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Mammoth Books presents The Unexpected: Six short stories by Michael Marshall Smith, Ramsey Campbell, Simon Strantzas, Nicholas Royle, Robert Shearman and Rosalie Parker (Mammoth Books)
by Ramsey Campbell Michael Marshall Smith Nicholas Royle Robert Shearman Simon Strantzas Rosalie ParkerWhat Happens When You Wake Up in the Night - Michael Marshall SmithFor Michael Marshall Smith, this was one of those stories that dropped straight into his head, but the problem was that he didn't want it: "It wasn't an idea I liked. It was clearly some part of my brain serving up a notion simply because it could, and because it knew it could frighten me with it."It did frighten me, and so I did what I always do when that happens - which is write it down, in the hope it will go away."Respects - Ramsey Campbell"'Respects' was suggested by a local incident in which a car thief in his early teens killed himself while fleeing the police," recalls Campbell. "A lamp standard at the site of his demise is still decorated with flowers years after the incident, and the tributes on the obituaries page of one Wallasey newspaper were at least as grotesque as the ones I've invented - the romanticisation of a petty criminal.Cold to Touch - Simon Strantzas"Stories often find their origins in unexpected ways," Strantzas reveals. "I was inspired in this case by a photograph of a Zen garden I once used as my computer's desktop background."There was something there in the coldness of the photograph, something that brought to mind the barren vistas of the Canadian Arctic, which ended up being the perfect setting for my tale of tested faith."The Reunion - Nicholas Royle"'The Reunion' is based on actual events," reveals the author, "but the story only really came into focus for me when I was invited to contribute to Ellen Datlow's Poe anthology."Poe is brilliant. I was at a conference recently where a teacher revealed that she had read Poe's 'The Black Cat' to a lecture theatre full of schoolchildren. She switched off all the lights and used a torch to read by. A number of parents lodged complaints, which she took as a measure of the event's success. My tale is inspired by a different Poe story."Granny's Grinning - Robert Shearman"I love Christmas," says Shearman. "Always have done, and always a bit too passionately. The intensity with which I loved Christmas was delightful when I was eight years old, slightly unusual by the time I was eighteen, and increasingly disturbing thereafter."I was the last one to grow up. It suddenly dawned on me one year, looking into the faces of my parents, and of my sister, that they were all older, and fatter, and less and less festive. And that they were trying so hard to keep me happy each Christmas, pretending they wanted all those presents I'd bought, all those sausage rolls and Quality Street chocs. That what I was trying to do, each December, was somehow reach back into the past and resurrect a time that was dead, that was long dead."I still love Christmas. But now I recognize - as I still make them perform party games, as I still make them open their gifts and smile and say thank you - that they're zombies now. All of them, zombies. I'll never get my childhood back again, not really, or the innocence of that family get-together. So I'll make do with the dead, and pretend."This is a story all about that."In The Garden - Rosalie Parker"'In the Garden' was written after I challenged myself to write a horror story about gardening," explains the author. "It emerged more quickly and easily than anything I've ever written. I think of it more as a prose poem than a story."
Mammoth Books presents Unexpected Encounters: Four Stories by Richard L. Tierney, Simon Kurt Unsworth, Mark Samuels and Caitlín R. Kiernan (Mammoth Books)
by Simon Kurt Unsworth Mark Samuels Caitlín R. Kiernan Richard L. TierneyAutumn Chill - Richard L. TierneyInspired by the work of Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Donald Wandrei, Robert E. Howard and Frank Belknap Long, Tierney's poetry has been collected in Dreams and Damnations, The Doom Prophet and One Other, the Arkham House volume of Collected Poems, Nightmares and Visions, The Blob That Gobbled Abdul and Other Poems and Songs and Savage Menace and Other Poems of Horror.S.T. Joshi has described Tierney as "one of the leading weird poets of his generation."The Lemon in the Pool - Simon Kurt Unsworth"In the summer of 2009, I went on holiday with my family - the extended version. As well as my wife and son, Wendy and Ben, there were my parents, my sister and her husband, and my mother-in-law all sharing a villa in Moreira, Spain."One of the delights of the holiday was having a private pool, and seeing Ben enjoy himself in the water, where over the course of seven days he learned to swim. Perhaps even more fun was seeing his joy when things started to appear in the pool on a daily basis - a tomato, a lemon, two courgettes, three green chillies."I have no idea where they came from, but I suspect that children in a neighbouring villa were playing a joke on us and Ben loved it. It got to be one of the most exciting things about the holiday, waiting to see what would appear that day. After the appearance of the courgettes, my sister said, 'This'll find its way into one of Simon's stories,' and everyone laughed and someone (I think my mum) said, 'Even he couldn't write a story about this.'"Mum, if it was you that said that, this story is entirely your fault."Losenef Express - Mark SamuelsAbout the story, Mark Samuels explains: "I think most fans of horror will recognise at once the late, great American author upon whom the central character of this tale is based (or, perhaps more accurately, filtered through my imagination).We never met, although I did once catch sight of him across a room at the 1988 World Fantasy Convention in London and, prompted by curiosity, took a hasty, half-obscured photograph."A number of my friends knew him well, and I regret I myself never had the chance to do so. Sadly, I only discovered his brilliant work years after his untimely death."As Red as Red - Caitlín R. Kiernan"I don't know that 'As Red as Red' had any single source of inspiration," says Kiernan. "It coalesced from numerous experiences and accounts of the supernatural in Rhode Island. Also, I very much wanted to write a non-conventional vampire story which was also (and maybe more so) a werewolf story and a ghost story."It's also true that I was just coming off having finished The Red Tree, and, in some ways, 'As Red as Red' is an extended footnote to that novel. I was still trying to get The Red Tree out of my system."
