaked into every cobblestone.

Perfect for Readers Who Love:

• Val McDermid's Tony Hill series (psychological profiling and dark crimes)
• Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad (atmospheric crime with complex characters)
• Mo Hayder's gritty thrillers
• Strong female protagonists with police backgrounds
• Serial killer mysteries with historical connections
• Gothic urban settings steeped in dark history
• Body modification and tattoo culture as storytelling
• Diverse communities
  
• Partner dynamics with troubled, complex characters

Series Context

Deviance is Book 3 in the Brooke and Daniel Psychological Thriller series. While each book features a complete mystery, character development deepens across the series as Jamie Brooke transitions from grief-stricken police officer to private investigator, and Blake Daniel confronts his psychometric gifts and family secrets.

Reading Order: Desecration (Book 1) → Delirium (Book 2) → Deviance (Book 3)

Themes & Atmosphere: This is a dark thriller that doesn't shy away from violence, but balances brutality with empathy for victims and marginalised communities. Themes include identity, body autonomy, the persistence of sin and judgment through history, found family, addiction and recovery, and the thin line between civilisation and savagery.

Story Details:

• Genre: Psychological thriller, Crime thriller, Urban gothic, Dark mystery
• Length: Approximately 65,000 words (300 pages)
• Reading time: 6-8 hours
• Mood: Dark, atmospheric, gritty, intense, haunting
• Setting: Southwark, London—Cross Bones Graveyard, Borough Market, Winchester Palace ruins, Southwark Cathedral, British Museum
• Series: Brooke and Daniel #3
• Content note: Contains violence, serial killer themes, discussion of sex work, addiction themes. Not suitable for sensitive readers.

Author's Note: J.F. Penn brings Southwark to life with meticulous historical research woven through contemporary thriller plotting. Cross Bones Graveyard is a real location with monthly vigils for the Outcast Dead, and the author has walked these streets to capture their authentic atmosphere. The result is a thriller that feels viscerally real, from the smell of Borough Market's artisan breads to the shadows lurking in Winchester Palace ruins.