MYSTERY NOVELS WITH HUMOUR AND HEART
Welcome to my website! I’m an award-winning writer of Young Adult fiction from Scotland. Here you’ll find a bit about me, my books, micro reviews of video games I write for fun, and a contact form. Please feel free to get in touch!
About the Author
Sam Tanner is the YA author alter-ego of Sam Eastop, a strange creature from an alternate dimension where everyone loves puzzles, hates loud noises and values the company of dogs more than humans.
He won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award for his novel The Untimely Death of Roger Ravencroft which is but the first step on his journey towards world domination. Before writing mystery novels, he was a playwright with several sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe. Making the leap to prose, he won the university medal for his MA in Creative Writing at Edinburgh Napier University. He now finds joy in conjuring up irreverent characters in his bedroom and putting them through hell in the name of a compelling narrative.
He detests baked beans.
"Sam writes with wit and flair, able to break your heart and make you laugh, (sometimes on the same page!) An accomplished storyteller with a fearless streak, his work subverts expectations yet never fails to satisfy. Prepare to be well and truly enthralled."
D.V. Bishop (author of the Cesare Aldo historical thriller series)
My Current Project
🐦⬛The Untimely Death of Roger Ravencroft 🐦⬛
The Untimely Death of Roger Ravencroft is a contemporary young adult mystery novel with a supernatural twist.
Roger Ravencroft is dead. Murdered, in fact. What's more, his killer made it look so much like an accident, not even Roger himself knows who did him in.
When given the chance to return to the mortal world to solve his own murder, eighteen-year-old troublemaker Roger jumps at the opportunity. Possessing the body of his wallflower cousin, it's a race against time for Roger as he infiltrates his own wake, digging into his dysfunctional family to figure out which of them isn't who they seem.
What follows is a frenzied investigation as Roger unearths skeletons in every nook and cranny of Ravencroft Manor in his search for answers. But the truth comes at a heavy cost as he uncovers a dark plot running far deeper than his own untimely death. Perhaps most chilling of all, he might not be his killer's only victim and it's only a matter of time before they strike again...
A familiar Christie-esque setting with a modern twist, an irreverent neurodivergent protagonist, and a healthy dab of the supernatural, The Untimely Death of Roger Ravencroft is a ghostly mystery about family, forgiveness and never giving up on yourself.
Video Game Micro Reviews
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Video Game Micro Reviews 🎮
I adore video games. They’re one of my favourite storytelling mediums and I’d love to write a game one day. For now, here are some 50-word micro reviews of games I’ve played!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A masterpiece exploring grief against the backdrop of a truly extraordinary world. E33 was gorgeous and devastating. The phenomenal writing and top-tier voice talent left me emotionally wrecked and morally challenged. Combat was brilliant, though my stubborn refusal to stop parrying meant the last few bosses were hell. The soundtrack remains on repeat. Other RPGs are ruined. No notes.
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⭐⭐½
A slow rollercoaster than never quite won me over. The graphics and music were pretty, but the voice acting was uneven and most characters felt clunky in combat, Tifa being the only exception. Bloated filler sections hurt the pacing, though the final chapters were a wild ride. I’ve heard Rebirth is better.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
Much better than I expected. The tactical, grid-based combat was a joy to learn and master, and hard mode offered just enough challenge for me: a lover of turn-based strategy. The humour is classic South Park and I laughed a lot. A surprisingly satisfying little RPG with a story even more unhinged than I’d hoped for.
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⭐⭐⭐½
Another quirky superhero-trope subversion in a post-Invincible, post-The Boys world with a tacked-on romance sub-plot that’s more like Hughie and Annie than Mark and Eve, (i.e. bad). Voice acting and dialogue were excellent. Gameplay went from uninvolved to tedious. Story would have been great as a TV show.
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⭐⭐⭐
A mechanical step-up from Remake with a huge open world, intense combat and gloriously queer energy. Bosses demanded varied tactics, which was nice, but tonal inconsistency, stilted dialogue, cringe-inducing scenes and dull side content undermine the original game’s sincerity. I enjoyed it more than the first part, but still very uneven execution.
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⭐⭐⭐½
There was a lot here I loved. The depth of writing was mind-blowing. Sensational tactical D&D combat, beautiful music and excellent dialogue made this game easy to admire. But the jittery camera, clunky console inventory management and bugs were a pain in the ass. A weak third act and momentum-killing final bosses left a sour taste. I wanted to like it more than I did.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
A rip-roaring delight from start to finish. Returning to Ratchet & Clank for the first time since the PS2 era, I found the original’s unhinged humour alive and well in a high-octane intergalactic romp packed with quirky characters and ridiculous enemies. Firing each weapon was haptic bliss. Puzzles were satisfying and the fun is practically non-stop. My main complaint is it’s too short.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
Short, strange and memorable, this was a fantastic little horror trip built around clever puzzles and precise platforming. Its dark, creepy atmosphere and silent storytelling offer just enough to the player while leaving room for interpretation. Controlling the huddle at the end was especially satisfying. Squelch squelch.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Cosy farming, tasks at my own pace, and winning a muscle boy’s love by gifting him a million eggs? Delightful. I expected to get bored, but instead got completely sucked in. This is relaxing escapism at its finest with surprising character depth. Now I want to be a farmer. A gem of a game.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐½
My first soulslike, and probably my last: I’m not built for these levels of difficulty. Yet Lies of P’s exquisite design, fascinating lore and dark Belle Epoque aesthetic drew me in like a stray mote of Ergo. Combat was gruelling, especially later on, but beating a boss after countless attempts felt incredible. Not relaxing, but an unforgettable experience nonetheless.
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⭐⭐⭐½
Leon Kennedy bias aside, this is a well-made survival horror game whose fairly basic story serves its purpose. Inventory management is stressful, ammunition shortages made surprise boss fights hellish and Leon’s slow jog had me screaming at the TV. I respect what this game achieves, but my mediocre skills and stress levels weren’t a good fit for it. Both the tension and my investment fizzled in the third act. They definitely front-loaded the horror.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pure adrenaline-fuelled haptic bliss. A simple story provides the perfect framing for an addictive roguelite campaign and the most enjoyable high-speed racing I’ve ever experienced. Shade’s rivals are all great characters, plus Sebulba’s in it and he’s so well written! This game was everything I wanted and more. Loved it.
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⭐⭐⭐
Unfair perhaps, but Wild Hunt taught me I don’t like open-world games. I admired its richness, especially the side quests, yet constant distractions made the main story hard to follow or get invested in. And yet, skipping the side content felt like missing the game’s essence. The end result is a world overflowing with detail, in which I felt nothing.
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