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The Laughing Policeman (Brimstone Chorus) Hardcover – February 14, 2022

by Elizabeth J. Brown (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 347 ratings
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A blood debt gone wrong. A demon unleashed.

Thirty-four years ago, a supernatural horror was summoned into the world, leaving nothing but mutilated corpses in its wake...

Until the day the trail went cold.

Now it’s back, and the fate of a young Traveller girl and her mother hang in the balance.

Their only hope of survival rests in the hands of cynical ex-detective Charlie Haynes. But what chance does a pensioner have against a demon? And if he can’t save them from the clutches of this ancient evil, what will become of mankind?

The Laughing Policeman is the first book in the Brimstone Chorus supernatural horror series. If you like gritty, fast-paced suspense, dry humour and dark forces, then you won’t be able to put down Elizabeth J. Brown’s addictive and ultraviolent debut.

A warning: The Laughing Policeman contains scenes of violence and strong language, that some readers may find distressing.
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 2
    Brimstone Chorus
  2. Print length
    381 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    February 14, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.15 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1739817052
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1739817053
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kobold Books; reprint edition (February 14, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 381 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1739817052
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1739817053
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.61 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.15 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 347 ratings

About the author

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Elizabeth J. Brown

Elizabeth J. Brown

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Elizabeth J. Brown was born in Kent, England. This probably explains her obsession with tea and cake. She currently writes the Brimstone Chorus series - dark fantasy horror featuring demons, witches and a whole host of things that go bump in the night.

Her debut novel, The Laughing Policeman, takes place in 1980s England and features detectives, dark supernatural forces and dry humour.

When she isn’t in front of her laptop or spending time with her family, Elizabeth is usually absorbed in a book, film or anything that involves the strange, fantastical or supernatural.

Get your FREE Brimstone Chorus starter story at elizabethjbrown.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
347 global ratings
Beautifully Told!
5 Stars
Beautifully Told!
Admittedly, the cover threw me off. I went into this expecting something extreme to the point of ridiculousness, a little zombies, you know, something well done but lighthearted.Boy, was I in for a surprise! This is so good. There's dark humor in here and some gory moments, but this was really an amazing story with fantastic character development, excellent world building, an involved storyline that dragged you in deeper, and just beautiful story-telling skills.I NEED the 2nd! And get my paws on anything else Elizabeth has written. This was such a wonderful book and I loved everyone in it.
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Top reviews from the United States

Rachel Back
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome read
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
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This was such an amazing read. From start to finish, good pacing and just enough details to help you actually see what's happening.
The Laughing Policeman is both creepy and heartfelt. It felt like such a short read because I enjoyed it so much. Highly recommend!
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Lucy
4.0 out of 5 stars wow!
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2023
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I was pleasantly surprised, I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait for the next one. Can’t go wrong with Gypsies, witches, and demons
One person found this helpful
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Josette Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars Never summon a demon
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2023
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Curses always have a way of backfiring. As well as summoning demons. This author has such a way of storytelling that you picture yourself in the midst of the chaos. I felt Stephen’s pain, I was so disgusted with the Boswell family. They were the true meaning of psychopaths. Connor had no problem hurting people. He did not even need a good reason. Then when the blood debt was called, how the terror increased. Even with the gore and it was very descriptive, I thoroughly enjoyed what I was reading. Even the switch from past to present was done so well that I could feel the transition. I have read all this author’s books so far and will continue to read them.
One person found this helpful
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J.P.O
5.0 out of 5 stars A nice Surprise !!
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2022
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Fun book , i am usually skeptical about new Authors , specially women authors ( i havent had a lot of luck with them ) but this book was great , good pace , good story , good characters that you actually care about and its a fun read , you start and without noticing you are almost done with the book.

*Spoilers*

Charlie has been looking for the Caravan Cannibal for years but the killings stopped. 34 years later deaths start happening with the same M.O. as the Cannibal but could be the same person or a copy cat? Could it be someone linked to Charlie ?
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun with good characters
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2023
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I liked this book. Read it in a couple of days. It was funny and horrific at the same time. There’s some gore, now you’ve been warned.
One person found this helpful
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Nick Roberts
3.0 out of 5 stars Demons, family feuds, and botched crimes
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2023
If you’re into curses, family feuds, complex characters, the occult, and crime stories, this one is for you. I went into it completely blind. The title and cover kept me from it for a while because it seemed a bit over-the-top and cheesy. And yes, I always judge books by their covers.

The story begins with a botched robbery and a curse being unleashed. It reminded me of the film Snatch mixed with Wishmaster or Hellraiser. Innocent people are killed, a demonic entity is freed, and life goes to hell for everyone involved.

Elizabeth J. Brown’s writing style is a throwback to the Gothic literature classics in its pacing and attention to time and place. The author isn’t afraid to let a scene run its course and to hop around in a big cast of characters. As with the inherent risk with this tactic, the book falls victim to having some meandering parts where we’re just waiting for certain characters to get from Point A to Point B. Others may disagree and argue that it engrosses the reader in the story. Whatever floats your boat.

The uniqueness of the possessed character is what sets it apart from traditional demonic possession novels. It reads more like an action-revenge thriller with a protagonist plagued by a demon than a horror novel most of the time. He’s basically Venom, but instead of being infected by a symbiote that gives him superpowers and a cool costume, he’s possessed by a resentful demon who enjoys deforming his host while carrying out his bloody quest.

For the aforementioned reasons, The Laughing Policeman was a bit all over the place for me. I found it to be dense at times and completely entertaining at others. I would’ve trimmed quite a bit to make it more streamlined, but that’s just my taste. But throughout the entire narrative Brown proves that she is a gifted writer. I know she’s written some other books, but I’d be particularly intrigued by how she’d fare in the short story realm.

