A Numbers Game

Name: A Numbers Game
Price: 45 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781917415323

R.J. Dark

$45

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Datura Books
22 September 2026

Thriller & suspense

An ex-addict is dragged into a high-stakes race for a missing lottery ticket. A gritty, high-heart novel perfect for fans of the Peculiar Crimes Unit series.

All Malachite ""Mal"" Jones wants is a quiet life as the foremost (fake) psychic medium on the Blades Edge estate.

Until he gets a new client- Janine. Her husband hid a load of money, and then died. Mal gets drawn into a mystery he never asked for in an attempt to help Janine find the cash and escape the estate once and for all.

The only problem is that Mal isn't the only one hoping to get his hands on the cash. The crime lord of the estate amongst other criminals are all on the hunt. And then there's the fact that some corrupt cops are after Mal's best and only friend, Jackie.

Aided by Jackie and Beryl, Mal's nosy secretary, Mal sets out to find the cash and a solution that pleases everyone. If he can't, he might have to pay the price. After all, it's a numbers game.

Set in the unique, grim environment of a council estate with a cast of quirky characters and a race against the clock, A Numbers Game offers all the desired twists and turns while also introducing a fresh voice to the crime genre.

By: R.J. Dark
Imprint: Datura Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: New edition
Dimensions: Height: 197mm, Width: 130mm,
ISBN: 9781917415323
ISBN 10: 191741532X
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 22 September 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

R.J. Dark is the pseudonym of fantasy author R.J. Barker, whose books have won multiple awards and received brilliant reviews and endorsements from big SFF names, including Adrian Tchaikovsky and Robin Hobb. He lives in Leeds with his wife, son and a collection of questionable taxidermy, odd art, scary music and more books than they have room for. He grew up reading whatever he could get his hands on, and has always been ""that one with the book in his pocket"". He played in rock bands before deciding he was a rubbish musician. He is a far from rubbish writer.

Reviews for A Numbers Game

“A page-turner of the highest calibre.” – James Oswald, author of the Sunday Times Bestselling Inspector McLean novels “A whirlwind of a hard-edged caper novel."" – Chris Nickson, author of the Tom Harper novels ""One of the best books I've read this year … a terrific debut."" – NetGalley Reviewer ""wisecracking and just flat out twisted fun."" – Steven Savile, author of Silver and Parallel Lines ""I had a hard time putting this book down."" – NetGalley Reviewer ""It seems that whatever RJ Dark writes, he spins pure gold."" – NetGalley Reviewer ""twisty and turny and keeps you guessing right to the very end."" – NetGalley Reviewer ""PG Wodehouse … with bullets."" – NetGalley Reviewer ""It's fun and it's sad in parts and sometimes it's quite violent."" – NetGalley Reviewer