P.J. Killburn author page

P. J. Killburn biography

P. J. Killburn is the pen name of Pardina Samson-Fessale, a children’s author and nurse. She was born in London and grew up in St Lucia. Alongside writing, she has worked as a children’s nurse and research nurse. Her fiction draws on Caribbean folklore and traditions as well as her interest in fantasy, horror and science fiction.

Killburn is the author of the Dead Yard supernatural mystery series, published by Little Tiger and illustrated by Markia Jenai. The first book, Dead Yard: Seeds of Doom, was published in September 2025. It follows aspiring film-maker Jermaine, who accidentally eats food intended for his deceased great-great-uncle Carl during a Dead Yard. Carl’s ghost subsequently begins following him, while a mysterious illness affecting local children appears to have connections with Jamaican folklore.

The series combines supernatural mystery with humour and Caribbean culture. Killburn has explained that the title refers to the Caribbean tradition of a Dead Yard, in which family and community gather to remember someone who has died. Seeds of Doom was developed with Storymix and published by Little Tiger as the first book in the series.

The second novel, Dead Yard: Deep Trouble, was published by Little Tiger in September 2026. It returns to Jermaine as children begin disappearing near the River Thames and coming back with strangely altered personalities, leading him and his friends towards another threat connected with Caribbean legend.