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HEAD blends psychological intrigue with tech-driven suspense. Protagonist, Ben Lorloch, a billionaire fund manager and assassin, navigates real and virtual worlds, intertwining gaming, assassinations and human drama.
The novel features shadowy assassins and themes of betrayal. The fast-paced, action-packed storyline effectively blends gaming elements with classic mystery tropes and explores deeper questions about identity, memory, and self-deception.
HEAD
A Ben Lorloch
Mystery Thriller
HEAD grew from my lived experience as a mother who educated her child outside the traditional school system. This choice quietly reshaped the way I understood learning, belonging and identity.
The character of Ben Lorloch allowed me to examine the quiet isolation, deep independence and emotional complexity that come from living just outside society’s blueprint.
I'm not much of a gaming person, and that's exactly why I was sceptical going in. I was wrong.
HEAD grabs you from the very first pages and doesn't let go. Ben Lorloch is an unconventional protagonist: a Scottish laird, an elite assassin, a man haunted by a past that never stops chasing him. He's not your typical thriller hero — he's more complicated, more human, and that's precisely what makes him impossible to look away from. His choices are questionable, his relationships a mess, and you just can't stop reading.
Atmosphere is one of the book's greatest strengths: the Scottish Highlands, the estate, the weight of inheritance and family secrets all blend with a world of virtual reality and international conspiracies in a way you wouldn't expect to work. It should feel forced — and yet it doesn't. Not even close.
The writing style is distinctive: short sentences, a clipped, almost telegraphic rhythm. It can feel disorienting at first, but once you find your footing it becomes part of the experience — mirroring the protagonist's constant tension and keeping the reader permanently on edge. The twists are perfectly timed, and the ending delivers without betraying the buildup.
One thing I especially appreciated: even readers who know nothing about gaming never feel left out. The author makes the technical elements accessible without ever weighing down the narrative.
Original, atmospheric, and genuinely hard to fit into a single genre — and that might be its greatest strength of all.
Massimo Francesconi, Amazon, 18 February 2026
“Compelling And Intriguing Thriller
Page turner full of intrigue and mystery, great character development. You will feel like you are transported to another time.
This is a masterclass in how to write a story that is compelling and has a lot at stake at every turn.
Amazing and climactic ending.”
“Twisty, Immersive And Impossible To Pin Down
What a ride. HEAD is that rare kind of thriller that pulls you in with action but keeps you hooked with layers—psychological, emotional, even existential. Ben Lorloch is a brilliant lead: sharp, damaged, unpredictable. The line between game and reality blurs so cleverly, I found myself double-guessing everything alongside him.
It’s fast-paced, yes, but not mindless. The worldbuilding is smart, the dialogue tight, and the deeper questions around identity, memory, and self-delusion really land. Think Black Mirror meets House of Leaves, but tighter. Easily one of the most original things I’ve read this year. ”
