The new novel from Dutch author Aron Silver, Child of the Moon throws readers headfirst into 1924 Scotland where a police interrogation slowly unravels into something far darker than anyone anticipated. It’s gripping, unsettling, and the type of book that starts slowly but will soon have you racing through the pages well into the night. Whether you’re a fan of crime fiction or folk horror, this book offers something compelling, from its razor-sharp detective work scenes set in rural Scotland to its shocking, you’ll-never-see-it-coming plot twists.
The novel begins with Detectives Samuel MacKenzie and Lachlan Gow questioning a man caught with an unconscious child in his vehicle. He refuses to reveal his identity, so they label him “John Doe.” But the more they interrogate him, the more slippery the truth becomes. Running parallel to this investigation are “Intermezzo” chapters following Finlay, a seemingly ordinary man whose personal story seems disconnected at first, until it isn’t. These sections gradually reveal a horrifying backstory involving moon rituals, an unnatural child named Agnes, and a father’s destructive obsession. The two plot threads converge in ways that transform what initially feels like a crime thriller into full-blown supernatural horror.
Silver’s prose is deliberately sparse, almost stripped-back. It works brilliantly for the noir-tinged, thriller atmosphere, though it occasionally left me wanting more detail for immersion. The interrogation scenes aren’t many, but they crackle with tension. There’s a True Detective energy to the book, that sense of detectives chasing shadows whilst an unsettling truth lurks just out of reach. I particularly enjoyed how the book handles the supernatural elements, making you question throughout if there’s something otherworldly going on or if there’s an explanation, leading to an X-Files quality hovering over everything. Silver handles this ambiguity well while fully committing to the eerie premise.
The structure of the book deserves special mention. The “Intermezzo” chapters may feel like odd interruptions at first, but they’re actually crucially relevant to the story. It’s patient storytelling that trusts the reader to connect the dots, and when the pieces finally slot together, the effect is deeply memorable. The moon mythology throughout is also something I found pretty original and engaging. It’s weird in the best way. The cover art creeped me out at first, but it captures the book’s lunar themes and general vibe perfectly.
The characters are all competently written, flawed and human, even if I didn’t personally connect with them on an emotional level, probably as I have nothing in common with them. The police work feels authentic and procedural, which makes the horror elements hit even harder when they arrive. Silver isn’t afraid to kill off main characters either, and there’s one massive plot twist around the two-thirds mark that completely blindsided me. The book keeps you guessing right until the end.
One of the strongest elements of Child of the Moon is the way it uses relationships to raise the emotional stakes. The partnership between Samuel MacKenzie and Lachlan Gow feels grounded and likeable. On the other side of the story, Finlay’s bond with his daughter Agnes is twisted into something tragic and obsessive, a distorted form of love that drives the darkest events of the novel. These create a powerful contrast between healthy love and the destructive force of obsessive love. I liked that characters are nuanced and none are portrayed as complete textbook heroes or villains.
The author demonstrates skill in his prose throughout, particularly in how he shifts register to match the emotional temperature of each scene. The detective sequences are masterclasses in controlled tension, and when the horror arrives, the writing doesn’t flinch. Silver can deliver genuine disturbing imagery, “her eyes were two dark pits of absolute blackness that penetrated his soul”, whilst maintaining the procedural realism that grounds the story. There’s a poetic, dreamlike quality to Finlay’s chapters that contrasts beautifully with the detectives’ gritty noir chapters.
The book isn’t without a couple of rough edges. The timeline jumps around quite a bit, between past and present, and whilst this adds to the mystery, it can be a bit confusing without clearer markers. I also wish Silver had leaned more heavily into the Scottish setting and time period. The novel takes place in Scotland, but there’s not all that much cultural flavour or sense of place. I mean, it’s not nothing; characters do say “yer” and there’s a haggis reference, but more “Scottishness” would have immersed me more. The ending arrives rather suddenly, too. After such a slow, careful build, I slightly wanted more time to sit with the resolution, perhaps an epilogue showing the aftermath.
Still, these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise a very accomplished novel that blends the detective and horror genres. I feel that Child of the Moon would make an excellent BBC miniseries. I could easily see this adapted for television, with its dual timelines, dread-soaked atmosphere, and slow-burn reveals. It’s the kind of thriller that stays with you, and one that will make you think twice about looking at the moon the same way again.
Final verdict: If you enjoy detective stories that veer into the supernatural, that mix police procedural with horror and supernatural fiction, this is an easy recommendation. It’s not always a fast-paced thriller; it’s more a atmospheric mystery that rewards careful reading, not to say the plot doesn’t contain surprises aplenty. For fans of authors like Adam Nevill and John Connolly, or True Detective, Child of the Moon is your perfect next read.
You can get your copy of Child of the Moon here!
