Victorian Gothic

Bram Stoker, despite having a name nearly as famous as his legendary undead count, has remained a puzzling enigma. Now, in this psychological and cultural portrait, David J. Skal exhumes the inner world and strange genius of the writer who conjured an undying cultural icon.

Vindecker A Gothic Tale of Science, Obsession, and Redemption In the shadow of Victor Frankenstein’s infamous experiments, another mind toils just down the road—one less celebrated, but no less consumed. Dr. Oswald Vindecker is a respected Victorian-era physician, brilliant and admired. But behind the doors of Vindecker Manor, he conducts a series of secret experiments—straining the limits of life and death, and the boundaries of morality. As he recruits prisoners, outcasts, and even those closest to him for his twisted tests, Oswald’s obsession grows—and so does the cost. Told ...

The Ripper Lives: To Catch a Killer (1/10) A city haunted by fear. A case buried in secrecy. A detective who refuses to let the past die. In the gaslit streets of Whitechapel, terror still lingers. Months have passed since the brutal murders that gripped London, yet the killer remains a phantom—unseen, unnamed, unstoppable. As whispers of conspiracy spread and trust in Scotland Yard crumbles, Inspector Frederick Abberline is left with more questions than answers. When the government issues a chilling directive—close the case publicly, but continue the hunt in absolute secrecy—...

The Ripper Lives: Secrets and Lies (3/10) A killer in the shadows. A city built on deception. A detective who trusts no one. London is a city of secrets—some buried in filth, others hidden behind wealth and power. Inspector Frederick Abberline has spent months chasing a ghost, a murderer whose reign of terror should have ended. But as another woman turns up dead, it’s clear the Ripper is not finished. Abberline and Assistant Chief Constable Melville Macnaghten follow the trail to an opulent mansion in Mayfair, where the rich and powerful play their own dangerous games. Their so-called ...

In the swirling London fog, Adele Putnam witnessed a very real murder-but when the killer and his victim later vanished, she began to doubt her senses. Her brother Michael told her to forget the incident and to accompany him to Brittany, where he intended to study the ancient monoliths of Carnac, similar to Stonehenge. Adele was happy to go. Not only would she aid Michael in writing his book, but she could visit her girlhood friend Lysette, who had married the Count de Kerceval. But to her horror, she found that Lysette was dead, and the handsome grieving husband was none other than the man...

1887, the Cornwall coast. For years, rumors have flown through the village of Suttonsbury about Ashthorne Hall—that its occupants hoard pirate treasure, that a ghost walks its halls—but botanist Hyacinth Bell only cares about the estate’s extensive one-of-a-kind orchid collection. As an independent woman, she is eager to focus on her career, even if it means waiting to pursue a romantic relationship. After all, love—like an orchid—must be nurtured and tended before it can bloom. What she doesn’t expect is to be swept away by Lucas Harding, the manor’s caretaker, upon their first meeting.

In the foreboding halls of Worthington Manor, eighteen-year-old Briar has always known she was different. Raised by a stern housekeeper and a reclusive uncle, her only friend the housekeeper's daughter, Briar's sheltered life is shattered when she stumbles upon a chilling secret. Every week, a mysterious coach leaves the manor at midnight. But where does it go? And what sinister purpose does it serve? As Briar delves deeper into her family's shadowy past, she uncovers a legacy of dark rituals and otherworldly power. With each revelation, the line between reality and the supernatural blurs, ...

London, 1885. Gabriel Utterson, a 17-year-old law clerk, has returned to London for the first time since his life—and that of his dearest friend, Henry Jekyll—was derailed by a scandal that led to his and Henry's expulsion from the London Medical School. Whispers about the true nature of Gabriel and Henry's relationship have followed the boys for two years, and now Gabriel has a chance to start again. But Gabriel doesn't want to move on, not without Henry. His friend has become distant and cold since the disastrous events of the prior spring, and now his letters have stopped altogether.

“I can never go back to Terrenia,” Maxine said in a low voice. “If someone finds out…” “… that you have unusual abilities?” “That I’m a freak – yes, a freak – I will be facing worse than deportation.” Maxine Everett's hidden powers place her in danger under the dictatorial government of Terrenia. The ruling regime worships the Earth element and labels people with an affinity to other elements as unstable and treacherous. When Maxine receives an order of relocation to Demergia, a continent of dreary wilderness on the edge of the world, her prospects seem bleak. She ...

Winner of the 2014 Richard & Judy Search for a Bestseller competition. Abandoned on a bank of snow as a baby, Amy is taken in at nearby Hatville Court. But the masters and servants of the grand estate prove cold and unwelcoming. Amy's only friend and ally is the sparkling young heiress Aurelia Vennaway. So when Aurelia tragically dies young, Amy is devastated. But Aurelia leaves Amy one last gift. A bundle of letters with a coded key. A treasure hunt that only Amy can follow. A life-changing discovery awaits ... if only she can unlock the secret.

