A TERRIFIED young boy clings to the branches of a tree, screaming and screaming until no more sound will come.

Years later, as a young man, William Dickson is still haunted by the memory of that autumn afternoon - so much so that his own mind plays tricks on him to keep the true horror of the brutal crime he witnessed buried.

But as the bodies begin to pile up, William is forced to confront the truth - and to decide who he really is.

The Screaming Tree is a gripping psychological thriller which plays mind games with the reader that are almost as scary as the games William's mind plays with itself. A cracking read - with one last, chilling twist in the tail right at the end to keep you sweating.

Updated: 09:00 Wednesday, May 14, 2003