Dark Arts, the prequel to Fairest Creatures, sees grieving artist Rachel Matthews return home to Penzance in the winter of 2018, to find herself at the centre of a series of crimes connected to the Cornish arts community.
 
DI Brandon Hammett, a Texan with Cornish roots, is leading the investigations. Both Rachel and Brandon seek recovery and purpose. Rachel uses work at a local school to help her heal. Recently widowed, Brandon looks to set the world to rights and protect his hometown. A town under attack. Violent county line drugs runners compete with local dealers and smugglers, and the Penzance arts community is rocked to the core. 
 
Can DI Brandon Hammett steady the ship before it crashes?
Dark Arts features many of the same characters as Fairest Creatures and provides further insights and intrigues into the rich cast of players. 
 
Praise for Fairest Creatures
 
‘A dark and sinister hunt for a serial killer had me hooked from the first page,’ Dreda Say Mitchell.
 
‘Superb! You must not miss this. For anyone who wants a great read, not just crime thriller readers. I gave Fairest Creatures, by Karen Taylor, five stars, as if there was any doubt,’ J.L. Dixon.
 
‘Assured and intriguing, Fairest Creatures is a book that will grip you from the first page and hold you to the last,’ William Ryan.
 
‘This is one of the best books I have read this year. It has all the things that I love - atmosphere, twists, emotion, edge-of-your-seat heart-racing moments. The killer is such a fascinating character... Overall, an amazing crime novel,’  Laura, The Bookish Hermit.
 
"A fast-paced, creepy thriller that you just can't put down... I'll be looking for more by this author,’ Georgina Candy.