English Gothic

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, ...

Six years after four family members died of arsenic poisoning, the three remaining Blackwoods—elder, agoraphobic sister Constance; wheelchair-bound Uncle Julian; and 18-year-old Mary Katherine, or, Merricat—live together in pleasant isolation. Merricat has developed an idiosyncratic system of rules and protective magic to guard the estate against intrusions from hostile villagers. But one day a stranger arrives—cousin Charles, with his eye on the Blackwood fortune.

Twenty-two-year-old Alice Andrews is eager to graduate from college and head into the real world. After leaving a party, she is suddenly engulfed in a bright light. Hours later, she finds herself strapped to a bed, being inspected by strange-looking creatures. She soon finds out she is on a planet called Krotev which houses an all-male alien population. The Krotev aliens apparently kidnap human women with the goal of mating and breeding. The unlucky Alice is assigned to an alien named Kyvan as his mate, and she is determined to never end up in his bed. However, she soon finds herself ...

Chris and Cathy made such a loving home for 14-year-old Jory - so handsome, so gentle. And for Bart, who had such a dazzling imagination for a nine-year-old. Then the lights came on in the house next door. Soon the Old Lady in Black was there, watching them, guarded by her strange old butler. Soon she had Bart over for cookies and ice cream and asked him to call her "Grandmother". And soon Bart's transformation began....

Juliet: It is my duty to obey, to give my body and blood to a vampire master until he no longer has use for me. There is no escape. Nowhere to run. Follow the rules or die. I don't want to die. Darius: Twenty-two years of conditioning has crafted the perfect poison-a weapon my enemies won't see coming. I'll break her, train her, and use her to take down everyone who stands in my way. She's alluring. She's perfect. And she's mine.

A mysterious stranger saved me from drowning. Now he won’t stop stalking me. The head of the Russian mafia saved my life when my ex tried to kill me. I spent a month in a coma. Woke up to find a ring on my finger. Because Maxim Stepanov only knows one way to protect. Control everything around him. So he married me before I could think straight. Told me I only have to do this for sixty days. “Do what?” I ask. “Obey my every command.” But there’s two big problems with this deal. One, my abusive ex is back to finish what he started. Two, I just found out Maxim’s baby is growing ...

A ghost story with a true crime twist. Based on the largest, unsolved art heist in history, GHOST AT THE GARDNER is a gripping, paranormal suspense mystery with a bit of added romance. Supernatural occurrences unfold as an old museum ghost and a young art intern team up to solve an investigation that has remained an FBI cold case for over 20 years. Readers won’t be able to put down this fast-paced novel full of ghostly spirits, mystical séances and first kisses in a spooky graveyard.

When a copycat murderer prowls among the trees of Ponderosa Springs, our loyalty is tested. It had been foolish of us to believe our revenge would go unpunished. That the town wouldn't retaliate after what we did. With our lives hanging in the balance, Thatcher and I have no choice but to coexist. In the twilight of musty cabins and haunted library towers, my somber secrets are exposed, and his cravings are revealed. So the question is . . . What is love without obsession?

SEXIER THAN THE BRIDGERTONS Available in paperback or ebook! Will he choose love or honor? Orphaned Kate Scoville is trapped in a tower prison by her scheming uncle, who plans to wed her to his loathsome son in order to gain control of her fortune. Plucky and resourceful, Lady Kate escapes to London to ask for help from her guardian. She's sure the elderly Earl of Devere will help her in her plight. Kate is astounded to find that the Earl has died, and his son has become her guardian. Quinn, the present Earl, remembers Kate from his childhood as an awkward child he loved to taunt and tease....

USA Today bestselling author Posey Parks brings another heart stopping dark mafia romance. Upon waking up, no one would disclose Tori's whereabouts, nor did they seem willing to do so. My injuries were so severe that I had to be sedated for a period of time to allow my body to heal. When the truth finally came out, I was overcome with emotions and desperate to find Tori. All the near-death experiences I went through for her made me realize that I was deeply in love with her. Tori appeared in my life when I was at my lowest point after losing my boss's girlfriend while on duty. Despite her ...

