British Gothic

Commander Torin Gray is known among the Bruce's most elite Highland warriors as Shadow because of his prowess at infiltrating any English stronghold and discovering its weaknesses before bringing the king's army to its doors. After watching the English massacre his family when he was a boy, he vowed revenge on them all, one stronghold at a time. For him, the Scottish War of Independence is personal and he will not be stopped. But nothing could have prepared him for the beautiful outlaw he's about to face, or how bravely she draws him out of the shadows and into the light.

Newly appointed as land agent to the youthful Lord Croft, Matthew Rowsley finds plenty to keep him busy as he attends to his lordship's neglected country estate. But he's distracted from his tasks by the disappearance of a young housemaid. Has Maggie really eloped with a young man, as her mother attests - or is the truth rather more sinister? What's been going on behind the scenes at the grand country estate...and where has his lordship disappeared to?

Seeing a stranger die is the worst thing that Chris has ever witnessed. Picking up the dead man’s wallet is a mistake, a moment of weakness. That’s all it takes, one impulsive act, for reality to unravel. Because pocketing the wallet is only the beginning. Dark forces swim below the surface of the world... They change their shape but never go away... They find a way through... Chris Carlisle experiences an everyday horror. A morning starts out bad and gets worse. Wrong place at the wrong time and life takes a wrong turn. But even the blackest clouds have silver linings. He gets a little...

NEW AND IMPROVED SECOND EDITION - 2025 Initially published by Peter Owen Publishers, 2013 FROM THE BACK PAGE Henry III’s reign was the longest of any king in medieval Europe, spanning an unprecedented 56 years from 1216 until 1272. The first child king in England for 200 years, his time on the throne oversaw more significant change than any other monarch, in which England prospered. Though often overlooked by historians, Henry III was a unique figure emerging from this chivalric yet gothic era. A compulsive builder of daunting castles and glorious cathedrals, Henry was an intelligent, ...

Strangling vines and meat-hungry flora fill this unruly garden of strange stories, selected for their significance as the seeds of the villainous (or perhaps just misunderstood) 'killer plant' in fiction, film and video games. Step within to marvel at Charlotte Perkins Gilman's giant wisteria and H.G. Wells' hungry orchid; hear the calls of the ethereal women of the wood and the frightful drone of the moaning lily; and do tread carefully around E. Nesbit's wandering creepers. Every strain of vegetable threat can be found within this new collection.

Eventually Dona lands in remote Navron, looking for peace of mind in its solitary woods and hidden creeks. She finds the passion her spirit craves in the love of a daring French pirate who is being hunted by all of Cornwall. Together, they embark upon a quest rife with danger and glory, one which bestows upon Dona the ultimate choice: sacrifice her lover to certain death or risk her own life to save him

A young lady with a lifelong dream of writing, a novelist who is far more than he seems, a Duke who leads a double life, a noblewoman bent on revenge, a love born in fire and passion. ***** FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED *****Miss Ella Radcliffe’s family is in desperate straights. And rather than marry the man her mother has chosen, she looks for work – hoping that her love of writing might help her save the family from starvation. When a mysterious offer of employment turns out to have come from her literary hero, she begins to hope that things may improve. But it soon becomes obvious that ...

"Joe Giampaolo has written the most helpful and informative guide to the Gothic genre. The Reader's Companion to the Gothic Genre is written in clear and understandable language, providing the student of literature and the faithful reader of Gothic novels with a guide to understanding the genre's origin and the elements that place a novel in this genre." ~ Readers' Favorite This essay is the third installment in the Reader's Companion collection and it is a brief analysis of the Gothic genre in British literature from its origins in the middle of the 18th century to the ghost stories and ...

Mrs. Bennet’s marital schemes aren’t the only horrors Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy face this season in Hertfordshire… After learning Netherfield is set to lease at last, Elizabeth Bennet ventures onto the shadowed estate for a glimpse of Longbourn’s newest neighbors. There she finds herself confused by the eccentric Bingley sisters and drawn to the enigmatic Mr. Darcy. But the forbidding grounds whisper of mysteries as sinister as they are ancient. A web of growing madness draws Elizabeth closer to Netherfield and Mr. Darcy, a gentleman whose troubled past is tied to the awakening...

The House of Life & Death by Vann Chow is an epic narrative that spans generations, weaving together love, betrayal, history, and the supernatural. Elise’s world turns upside down when she stumbles upon her grandmother’s ancient diary, leading her into a web of dark family secrets and haunting supernatural forces. The diary reveals a deep connection to the House of Life, a mystical realm where the souls of the dead linger, shaped by Chinese folklore and ancient rituals. As Elise uncovers her family’s legacy, she learns that the House of Life is tied to a centuries-old curse rooted in ...

