“Hughes continues to carve out a unique place for himself in the fantasy-mystery realm. A droll narrative voice, dry humor and an alternate universe that’s accessible without explicit exposition make this a winner.”
Publishers Weekly

“This is a funny and surprisingly endearing book with some interesting discussions about the role of sin and our reactions to it.”
Keith Brooke in The Guardian

The Damned Busters by Matthew HughesAfter accidentally summoning a demon while playing poker, the normally mild-mannered Chesney Anstruther refuses to sell his soul… which leads through various confusions to, well, Hell going on strike. Which means that nothing bad ever happens in the world – and that actually turns out to be a really bad thing.

There’s only one thing for it. Satan offers Chesney the ultimate deal – sign the damned contract, and he can have his heart’s desire. And thus the strangest superhero duo ever seen – in Hell or on Earth – is born!

Book one of the To Hell & Back saga is a riotous fantasy from the acclaimed author of the Henghis Hapthorn stories.

File Under: Fantasy [ Expletives Deleted | Up, Up And Away | Endless Loveliness | Life’s Great Author ]

Cover Art: Tom Gauld
(click the cover for a larger image)

Book Info:
The First Book in the To Hell and Back Series

UK Print
Date: May 2011
ISBN: 9780857661029
Format: Medium (B-format) Paperback
R.R.P. £7.99

North American Print
Date: June 2011
ISBN: 9780857661036
Format: Small (Mass-market) paperback
R.R.P. US$7.99 / CAN$8.99

Ebook
Date: May 2011
ISBN: 978 0857661043
Format: Epub & Mobi
R.R.P.: £5.49 / US$6.99

Other Books in This Series:

2. Costume Not Included (April 2012)
3. Hell to Pay (March 2013)
O. To Hell and Back (Ebook-Only Omnibus) (February 2014)

Buying Info:

UK Print & Ebook
Amazon.co.uk | Book Depository | Waterstones | WHSmith

North American Print & Ebook
Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | BarnesandNoble.com | IndieBound.org

Global DRM-Free Epub Ebook
Robot Trading Company

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Author Info:

Matthew Hughes: www.matthewhughes.org | @hapthorn on Twitter | Facebook

Discuss and Share:

Discuss and Review The Damned Busters at Goodreads.com

Read an Extract:


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Praise and Reviews:

“Since I’ve been ‘sinning’ and eating cheese, which I shouldn’t I’ll compare this story to a cheddar cheese (which I do love). It’s not like Velveeta which casts aspersions on the good name of cheese. Nor is it some cheap plasticky, slightly bouncy orange-colored thing. It’s not a Kraft cheese nor one you would find in most chain grocery stores. It is a cheese of respectable lineage from a specialty shop; a tongue tingling, well-aged, firm cheddar where the cows were sung to every morning while they were being milked. I’d give The Damned Busters a solid eight cheese wheels worth of fun and entertainment. A Hell of a good read.”
Colleen Anderson

“Matthew Hughes has accomplished something unique: he has written a novel, without illustrations, that conveys the tone and feel of comics published during their Golden Age.”
Red Rook Review

“Hughes’ writing is both funny and clever, with some great descriptive passages. He has a style that instantly hooks the reader, that manages to balance the fine line between being a funny novel, and novel that is just full of jokes… I will be picking up the next instalment of this series without a doubt. A highly recommended read.
Ginger Nuts of Horror

The Damned Busters is a supernatural adventure that blends a rich and unpredictable story, with a tone and wit that provides plenty of laughs along the way. A great balance of action and comedic situations with some romance thrown in for good measure, albeit an awkward romance, this is a great read. It will forever contain the most intense game of poker I have ever read. 5 *****”
Celebrity Cafe

“This story starts out as a tongue-in-cheek humorous parody of the relationship between humans and demons, until a sharp twist turns religion upside down. The premise is bold, thought-provoking, and original.”
– Tangent Online

“You’re missing out if you haven’t bought this book yet. Pure and simple.”
The Founding Fields

“The book is an insane adventure that messes with your mind and its perceived notions of the world around us. It feels like watching The Matrix when you learn not everything is as it seems. The writing is smart, never once assuming that the reader is an idiot, and the dialogue is brilliant and witty.”
42 Webs

“A witty superhero story that’s just plain fun.”
– John deNardo, SFSignal

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