Mammoth Books presents We All Fall Down (Mammoth Books)
by Kirstyn McDermottI carried the bones of this story around for quite a few years before I finally stumbled upon its beating heart," explains the author. "In my head was the image of a doll house, huge and not quite right, and a woman searching desperately for something concealed inside. But I could never work a story around it that didn't seem twee. Doll houses, you know?"But then Emma and Holly appeared - trapped within their own fractured, futile relationship - and everything just, well, fell together. Beautifully. Awfully. And now I have a doll house story. Of a kind.
Mammoth Books presents With the Angels (Mammoth Books)
by Ramsey CampbellCampbell reveals, "My fellow clansman Paul Campbell will remember the birth of this tale. At the Dead Dog party after the 2010 World Horror Convention in Brighton, someone was throwing a delighted toddler into the air. I was ambushed by an idea and had to apologise to Paul for rushing away to my room to scribble notes. The result is here."
The Man in the Moss
by Phil RickmanA PHIL RICKMAN STANDALONE NOVELA supernatural thriller from the author of the chilling Merrily Watkins Mysteries.Though dead for two millennia, he remains perfectly preserved in black peat. The Man in the Moss is one of the most fascinating finds of the century.But, for the isolated Pennine community of Bridelow, his removal is a sinister sign. A danger to the ancient spiritual tradition maintained, curiously, by the Mothers' Union.In the weeks approaching Samhain - the Celtic feast of the dead - tragedy strikes again in Bridelow. Scottish folk singer Moira Cairns and American film producer Mungo Macbeth discover their Celtic roots are deeper and darker than they imagined. And, as fundamentalist zealots of both Christian and satanic persuasions challenge an older, gentler faith, the village faces a natural disaster unknown since the reign of Henry VIII.Gripping throughout. Powerful, classic stuff. - The Times
The Man in the Picture (The\susan Hill Collection #1)
by Susan HillA terrifying ghost story by the bestselling author of The Woman in Black.A mysterious depiction of masked revellers at the Venice carnival hangs in the college rooms of Oliver's old professor in Cambridge. On this cold winter's night, its eerie secret is revealed by the ageing don. The dark art of the Venetian scene, instead of imitating life, has the power to entrap it.To stare into the painting is to play dangerously with the unseen demons it hides, and become the victim of its macabre beauty...
The Man With No Face: The Man With No Face (Tremors)
by John YeomanThese ghostly adventures and spine-chilling stories are great for reads for reluctant readers. Written by well-known authors and illustrated by much-loved illustrators, this series will appeal to boys and girls.
The Man With No Face: Tremors (Tremors)
by John YeomanThese ghostly adventures and spine-chilling stories are great for reads for reluctant readers. Written by well-known authors and illustrated by much-loved illustrators, this series will appeal to boys and girls.
Manitou Blood
by Graham MastertonAn army of the undead threatens humanity. In one of the hottest summers for decades, New York City is swept by a strange and terrible epidemic. Doctors are helpless as victims fall prey to a bizarre blood disorder. They can no longer eat solid food, they become hypersensitive to sunlight and they have an irresistible need to drink human blood. As panic grips the city, psychic Harry Erskine must enter the shadowy realms between the living and the dead, and call on native American spirits to help him... 'One of the most original and frightening storytellers of our time' PETER JAMES. 'A true master of horror' JAMES HERBERT.