🔥True Blood meets 50 Shades—in a world of demons, bloodlines and brutal salvation🔥 From NYT, USA TODAY, #1 Dark Fantasy and Amazon Top-15 Bestseller Marata Eros comes a savage, seductive introduction to The Demon Trilogy—where survival demands strength, love is a battlefield and redemption only follows ruin. 💔 Ruby is an exotic dancer on the run from her murderous father. But when her darkest hour leaves her stranded at sea, she’s rescued—and claimed—by something even more dangerous. He’s no angel. Half-demon. Half-vampire. All hers. Thrust into a world of violent ...

She took the job to save her family. Now she has to survive the night. Leah, a desperate registered nurse on the verge of losing her family home, accepts a high-paying, last-minute assignment that seems too good to be true. The job: provide round-the-clock care for a reclusive, elderly man in a decaying Gothic mansion miles from civilization. The rules are simple. Stay inside after dusk. Never unlock the cellar. And never, ever miss a dose of the patient’s "medication." But as the full moon approaches, Leah realizes her patient isn't just sick. His affliction is older, darker, and more ...

From Chapter 2: ... “Did you see those folks from off while you were up there?” Gramps asked, but I didn’t answer, nor did I think Granny had seen me at all, but Gramps was good at guessing what I’d been up to. “What folks?” I asked as innocently as possible. Gramps grinned ever so slightly as he nodded toward my feet. “You got that red clay dirt on the bottom of your feet. That mountain is the only place where you can find that kind of red dirt.” I looked down and sure enough my feet were stained slightly orange by the red dirt I’d walked through instead of plain old ...

A classic work of historical fiction from the author of Rebecca and The Birds. Honor Harris is only 18 when she first meets Richard Grenvile, proud, reckless - and utterly captivating. But following a riding accident, Honor must reconcile herself to a life alone. As the English Civil War is waged across the country, Richard rises through the ranks of the army, marries and makes enemies, and Honor remains true to him. Decades later, an undaunted Sir Richard, now a general serving King Charles I, finds her.

Once, I was broken, battered, and bruised. Too weak to save myself, my summer Skye did what had to be done. My sister bears the guilt of taking a life to protect her little beanpole. I should have saved her, but I was too weak, too small, too fragile to fight. But, I’m not little anymore. I’m not scared. I’m no longer afraid. Skye’s little beanpole grew into a giant of a man, and I’m on a mission to make those who hurt us pay for their crimes. Every step of my life brings me to this moment. I will bring down evil. John Snowden doesn’t know the power of love. He has no idea what ...

Mirror, mirror, on the wall… the question was never about beauty. It was about survival. The Queen’s obsession is not with her reflection, but with the vital life she feels leaching from her bones. When her enchanted mirror reveals that her forgotten stepdaughter, Snow White, is a vessel of primal vitality, she demands a testament of flesh: a heart and lungs to be cut from the girl's chest. But the Huntsman fails, and the girl escapes into the heart of the Schwarzwald, a forest with its own ancient consciousness and insatiable appetites . Hunted and left for dead, Snow White is not ...

We love the Haunted Mansion as an entertaining dark ride, but does it also resonate with us for deeper reasons? K. R. Bailey suggests that it answers a fundamental need to approach the topic of death in a manner we find comfortable in what has been termed a "death-denying" culture. Bailey reaches into the Victorian era and its Celebration of Death to identify symbols that are close enough to have a dark meaning, but distant enough not to threaten, and discusses their use in the works of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton, and Disney's Haunted Mansion ride.

On prom night, Caroline Winterfield walked away from the ruins of an abandoned mansion called Haven Cliff and into the woods…never to be seen again. Only her three best friends know what really happened. But a secret is a secret, and a promise is a promise—even when it shatters lifelong friendships. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of that night, Midge, Kelly, and Talia reunite at Haven Cliff, now a gleaming architectural jewel. But they aren’t alone. Someone is watching.

Unlock the Mysteries of Horror Across the Centuries! Are you ready to delve into the darkest corners of horror history? Introducing the Ultimate Horror Trivia Challenge, a comprehensive quiz book that spans over three centuries of spine-chilling horror. From classic literature to modern films to gothic romance this collection is designed to thrill, educate & bring together fans of the genre from every generation. Why This Book Is a Must-Have for Horror Enthusiasts, Couples & Families: Extensive Content: 666 challenging multiple-choice questions covering a vast array of topics, including ...

An ancient, mercurial spirit is trapped inside Elspeth Spindle's head—she calls him the Nightmare. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, she is thrust into a world of shadow and deception. Together, they embark on a dangerous quest to cure the town of Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. As the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet.