AN AUTHOR from Ryedale has released his second novel, which takes readers inside Nazi Germany.
David Turton, who is originally from Pickering, has released, 'The Psychic of Sachsenhausen'.
The novel is a historical thriller set in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany.
David, 42, wrote the story after leaving Pickering for the northeast of England, and working in marketing roles in the public sector and higher education.
Inside Nazi Germany
The novel follows two orphans who move to Berlin from Norway in 1935 and find themselves embroiled in different sides of the Nazi regime.
One character joins the SS, while the other finds himself incarcerated at Sachsenhausen - the grim concentration camp outside of the city.
The story includes themes of Nazi persecution of homosexuals, with one character wearing the ‘pink triangle’ on their striped uniform and subjected to barbaric treatment from the SS guards.
"Sachsenhausen isn’t a well-known concentration camp at all,” said David, who first heard of the camp during a city break to Berlin, “but it was a place of huge importance in terms of the development of the cruel Nazi imprisonment methods, and a story worth telling.
“Although it’s a work of fiction with supernatural elements, in draws on true events which are often harrowing.
“It also explores the mindset of an officer in the SS and what it could have taken to commit such inhuman acts.”
David will discuss the novel as part of a special LGBT+ History Month event at Northumbria University with Dr Jacky Collins, the Founder of Newcastle Noir, on February 28.
The novel follows David’s debut 'The Malaise' which was released in 2018.
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In the meantime, he has also had around 30 short stories published across various magazines, anthologies, and podcasts.
The Psychic of Sachsenhausen has an American publisher – Curious Corvid Publishing - and has drawn attention in the United States.
"My writing tends to do well with US audiences,” said David.
“It’s been to the LA Book Festival and an event in Texas to name a few, as well as doing well on Amazon over there.”
Hobby turned into 'something bigger than I ever thought possible'
David was short-listed for the Sunderland Short Story Award in May 2019 and is currently undertaking his next writing project, a series of short novellas set in the 1980s.
“It’s been an exciting time for me,” said David.
“What began as a bit of a way to unwind and be creative in my spare time has turned into something bigger than I ever thought possible.”
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The Psychic of Sachsenhausen is available in major online book retailers in paperback and hardback and is also available on Kindle for 81p in February to mark LGBT+ History Month.
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