The Manor House
by Jane Holland'I absolutely love this book from start to finish...a really atmospheric read, and brilliant characters.' NetGalley Reader, *****1963. When Eleanor meets famous young poet, Lyndon Chance, he offers a way to flee her abusive father. In return, she must pretend to be Lyndon's wife. He takes her home to a Tudor manor on the Camel Estuary in Cornwall, where she finds herself in the middle of a feud between Lyndon and his twin brother, Oliver. It's soon clear that the old house hides many dark secrets. But could they be a threat to Eleanor?Now. Taylor has come to idyllic Cornwall to research for her Master's thesis, combining her love for conservation with a personal interest in Chance's poetry. Haunted by her own tragic past, Taylor finds Chance's notoriety fascinating. If only the poet's grandson, Julius, wasn't so determined to thwart her attempts to uncover his family secrets. As Eleanor realises she's out of her depth at Estuary House, drawn to Lyndon like a moth to a flame, Taylor and Julius must fight their own attraction - but could shadows from the past tear them all apart?A stunning and richly evocative timeslip, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Santa Montefiore and Kate Morton.
The Many Lives of Heloise Starchild
by John IronmongerREMEMBER ME WHEN THE COMET COMES...On the day the comet came, a girl named Heloise was born. She would live a fine life, and inherit a fortune, but would meet a cruel, untimely death. Years later, strange dreams plague Katya Nemcová, a teenager burdened with a rare and curious gift. Memories come to Katya in her dreams - images and stories from a past that isn't her own. Are these ghosts real? And what of the memory she seems to have of Heloise's treasures, two centuries old? A novel that spans the history of Europe - from revolutionary France to the world wars, the Prague Spring, post Brexit Britain, and beyond - this is the irresistible, adventurous and affectionate story of a quite extraordinary woman, her exceptionally talented ancestors and the curious memories they share.
The Map of Bones (Fire Sermon #2)
by Francesca Haig‘Set in a vividly realised world of elite Alphas and their ‘weaker’ Omega twins, it holds a mirror up to our obsession with perfection’ Guardian The second book in Francesca Haig’s incredible Fire Sermon series.
The Mapmaker and the Ghost
by Sarvenaz TashGoldenrod Moram loves adventure, especially when it comes in the form of mapmaking. An avid fan of the legendary explorers Lewis and Clark, she decides to start her own exploring team, the Legendary Adventurers, and to spend her summer vacation discovering the unmapped forest right behind her home. This simple task is complicated by a series of unique events-a chance encounter with a mysterious old lady has her searching for a legendary blue rose. Another, more unfortunate, encounter lands her in the middle of a ragtag bunch of nicknamed ruffians. Throw in the trapped spirit of Meriwether Lewis himself and her well-meaning but nuisance of a little brother, and Goldenrod Moram is in for the quest of a lifetime . . .
The Marble Faun: Or, The Romance of Monte Beni
by Nathaniel HawthorneFrom the author of The Scarlet Letter: The thrilling tale of three American artists whose search for artistic inspiration leads to romance and murder. The sculpture galleries and classical architecture of nineteenth-century Rome set the stage for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s gothic romance The Marble Faun. While touring the Eternal City in search of inspiration and authentic beauty, American artists Miriam, Hilda, and Kenyon soon discover that their Italian companion, Donatello—charming and in love with Miriam—bears a striking resemblance to the marble Faun of Praxiteles. But for Miriam, their carefree pursuit is also an escape from a dark past. And when a mysterious man appears, trailing the friends’ path and tormenting Miriam, the group’s travels take a sinister turn. The first novel to explore the effects of European sensibilities on American values, The Marble Faun anticipated the genre of travel novels later exemplified by The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James and The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain. Vividly evoking the great works of art and architecture in Rome, it also found favor as an unlikely guidebook for many Victorian tourists. James Russell Lowell said: “The nineteenth century has produced no more purely original writer than Mr. Hawthorne.” Here, the author of The House of the Seven Gables offers an unforgettable and suspenseful tale. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Mark of Cain
by Lindsey Barraclough1567Aphra is not a normal child. Found abandoned as a baby among the reeds and rushes, the two outcast witches who raise her in their isolated cottage are never sure if she was born, or just pushed up through the foul, black mud for them to find. Little Aphra’s gifts in the dark craft are clear, even as an infant, but soon even her guardians begin to fear her.When a violent fire destroys their home, Aphra is left to fend for herself. Years of begging and stealing make her strong, but they also make her bitter, for she is shunned and feared by everyone she meets.Until she reaches Bryers Guerdon and meets the man they call Long Lankin – the leper. Ostracized and tormented, he is the only person willing to help her.And together, they plot their revenge.1962Four years have passed since the death of Ida Guerdon, and Cora is back in Bryers Guerdon in the manor house her aunt left to her. It is a cold, bitter winter, and the horrifying events of that sweltering summer in 1958 seem long past.Until Cora’s father arranges for some restoration work to take place at Guerdon Hall, and it seems that something hidden there long ago has been disturbed. The spirit of Aphra Rushes – intent on finishing what she began, four centuries ago.
