Head Full of Lies

The southbound trail of a stolen spell book becomes a nightmare road trip in a propulsive novel about the unrelenting power of evil by the author of Lighthouse Burning.

Harlan Winter has returned to his corner of Appalachia, where his fiery history with a depraved cult has made him a legend. All Harlan wants is to run his occult bookshop and get on with his life—if only his unsettling visions would let him. But when a fellow devotee of the dark arts moves to Coopersville and Harlan’s coveted grimoire is stolen, he’s pulled into a world deadlier than the one that already scarred his soul.

The foolish thieves are two local teenagers hightailing it out of Appalachia in a stolen car and heading south to Florida where a buyer for the coveted grimoire is waiting. They have no idea what evil lies on the road ahead. But Harlan does. Blood has already been spilled. He’s following them mile by mile on a mission to save them before it’s too late. Because once their prized possession is in the wrong hands, there will be hell to pay.

“Head Full of Lies cements Jordan Farmer’s growing reputation as one of America’s most relevant, stirring voices in contemporary Appalachian fiction. Blending elements of noir, regional myth-making, and the occult, this story does everything a great crime novel should: it moves fast, hits hard, and leaves you wanting more. Fans of Daniel Woodrell, Laird Barron, Peter Farris, and John Connolly will find a new favorite in both Jordan Farmer and his soulful, hard-worn protagonist, Harlan Winter. Highly recommended.” —Sean Doolittle, Thriller Award-winning author of Device Free Weekend

“Using precise language, noir overtones, and supernatural suspense, Jordan Farmer’s novel is a meditation on the memories that haunt us, and the irreversible choices that determine our futures.” —John Woods, author of Lady Chevy

“Jordan Farmer mines human darkness, surfacing with inspired, quote-worthy lines about greed, love, purpose, and the absurdity of living. Head Full of Lies is a page-turner propelled as much by action and by Farmer's deeply human portraits.” —Chris Harding Thornton, author of Pickard County Atlas and Little Underworld

“Head Full of Lies is a terrific, kinetic read, a fine example of both country noir and gothic horror seamlessly melded. Highly recommended.” —Scott Philips, author of The Ice Harvest and The Devil Raises His Own

“Head Full of Lies is a terrific, kinetic read, a fine example of both country noir and gothic horror seamlessly melded. Highly recommended.” —Scott Philips, author of The Ice Harvest and The Devil Raises His Own

Jordan Farmer is the author of Lighthouse Burning, The Poison Flood, and The Pallbearer. He was born and raised in a small West Virginia town, population approximately two thousand. He earned his MA from Marshall University and his PhD at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. For more information, visit jordanfarmerauthor.com or follow @JordanFarmerPhD on X (formerly Twitter).

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