Tom Baker, known best to Whovians as the Fourth Doctor, is publishing his first ever Doctor Who novel, titled Scratchman, in 2019.
The novel, which will be released by Penguin Random House, is based on an idea for a Doctor Who movie that was first floated in the ’70s, but never materialized.
Centered around a mysterious creature that terrorizes a Scottish island, Scratchman has been described by BBC Books as “a gripping, white-knuckle thriller almost 40 years in the making.”
In a statement to The Radio Times, Baker said of the news of his upcoming novel, “I love the improbability of Doctor Who. Reason plays no part at all. As in religion, the overriding thing is faith. It may be improbable, but just believe in it and it’ll all come right. When I was approached about the book, I thought, ‘Why not?’”
A cover and synopsis has been released by Penguin, which you can find below:
The Doctor, Harry and Sarah Jane Smith arrive at a remote Scottish island, when their holiday is cut short by the appearance of strange creatures – hideous scarecrows, who are preying on the local population. The islanders are living in fear, and the Doctor vows to save them all. But it doesn’t go to plan – the time travellers have fallen into a trap, and Scratchman is coming for them.
With the fate of the universe hanging in the balance, the Doctor must battle an ancient force from another dimension, one who claims to be the Devil. Scratchman wants to know what the Doctor is most afraid of. And the Doctor’s worst nightmares are coming out to play…
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Baker, in addition to writing the novel, has also recorded an audiobook which will be released alongside the novelization.
Scratchman will be released on January 24, 2019. You can pre-order the hardcover edition of the novel directly from Penguin, or on Amazon.
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