The Marquess Of Yew Park House (Gentlemen of Mystery)
by Lotte R. JamesA brooding marquess And a mysterious widow
The Marsh Demon: Dark Hunter (Dark Hunter)
by Mr Benjamin Hulme-CrossA six-book series of supernatural horror scares that will hook even the most reluctant readers. The Dark Hunter Mr Blood and his young assistants Edgar and Mary take on a series of terrifying mysteries, dealing with ghosts, vampires, werewolves and even weirder threats. In this tale, a demon is taking the village's children. If Mr Blood can't stop it, Edgar and Mary will be next!Highly readable, exciting books that take the struggle out of reading, Dark Hunter encourages and supports reading practice by providing gripping, age-appropriate stories for struggling and reluctant readers or those with English as an additional language aged 11+, at a manageable length (64 pages) and reading level (7+). This series can be read in any order. Produced in association with reading experts at CatchUp, a charity which aims to address underachievement caused by literacy and numeracy difficulties.Book band: Lime
The Marsh House
by Zoe SomervilleThe haunting second novel from the author of The Night of the Flood. Two women, separated by decades, are drawn together by one, mysterious house on the North Norfolk coast.'Part ghost story, part thriller, I loved it.' Louise Hare, author of This Lovely CityDECEMBER, 1962Desperate for a happy Christmas after a disastrous year, Malorie rents a remote house on the Norfolk coast for herself and her daughter Franny. Yet when a furious blizzard traps the pair indoors, the strained silence between them feels louder than ever.Escaping to the attic, Malorie finds the discarded diaries of Rosemary, who lived at the Marsh House through the Thirties. As she reads, she finds herself inexorably drawn into Rosemary's lonely existence – until past and present begin to blur entirely... Praise for The Marsh House:'Zoë Somerville is a born storyteller and this page-turner delivers plenty of creepy thrills.' The Times 'A satisfyingly dark, gothic tale where the past is never far behind you.' Rhiannon Ward, author of The Quickening 'Beautifully written, atmospheric as hell, and elegantly constructed, the story of The Marsh House will draw you into its grip and never let go till the final word.' Jane Johnson, author of The Sea Gate 'Deliciously eerie and unsettling, The Marsh House had me bewitched from page one. I loved its layers of history and secrets. A haunting gem of a book.' Susan Allott, author of The Silence 'A fabulous read, deft and precise, with a satisfying mystery at its centre, based upon a beautifully compassionate reading of the tradition of English folk magic.' Amanda Mason, author of The Hiding Place 'Immersed in the landscape of the North Norfolk coast, this is a clever, suspenseful novel that kept me intrigued. Part ghost story, part thriller, I loved it.' Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City
Mary George of Allnorthover
by Lavinia GreenlawLavinia Greenlaw’s mesmerising debut novel about growing up in the surreal banality of mid-’70s Essex.
The Mask: A powerful thriller of suspense and horror (Plaza Y Janes Exitos Ser.)