Vincent likes nothing more than rootling round second-hand shops in search of the interesting and unusual. Items that are lost and forgotten. Why not? He needs the diversion. Time on his hands and money to burn. His life is affluent and empty. Little on the horizon and memories tinged bittersweet. That’s all about to change. He’s about to find something that is perhaps better left unfound. CALL DROPS is a darkly swirling mix of horror and mystery that will stay with you long after the reading is done. It’ll maybe make you think twice about impulse buying, those moments when you simply...

Four ghost stories from England’s historic shires present a heady brew of the Gothic, folk horror, historical fiction and satire. The Ghost of Scarside Beck A newly-wed Cumbrian vicar and his wife experience a night like none they could ever have foreseen. He may have answered his calling, but who, or what, is calling her? At Fall of Night A ghostly excursion into the Victorian Gothic; a tale of obsession, terror, and vengeance. Welcome to Wiltshire in the autumn of 1843. Monsieur Benoit Lavarnier, toast of the Parisian art world and a man of cultured accomplishments, finds himself ...

Bubble, bubble, toil, and murder... When a woman is found dead near her village in Norfolk, the verdict is suicide. Not everyone agrees. Detective James Simpson is ordered to investigate and he brings Agatha Aston, Betty Simpson and Talleyrand the hound, with him. They stumble across a tale of murder that stretches back two centuries. Part occult story, part murder mystery - this creepy tale is steeped in witchcraft and strange rural festivals where everything is not as it seems. The second Agatha Aston murder mystery is full of laughs, twists and things that go bump in the night. Golden ...

An Earl declared a war hero, a widow stricken with angry grief, a plot conceived in despair, lies and deception which might undo everything good in their lives, courage and forgiveness which lead to unexpected love at Christmas. ***** READ NOW ON KINDLE UNLIMITED ***** Martin Luckett, the Earl of Truharton, was injured at Waterloo, even as he watched most of his men cut down around him. He returns to England to discover his father and brother dead, and himself now Earl. He has fallen into a despairing lethargy with no enthusiasm for life when the process of hiring new staff changes ...

Step into the heart of Victorian London with “Mirror of the Damned,” a thrilling gothic horror story set in the hidden corners of Notting Hill. This tale revolves around the mysterious and cursed Mirror of the Damned, found in the peculiar shop of Mr. Abernathy. Here, the wealthy Sir Reginald Harcourt becomes obsessed with uncovering his future, leading him down a path of madness. Will the curse consume him, or can he break free from the mirror’s dark grip? Join the adventure in “Mirror of the Damned,” where the power of the human spirit is tested against the backdrop of time, ...

A Victorian-era vampire romance that will sweep you off your feet. Book One - Rescued London 1860 Miss Amelia Darlington was once happy, but that was a long time ago. After her father, Lord Darlington, leaves her destitute, Amelia is forced to fend for herself and seek employment as a servant. After being rescued from the lecherous hands of her new employer, Amelia is surprised to find that her savior, Lord Blackwell, wishes her to re-enter society and find a husband of her own. He has nothing but kind consideration for her, but Amelia cannot accept his kindness without wondering what he ...

A Duke haunted by the ghosts of the battlefield, a Lady who remembers the man he once was, an unexpected compromise, a call to courage in the face of despair, a love redeemed despite it all. ***** READ ON KINDLE UNLIMITED ***** Lord Devlin Vickery went to war eleven years ago, driven by a sense of duty, and the hope of glory. Now, he returns home a broken man, driven only by his sense of duty, to take up the title of Duke of Grimstoke after his father’s death. His experiences have left him haunted by the ghosts of death and destruction, detached from the real world, and certain that he ...

On his 59th birthday, Tyson Parks—a famous, but struggling, horror writer—receives an ornate antiquarian desk in the hopes it will rekindle his creative juices. Perhaps inspire him to write another best-selling book and prove his best years aren’t behind him… As Tyson begins to use the new desk, he finds himself writing copy at an unfathomable speed, becomes so focused on writing that he binges on all-night, all-day sessions that take a serious physical and psychological toll. Soon, Tyson begins acting strange. Violent.

A Lady forced into marriage, a Duke with a dark reputation, an unseen enemy, lies, secrets and ‘helpful’ friends – can they find their way to love, despite it all? ***** FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED ***** Lady Ariana Torryngton was forbidden the only man she had ever loved – and has resolved to stay a spinster. But her dictatorial father, driven by his own approaching death, has arranged a marriage for her – to a man with a terrifying reputation. A marriage which she cannot avoid. Benedict Blackshaw, the Duke of Darkmire, is plagued by the rumours of dark horrors of his ancestors – ...

Nestled within the rugged North York Moors lies Ashford Manor, a grand estate shrouded in secrets and cloaked in Victorian elegance. Here, the sudden and mysterious death of Lord Reginald Ashford sets the stage for an enthralling narrative woven with intrigue, betrayal, and hidden desires. As the esteemed inhabitants of Ashford Manor mourn the loss of their patriarch, the arrival of Inspector Hargreaves and Constable Barkley marks the beginning of an intense investigation that promises to unearth more than just the cause of Lord Reginald’s untimely demise. Set against the evocative ...