Pressman House Presents Half Human — A Chilling New Thriller by Award-Winning Cartoonist

BOSTON, U.K. - April 16, 2026 - PRLog -- Pressman House Publishing Ltd., one of the United Kingdom's most respected traditional publishers, is proud to announce the release of Half Human, the second novel from celebrated Daily Mail cartoonist Stanley McMurtry — better known by his iconic pen name, "Mac." Marking a triumphant return to fiction writing under his real name, Half Human is a riveting supernatural horror-thriller that will leave readers breathless long after the final page.

About the Book

When divorcé Fergus Munroe meets the beautiful and intriguing Jenny, it seems as though life is finally smiling on him. The two fall deeply in love, marry, and settle into a picturesque 300-year-old cottage in the Kent countryside — a place that promises peace, romance, and a fresh start.

But happiness turns to dread when renovations reveal a hidden diary concealed within a bedroom wall. The diary chronicles a series of gruesome murders committed in the area over 150 years ago — and as terrifying incidents begin to mirror those long-ago horrors, Jenny grows desperate to sell and escape. In a stagnant housing market, that escape is impossible.

Caught in the crossfire of superstition and dread, Fergus must unravel the mystery behind a strange and terrifying entity before it devours the very fabric of their existence. With each passing night, the line between reality and nightmare blurs, and the battle for the village becomes a desperate race against time.

About the Author

Born in Edinburgh, Stanley McMurtry — known to millions as "Mac" — enjoyed a legendary career as political cartoonist for the Daily Mail, retiring at the end of 2018 before being brought back to create a weekly cartoon for the Mail on Sunday. Alongside his cartooning career, he co-wrote scripts for comedy legends Dave Allen and Tommy Cooper, was awarded the MBE in 2004 for services to the newspaper industry, appeared as a "Castaway" on Desert Island Discs in 2008, was invited to Number 10 by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and was voted one of the Men of the Year in 1983. His acclaimed children's book The Bungee Venture was adapted into an animated cartoon by the legendary Hanna-Barbera studio in Hollywood.

Availability

Title: Half Human
Author: Stan McMurtry
ISBN: 9781915657466 Format: Paperback & eBook
Publisher: Pressman House Publishing Limited
Featured Author Page: www.pressman-house.co.uk/featured-authors/half-human-by-s-mcmurtry/

Media Contact

Pressman House Publishing Ltd.
The Hawthorns, Cemetery Road, Bicker, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE20 3BT
Tel: 01296 695588 Website: www.pressman-house.co.uk