by Dean KoontzWhen the girl from nowhere appeared, things started to go wrong... The Mask is another spine-chilling tale from the bestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz. Perfect for fans of Stephen King and Richard Laymon. 'Koontz hones his fearful yarns to a gleaming edge' - People Who was the girl behind the mask...?She had appeared out of nowhere... in the middle of traffic, on a busy day, in front of Carol's car. A teenager with no past, no family - and no memories. Carol and Paul were instantly drawn to her, this girl they named Jane - she was the daughter they never had. It was almost too good to be true.Then the hauntings began - ghastly sounds in the dark of night; a bloody face in the mirror; a dim but persistent sense of fear... and the déjà vu. Where had Jane come from? Was she just an orphan in need of love? Or was she hiding a more sinister purpose? What readers are saying about The Mask: 'It's a spooky story, intriguing and unnerving, character-driven as always and unfurling a mystery that threatens to engulf every character''This book had me captured instantly from the beginning''Classic Koontz, a superb read'
A Mask of Shadows: Frey & McGray Book 3 (A Victorian Mystery #3)
by Oscar De Muriel'A hugely entertaining Victorian mystery' New York Times'I enjoyed this - properly creepy and Gothic' Ian Rankin1889. The Scottish Play is coming home.But before the darling couple of London theatre, Henry Irving & Ellen Terry, take their acclaimed Macbeth to the Edinburgh stage terror treads the boards. A grisly message found smeared across the cobbles in blood, foretelling someone's demise. As the bloody prophecies continue to appear Edinburgh's own beloved pair - Detective 'Nine-Nails' McGray & Inspector Ian Frey - enter the scene. Frey scoffs at this blatant publicity stunt, while McGray is convinced of supernatural affairs. As they scrutinise the key players, they discover that Terry, Irving, and his peculiar, preoccupied assistant (one Bram Stoker) all have reasons to kill, or be killed...But one thing is clear. By occult curse or human hand, death will take bow the night the curtain rises.Praise for the Frey & McGray series:'I enjoyed this - properly creepy and Gothic' Ian Rankin'A hugely entertaining Victorian mystery' New York Times'This is wonderful. A brilliant, moving, clever, lyrical book - I loved it. Oscar de Muriel is going to be a name to watch' Manda Scott'Fun to read and a fast page-turner. Love and murder - they go together like strawberries and cream' Independent'A brilliant mix of horror, history, and humour. Genuinely riveting with plenty of twists, this will keep you turning the pages. It's clever, occasionally frightening and superbly written ... Everything you need in a mystery thriller' Crime Review'Fast-paced, well-researched and thoroughly spellbinding. The mismatched pair is as entertaining as Holmes and Watson at their best' Historical Novel Society
The Masque of the Red Death
by Bethany GriffinA sexy, post-Apocalyptic reimagining of Poe's gothic horror story of the same name.It's 1870 and a deadly virus has decimated the population of North America. Masked corpse-collectors roam the streets, removing the bodies before the contagion can spread. Though Araby tries to escape it all with drugs and parties, even at her most intoxicated she can't forget her brother's death - or her guilt for causing it.But things begin to change when William, the fascinating proprietor of The Debauchery Club where she searches for oblivion, and Elliott, nephew of the insane dictator, enter her life. One wants her heart, and the other her name. Convinced that he has won over his uncle's army, Elliott believes that having Araby on his arm will charm the populace into supporting a new government. After all, her father is the inventor of the mask which prevents the spread of the plague and saved civilisation - for those who can afford it...But Araby's greatest interest is that his plans will make protective masks available to all citizens and, in particular, to Will's young siblings, whom she has come to love despite herself. But nothing is what it seems. A new contagion called the Red Death is sweeping the city and a shocking revelation about the origin of the new virus puts Araby's life in danger. The mob wants her. The rebels want her. And both boys want her. In this superb two-book series, what and whom Araby chooses may just decide the fate of humanity...
The Masque of the Red Death (Devil's Advocates)
by Steve HabermanThe Masque of the Red Death (1964), the seventh collaboration between producer-director Roger Corman and horror icon Vincent Price, became the crowning achievement for both men, their masterpiece. After the critical and commercial success of House of Usher in 1960, Corman fervently desired to adapt Edgar Allan Poe’s story, ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ as his next project, but the tale took three years to finally become, not Corman’s second Poe film, but his second to last. Its long development benefitted the end result, and the story of its making reveals the persistence and vision of Corman, the artist and entrepreneur of classic horror. In this Devil’s Advocate, Steve Haberman takes an auteurist approach to the film with Corman as the ultimate author of the work. He explores the emergence of Corman’s themes and techniques through directorial control and compares them with the intentions and concerns of the story’s original creator, Poe. In his research, Haberman secured both drafts of the script, the first by Charles Beaumont and the last by R. Wright Campbell, consulted published interviews and met with Corman. The result illuminates not only the film but the profound and profoundly dark world views of both Roger Corman and Edgar Allan Poe.
The Masque of the Red Death: And Other Stories
by Edgar Allan PoeHowever you try to escape it, horror is always there Outside the abbey’s armoured walls, the common poor are ravaged by a grisly pestilence known as the ‘Red Death’, while within, safe and untroubled, the happy Prince Prospero hosts lavish entertainments. But, in their immodest comfort, the Prince and his guests are not as safe as they hope from the horrors of the outside world … In ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ and other tales of gothic horror, Edgar Allan Poe writes as no one else ever has of creeping, mounting terrors – of torments of ingenious, malevolent tormentors and of a mind’s own sickening madness.