Victorian Gothic

Lust frozen and hidden in chastity's belt, Until puberty sparks and lust’s touch is felt, And perversion doth flame, and chastity, melt. --Goddess Alice of Wonderland Yesterday I (Alice) came of age. So I’m going on a journey of debauchery and self-exploration. Yes, I’m ready to finally perv out! Also yesterday, Dorothy of Oz was murdered. She had asked me to marry her. I want her back. So I’m traveling to the Greek Myth Realm, so I can bring Dorothy back from Hades. The handsome Mad Hatter is my sidekick. I intend to have lots of fun with him. I don’t like the Goddess of Chastity...

When Eleanor and Nathaniel receive nothing but a pressed snowdrop and an enigmatic hint of stories “where whispers freeze,” they are drawn to Frostmere Hall—a decaying northern estate where Lady Sabine Northwood awaits with a desperate request. A family journal chronicling generations of forbidden passion has vanished within the crumbling walls, and as howling blizzards seal them inside, the search becomes a dangerous expedition into desires best left unspoken. While snow erases all paths of escape, their bond is tested by growing intimacies and their mysterious hostess’s magnetic ...

London, 1896 Having fled the School of Industrial Trade Magic, and unable to use her power, Emmeline Hill begins to doubt herself. Will she be able to use magic again? What will her future hold? Along with her friend, Grace Starley, Emmeline hides from the Trade Magic Inspectorate at the house belonging to her uncle and aunt. But the respite isn’t long. They are sought out by the Shapeshifters League. They meet again with two rather unsuitable gentlemen, Mr. Carter and Viscount, who are on the brink of an outright conflict. And the Trade Magic Inspectorate are not far behind, hoping to ...

The Ripper Lives: Into the Black (4/10) A hidden truth. A dangerous conspiracy. A detective who refuses to surrender to the dark. The hunt for Jack the Ripper is far from over. As London reels from fear and suspicion, Inspector Frederick Abberline uncovers a chilling lead—a witness long thought lost to madness. His testimony threatens to unravel everything, exposing secrets that powerful men will kill to keep buried. From the gaslit corridors of wealth to the shadowed alleys of Whitechapel, Abberline follows a deadly trail of deception. But the deeper he goes, the more the darkness ...

Disowned by the cruel father who has always despised her, she has nowhere to turn until she is taken under the wing of a glamorous relative she never knew: the former Duchess of Ellsworth, who has scandalized society by remarrying soon after her first husband's death. At the opulent seaside estate of Ellsmere, Oriel thinks she has found a safe haven - but the darkly handsome young duke, Herron, believes otherwise. Haunted by the death of his father, he suspects that Ellsmere is sheltering a murderer.

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 ...

Nine ghost stories spanning the ages from the ninth century to the present day. Epitaph An academic with antiquarian inclinations is about to learn that posthumous reputations can, at times, be rather jealously guarded. The Fighting Cheribatsu As the Second World War rages, the urbane and somewhat wistful Sir Henry Fennick recollects the visit of Mr and Mrs Motazuku some quarter of a century earlier. Life at Lower Chertwell had appeared so full of promise. Such a brief visit, yet so profound. Poor little Bertie. Equal Shares An apparently generous bequest proves to possess some rather ...

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.

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...

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 ...

Lord Blackwell revealed his darkest secret to Amelia Darlington, but still, she loved him. It seems that was not enough. Amelia has been left alone. Again. London 1860 Learning that Lord Blackwell was a vampire didn’t dampen Amelia’s feelings and, when he took her to bed, she didn’t hesitate. Now she has woken to find her world turned upsides down. A note makes her question everything she knows of Dimitri, leaving her feeling used and alone. What could be the reason behind his cruel betrayal? Trying to put him from her mind, she throws herself back into society’s whirlwind, ...

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—...

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, ...

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...

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.

A gothic book set in Venice during the mid to late 19th century.Dive deep into the intricate world of "Haunting in Venice", where the pomp and splendor of Venetian high society hide layers of deceit, ambition, and unexpected supernatural elements. Haunting in Venice artfully explores these dark themes against the majestic backdrop of grand palaces and an undercurrent of stifling societal expectations. When Deception Turns DeadlyDr. Starkweather, a respected London physician, finds himself plunged into an unsettling tale of deceit and potential madness. It begins with a mysterious foreign ...

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 ...

Falling in love was never part of the bargain. Lady Sofia Cloverfield’s family has disintegrated, and she finds herself on the streets to make her own way with only a few guineas and her wits with which to rely on to survive. Sofia uses her common sense and prays she can figure out how to turn her fate around. Exeter Trenton, the Devil Duke, is wealthy, handsome, and lonely. His position demands he take a wife, but he finds none to his liking. Then, quite by accident, his luck changes when his horses nearly trample a waif he mistakes for a child. He allows her to leave with his ...

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.

Elizabeth Canham accepts a position at Burndale Academy, an isolated girl's school where she meets mysterious widower Griffin Fairfax, a man dogged by dark rumors who both frightens and fascinates her. Soon, a woman is found dead in the nearby woods - the victim of a brutal murder...a murder that bears terrifying similarity to others. Then Beth discovers all the victims were intimately connected to Griffin. Beth’s heart tells her Griffin cannot be the charming, seductive killer stalking the night, stealing women’s hearts...and lives.