To escape an unthinkable arrangement, Rowe Beasly accompanies her mother to the dark and gloomy Castle Ravendale, a fortress beset by a long history of tragedies. One night while exploring, she meets the heir, the last remaining descendant to the great family of Rothdales. A disfigured lord who steals her heart from the moment they meet. But trying to get him to come into the light will test her strength and things she holds most dear. Emotionally scarred by the weight of his family's curse, Adaire Rothdale, lives his life in darkness away from the world. His hopes and dreams curdling each ...

1851, Angel Meadow Asylum. Dr. Rutherford, principal physician to the insane, is found dead, his head bashed in, his ears cut off, his lips and eyes stitched closed. The police direct their attention towards Angel Meadow's inmates, but to Jem Flockhart and Will Quartermain the crime is an act of calculated retribution, rather than of madness. To discover the truth Jem and Will must pursue the story through the darkest corners of the city.

The riveting tale of the Curse of the Stradivarius, unfolds poignantly as a gothic mystery book, set in 19th-century England and Italy during the early to mid-1800s.The narrative pivots around the extraordinary life of Franklin Ricketts, whose existence begins to take an eerie turn after inheriting his family estate in Worth. He forms a deeply rooted bond with fellow music enthusiast, William Bolton at Oxford University. Their shared admiration for the violin and piano intertwines their destinies, uncovering an ominous connection to the maddening suite "Areopagita" by Graziani. As Franklin ...

Eleanor and Nathaniel, now settled into their liberated life at Veil House, prepare for their next literary salon after Isolde’s defeat. A letter arrives from Miss Clara Duval, a wandering poetess requesting a seat, her script “delicate but firm” and her words laced with cryptic charm. Intrigued, they invite her, expecting a kindred spirit. Clara arrives—a lithe, auburn-haired woman with a traveler’s weathered satchel and eyes that gleam with secrets. Her poetry, recited at the salon, is intoxicatingly sensual, weaving riddles of lost lovers and hidden truths that captivate the ...

The Winter Rose of Northumberland A love tested by scandal. A past shrouded in whispers. A place she never truly belonged—until now. When Eleanor Whitmore’s father, the village parson, dies, she is left with nothing but a tarnished name and a town full of whispers. Langmere has never fully claimed her as its own, and when rumors of her mother’s mysterious past resurface, Eleanor is faced with a choice: stay and fight for her place, or leave behind the only home she has ever known. Nathaniel Grahame is a man forged in war, tasked with rebuilding the estate of a noble family that has ...

A Gothic romance set in the remote village of Colorow, Colorado, during the late 19th century. The village of Colorow, surrounded by grandiose mountains and nourishing springs, is an enduring testament to bygone days of mining prosperity. It's a refuge that marinates in the peace given by nature's raw beauty and the miraculous powers of its waters. The novel introduces Viola Brady, a stunning young woman pinned to this sanctuary by circumstances, her soul aching for experiences that reach beyond the local boundaries. Compelling and restless, Viola’s spirit is touched by the arrival of two...

Introducing "Uncle Ripley", a gripping psychological fiction novel that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Anyone who enjoys psychological suspense fiction will enjoy this journey of unexpected twists and turns. The mysterious world of Uncle Ripley is a masterstroke of psychological literary fiction, and you won't be able to put it down. Set in a small town in the early 1900s, "Uncle Ripley" takes place during a time when secrets were kept hidden behind closed doors, and no one was quite who they appeared to be. The story follows the life of a young woman who is sent to live with her ...

An 18th century castle full of mystery and dark secrets is the setting for murder and forbidden romance in this captivating Gothic historical romance novel by Sophia Queen. What would you do to escape an arranged marriage to a ruthless lord? Karina Rouelle must flee her uncle's home in the night and hide her true identity from society by becoming an undercover spy with an elite, all-female investigative agency. Her first assignment, posing as a governess at Westford castle in order to investigate the suspicious death of the Countess of Westford, quickly becomes complicated when she finds ...

Legendary thriller writer David Morrell transports listeners to the fogbound streets of London, where a killer plots to assassinate Queen Victoria. The year is 1855. The Crimean War is raging. The incompetence of British commanders causes the fall of the English government. The empire teeters. Amid this crisis comes opium-eater Thomas De Quincey, one of the most notorious and brilliant personalities of Victorian England. Along with his irrepressible daughter, Emily, and their Scotland Yard companions, finds himself confronted by an adversary who threatens the heart of the nation.

A thrilling mix of espionage, danger, and the supernatural, The Vampire Spy box set follows Nora Kelly as she trades the backstreets of London for the shadowy world of spies. Book 1: The Vampire Spy When an English gentleman offers Nora Kelly a new life, she soon discovers her work involves more than intelligence gathering; after all, this elite team of spies also happen to be vampires. Once a woman of the night, now an agent of the crown, Nora joins Lord Alfred Covington’s elite team of vampires spies sworn to protect the Realm. Her first mission? Hunt down a ruthless adversary ...