ABOUT THE BOOK:
In the Company of Demons
a dark autumn evening.
a traffic jam.
something ancient….waits.
On a gridlocked motorway in modern Britain, a standstill becomes anything but still. As traffic stretches endlessly ahead, lives collide in unexpected ways—each car holding a story of struggle, hope, and human connection. At the center is a high-stakes police operation led by National Crime Agency officer Tina Rawson, tracking a drug courier trapped in the jam. As tension builds and the situation spirals toward a devastating explosion, the motorway transforms into a pressure cooker of danger, secrets, and moral dilemmas.
Beyond the crime, the novel weaves together deeply personal stories: a coerced courier desperate for a way out, a teacher facing a fractured system, a woman rediscovering love, and a family navigating the heartbreak of early-onset dementia. From refugees and recovering addicts to unlikely friendships and moments of quiet courage, each voice adds emotional depth to a world where isolation and connection exist side by side.
Both literal and symbolic, the traffic jam becomes a powerful reflection of modern life—where people feel stuck, searching for meaning, and longing for movement. Blending suspense with poignant social insight, this richly layered story explores identity, resilience, and the fragile threads that bind us together, reminding us that even in life’s standstill moments, change is always possible.
Praise for Alder Markson
“In the Company of Demons is a bold and experimental psychological thriller that takes an unusual setting — a mundane motorway traffic jam on a dark autumn evening — and uses it to explore something far more unsettling than the commute itself. The demons of the title are metaphorical rather than supernatural, and readers approaching this expecting horror should adjust their expectations accordingly. What Markson offers instead is a study of the human psyche, the secrets we carry, and the quiet truth that we rarely know what is really unfolding in the lives of those around us.”
-Kristy McKay, The Book Dragon
“This is a fantastic read and i would highly recommend it. I was hooked from the first page to the last. I really hope to see more from this author in the near future!!!”
-Jolyon P.
“We are given glimpses into the relatable lives of the characters, using natural dialogue, effective colloquialisms and touches of humour throughout. I was invested right to the very end.”
-Amanda J.
“Bought this on a whim and wow what a fantastic read it was! From start to finish it had me hooked!”
-Tricia T.
“An unusual way to present the story but really effective and a prefect mix of the realities of people in general, funny and complex - really looking forward to the next book!”
-Andrea M.
