PJ Killburn introduces her supernatural mystery series, Dead Yard
About Author
The Seeds of Doom is the first of the Dead Yard supernatural mysteries. Author PJ Killburn sets the scene for ReadingZone.
PJ Killburn was born in London, grew up in St Lucia with her Caribbean dad and South African mum, and currently lives in Sydney. When she isn't hanging out with her partner and cat, she's a children's writer and research nurse.
Markia Jenai, from Detroit, enjoys a hot cup of coffee while daydreaming about fantasy worlds and doodling. In addition to her artistic pursuits, she has a passion for cultural anthropology, journaling and often finds herself spending too much time playing The Sims.
Interview
September 2025
PJ Killburn introduces her supernatural mystery series, Dead Yard (Little Tiger)
Beginning with The Seeds of Doom, PJ Killburn's new Dead Yard series offers a fast-paced supernatural mystery, imbued with Caribbean folklore and with the warmth of a close-knit community setting in London. With illustrations by Markia Jenai, the novel offers a surprising adventure with friendship, family and a restless ghost or two!
Read a chapter from The Seeds of Doom
Review: "Highly readable - a cheerful mash up of a school holiday adventure romp and a horror movie."
Q&A with PJ Killburn, introducing guppies and ghosts in Dead Yard: The Seeds of Doom
"You can expect scary bits, funny bits and lots of Caribbean culture!"
1. Can you tell us a little about yourself, what kinds of stories you grew up with, and why you wanted to become an author? Do you write full time or do you do other kinds of work?
I'm a children's nurse by day, author by night! I've always loved telling stories since I was very little, it's something I inherited from both of my parents who loved telling me Caribbean and African folktales. Our home was always full of books, and I particularly loved reading fantasy, horror and sci-fi growing up. I was (and still am) quite a nerd too, and so I also love anime and graphic novels.
2. What inspired your new Dead Yard series, and why did you give it this title? What can readers expect in the first book, Seeds of Doom?
Dead yards are very important to Caribbean culture. They're not only a time for us to mourn the dead, it's also a chance for us to come together as a community and celebrate life. It's almost like a family reunion! So when my friends at Storymix wanted someone to bring Seeds of Doom to life, I was so happy to take this on! You can expect scary bits, funny bits and lots of Caribbean culture!
3. What drew you to writing horror - and what's the creepiest / weirdest experience you've ever had?
I like challenging myself! I love horror but I am admittedly a bit of a chicken, so I wanted to see if I could do it. I think the creepiest thing I've ever experienced was the time I went on a biology school trip and went looking for bats in the cold dark forest in the middle of the night - every shadow looked like a duppy!
4. What do you feel the illustrations by Markia Jenai bring to the adventure? What was it like to see your characters brought to life like this?
The illustrations are fantastic! She really captured the characters and their emotions throughout the book.
5. Can you tell us about the diverse group of friends at the heart of the novel, Jermaine, Annette and Assad, and how they developed?
Jermaine, Annette and Assad have known each other since they were very little and I think this reflects what it's like growing up in London quite well. I moved to Northwest London from St Lucia and made friends from all over the world, so to me Jermaine having friends with different backgrounds makes sense.
6. There are ghosts, malevolent spirits and a vampire or two in this story - did you make these up or draw on Caribbean culture for the references?
They're all references to Caribbean culture! A lot of the references are from folk stories, but every Caribbean person I know has a ghost story, usually involving a distant cousin falling afoul of an evil spirit as a result of something they should not have been doing.
7. We love your warm-hearted portrayal of a Jamaican family. Why was it important for you to put this family and their traditions - and food! - at the centre of these stories?
A big part of Caribbean culture is family. The ways in which we come together through the good times and the bad, the way we lovingly roast each other, and the way we solve our problems is really special, and it wouldn't be a story about a Caribbean child without it. Also I just love Jamaican food!
8. Why did you decide to set the story in Shepherds Bush in London, is it an area and community you know well?
When I left the Caribbean as a teen, northwest London was where I ended up, so that area is home to me. I've got fond memories of Shepherd's Bush; going to concerts in the O2, hanging out in the shopping centre with my friends, visiting the market with my mum and aunties, all that sort of thing. So when Storymix told me that Shepherds Bush was to be the setting, I was really looking forward to getting to capture that in Dead Yard.
9. What do you have planned next for Dead Yard and how many Dead Yard books will there be?
The sequel is coming soon, and I'd love to do more books in this world!
10. What kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you're away from your laptop? Are you a foodie like your characters?
I am a massive foodie and can be found cooking all the meals mentioned in Dead Yard and many more. I also love reading and can be found in a bookstore carrying a massive pile of books, or in a cafe with a book and a big cup of tea.
Creative Challenge:
Two Minute Movie challenge: Jermaine is an aspiring director, with big dreams of being the next Ryan Coogler! I'd love to see your movies, see if you've got the talent that he has. I challenge you to get together with your friends and make a horror movie up to two minutes long using whatever props you want (werewolf masks and duppies not included).
Two Sentence Horror: can you write a two-sentence horror story to rival Jermaine's script?
Dead Yard: Seeds of Doom