If what I’ve described sounds appealing, check it out. Fans of Clive Barker, Richard Bachman, and Susan Hill will enjoy it. I look forward to different directions this very talented author chooses to go in the future.
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Sonia LeeAnn Hyder
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. That's all I can say!
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2023
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The road to revenge can be tricky. Stephen is seeking revenge for the murders of his family when everything goes horribly wrong. This story has so many great things all the way through. The story is tense but there is definite comedic relief from the exchanges between the demon and host. I loved the flow of the writing and how the whole story came full circle. I would definitely recommend this book! It's a fun read for sure.
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Author John Watson
5.0 out of 5 stars A Highly Entertaining Novel
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2023
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As far as debut novels go, this has to be one of the most entertaining that I have ever had the pleasure to read. A demon, a serial killer, and a host of great characters. What more could you ask for?

This to me, almost felt like two different stories melded together into one. The first part of the book sets things up brilliantly for the second half, which takes place three decades in the future.

As mentioned above, the character development here is fantastic, as is the storytelling and pacing of this book. I will definitely be getting my hands on the sequel ASAP, as I really want more of Charlie and Diane.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sherry O.
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!
Reviewed in Canada on January 11, 2023
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This is a very well done suspenseful book. Did not want to put it down. A must read!
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Dr. Stuart Knott
5.0 out of 5 stars Gory, British, Gothic Horror!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2023
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An intense and engaging horror novel set in the United Kingdom, “The Laughing Policeman” is a thrilling page-turner charting the unfortunate life (and unlife) of policeman Stephen Anderson. When his wife and child are brutally murdered in a botched intimidation effort from a group of local Travellers he helped lock up, Stephen heads out for revenge and ends up being stabbed by a mysterious, cursed dagger. While his friends and colleagues mourn him, Stephen claws his way out of his grave and finds his body restored and capable of near-superhuman regeneration and strength…but he’s no longer alone! Now, he shares his body with a malicious, bloodthirsty, snarky entity – a demonic force that hungers for human flesh (specifically eyes!) and insists on carving a gruesome, bloody smile into Stephen’s face!

The story takes place over a number of years, beginning in 1984 and jumping ahead to 2018 in the second part. The demon’s hold over Stephen drives him to the brink of madness and to perform increasingly brutal acts as he’s compelled to hunt down the bloodline of those responsible for his suffering. When the last remnants of this family flee overseas, Stephen’s left wandering the streets as a vagrant, barely able to hold the demon back as its craving for violence and blood constantly bubbles beneath the surface of his rational mind. Alongside Stephen, the story also follows some of his victims, the Boswells, his police partner and best friend, Charlie Haynes, and a Ciara and Addison, a terrified mother and daughter on the run from a violent partner. These characters help to flesh out this fictional world, which is so seeped in British-isms that I couldn’t help but smile! Characters talk in slang and witticisms that are only too familiar to me, which helped to ground the piece and give even minor or despicable characters a sense of flair and reality; the way the author characterises both the demon and its violent prey is commendable and adds an unsettling sympathy to their plight even as they perform horrific acts.

There’s also a greater mystery at work here; haunted by the mysterious murders, Charlie loses everything trying to figure out who’s behind the wholesale slaughter of the Boswell family and why that strange dagger keeps turning up again and again. Between him and Stephen’s desire to rid himself of his demonic partner, we learn of a mysterious group of witches and mages, an occult sect who seek to destroy the demon before it can fulfil its dark ambitions, and the author lays just enough breadcrumbs to make me intrigued for what’s next in her “Brimstone Chorus” series and how the events of this book tie into that larger narrative. Still, “The Laughing Policeman” works perfectly well as a standalone piece; there were times when information was kind of dumped on us or repeated for the benefit of other characters, but I didn’t mind this as it was always related in new and different ways. The gore also makes the book incredibly appealed, as does the chaotic relationship between Stephen and his demonic partner; the demon reminded me of Ryuk from the “Death Note” franchise and I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue they shared and the descriptions of its dishevelled appearance and gruesome acts! Overall, this was a massively enjoyable book that was easy to read and had me hooked from page one, so I’d definitely recommend it, especially to fans of gothic horror or with a love for dry British wit!
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Phaedrus
5.0 out of 5 stars Cracking debut.
Reviewed in France on July 24, 2022
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I found Elizabeth J. Brown via social media, and I hope her presence there will act as word of mouth publicity. I'm here, so it can chalk-up one sale!
Mrs Brown is a new independent author, whose collaboration with Kobold Books has resulted in this well presented debut novel, exploring the human condition in a substantial story of crime and the supernatural, swiftly leading to the thrilling climax... And a promise of more to come.
This book was a refreshing departure from my usual genre, and now I'm looking forward to the next volume of "The Brimstone Chorus".
One to watch... It'll make a good script!
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TJ Reilly
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in Australia on June 21, 2023
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I liked the pace of it. Great story with a nice mix of policing and supernatural.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars A dark and powerful story!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2023
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A multi faceted story, a combination of genres encompassing murder/mystery, supernatural horror and demonic possession. This was a dark tale of an ancient curse passed down within a Romany family, their descent into criminality, revenge murders and the accidental release of a demonic captive. This latter disaster resulted in utter mayhem for the family as the demon then embarked upon his long anticipated blood fuelled revenge. Both the guilt ridden and innocent alike were hunted down and murdered. As the years passed one police detective meticulously followed up on the clues, no matter how unbelievable they seemed, until a dramatic conclusion brought him face to face with the impossible. What a film this story would make.
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