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Looking From Different Angles
Ischaemic follows a man blindsided by a DNA test revealing a twin brother he knew nothing about, who finds himself pulled into a dark web of identity, desire, and survival where the line between victim and monster blurs. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My first book was a children’s book “The Visitors” with talking animals and aliens. It was fun to write, but I was also working on something much darker and more adult.
‘The Walking Wounded” is on a much grander scale and only recently released after 10 years. Ischaemic is middle ground and allowed me to try new ideas and concepts. Looking from different angles.
The novel explores queer identity in dark and complex ways. How did you balance representation with the story’s brutality?
As a queer writer I can use personal experiences and the stories of friends to balance things out, always remembering to draw the lines in the appropriate places.
Ischaemic explores identity, shame, and control. Which theme feels most central to you?
For Joshua, it is definitley about manipulation and control.
Do you plan to revisit this darker psychological territory in future work?
I have another book called “The Walking Wounded” that switches things up a notch. A second book with these characters is on the cards.
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As the narrative unfolds, sinister secrets emerge. A shocking revelation—Joshua’s twin, Antony Gordon—sets the stage for an intense psychological duel. The twins’ twisted connection spirals into obsession, culminating in Antony’s desperate struggle for survival. Layered with suspense and psychological complexity, the narrative builds toward a devastating climax, where identities blur and the darkest instincts are unleashed. This narrative promises a compelling exploration of trauma, sexuality, and the human capacity for both cruelty and survival.
Ischaemic
Ischaemic by Andrew Cahill-Lloyd is a dark, twisty thriller that jumps between a closeted truckie with a secret nightlife, a man blindsided by a DNA shock, and a homicide team chasing a string of killings. Joshua is introduced as a married interstate truck driver with “queer kink” and a taste for danger. Antony, meanwhile, gets DNA results that point to a same-age brother, and it flips his whole sense of self. As deaths stack up and detectives Webb and Tiernan work the case, pressure builds from every side. Then the personal hits the practical. Money goes missing through Antony’s own login, and later, he ends up donating a kidney to Joshua. The book barrels toward a final confrontation, a shooting, Joshua’s death, and Antony’s name being cleared.
The writing style is loud and visual. It often feels like a camera is parked in the corner of the room. I could see the lights, the sweat, the dread. I liked that pace. It kept me turning pages even when I wanted to mutter, “Mate, slow down.” The downside is that it can lean hard into big feelings and big setups. Sometimes it reads a bit stacked. One punch lands, then another, then another. Still, I respected the commitment. It swings for the fence. It does not do “subtle,” and that boldness can be a guilty pleasure.
What stuck with me was the mess of identity and control. Adoption. Shame. Desire. Family roles that rot from the inside. The kidney thread felt like the sharpest moral test in the whole book. Love versus obligation. Anger versus pity. It also goes into sexual harm and coercion, and that hit me in the gut. I had moments of real sympathy for characters, and then whiplash when the story shoved me somewhere darker. That push and pull felt intentional. It made the book feel mean at times, but also honest about how trauma can scramble people.
The wrap-up gives a sense of closure and a glimpse of healing later on, which I needed after all that intensity. I’d recommend this to readers who like gritty thrillers with family drama, queer themes, and a true-crime vibe. Bring a strong stomach. Expect explicit scenes and heavy topics. If you want a neat little mystery, nah. If you want a wild ride that punches hard and keeps punching, this one will do it.
Pages: 260 | ASIN : B0G94PTRGK
It Was All In Brawl
The Visitors follow two shapeshifting aliens observing Earth, who are horrified by what they see and travel back in time to try and intervene and save humanity. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I wanted to write a story about my pet Dax. Aa the story evolved and I added Ptoni the Pteranodon my brain wandered off on a tangent and I decided to follow the anti-religion direction.
Your characters are diverse: two alien shapeshifters, a Maine Coon, an Adelie penguin, a cow, and even a Pteranodon, all working together. What was your approach to writing the interactions between characters?
It was an all in brawl. Each scene is written fly on the wall and the characters pretty much write themselves.
Is there any moral or idea that you hope readers take away from the story?
As Ptoni says in the closing chapters “Religion Your time is up.”
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
Clearing my desk of two new books. (Adult Fiction – very adult concepts) and then I’ll enjoy the fun of ” The Visitors Book 2. It will take a critical look at religion, but it will be from a different angle.
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