Saffron

Booze, romance and an otherworldly stalker.

Saffron is the eerie debut literary novel by Cheshire author Justin Hughes. A coming-of-age, university campus story turned psychological horror.

"He was connected with the world in an ancient-curse sort of way, in a like-it-or-not sort of way, and he was quite ready for it all to be over."

University fresher, Toby Shire, moves to a Welsh seaside town to escape his grief-stricken home life. Instead, he finds himself stalked by a glowing, cloaked figure that only he can see—and each time it appears, it draws closer. His mother believes it’s a sign from God, his professor suggests a psychological phenomenon, but it's Toby who must decide the true nature of his tormentor before it's too late—before it reaches him.

Hughes, previously published as part of the 2025 issue of the University of Chester's literary magazine Pandora's Box, revisits the themes of faith and spiritual torment in this debut novel. Set in a Welsh seaside town's university campus, Saffron will be a treat for lovers of The Secret History by Donna Tartt or The Lessons by Naomi Alderman.