how far would you go to make sure that you and your daughter are fed? After her husband's death, Anne LaForet is alone... alone to raise her young daughter in an area of the swamp that is too foul to grow anything. Anne is no criminal, but circumstances force her to resort to theft. When an encounter threatens to put her away for her crimes, Anne accidentally discovers that she also has another skill, one that helps women who can’t conceive become pregnant. As word of her talent spreads beyond the confines of the swamp, she receives visitor after visitor, fulfilling their dreams while at the same time finally getting the food and money she needs to raise her own child. One visitor in particular promises not only the financial freedom that Anne so desperately seeks, but also a way out… the means to leave the swamp forever. But in her haste, Anne forgets about the three things that the people of the swamp hate most of all: single mothers, thieves, and witches. Anne already has two strikes against her, and it’s only a matter of time before she is accused of all three… And so begins the legend of Anne LaForet, of MOTHER, of mater est, matrem omnium, a tightly woven tale of horror and suspense that spans four centuries. WITCH is a 30,000 word prequel novella to the best-selling Family Values Trilogy that explores the depths of human suffering and how desperation shapes not only who we are, but what we do. And how, through it all, Family is the most important thing both on this Earth and beneath it.

    After an unspeakable tragedy, its doors close. Decades later, a tabloid TV host investigates the vacant lodge with his production crew in search of supernatural evidence. Their show ends in disaster. In the years that follow, family man Greg Barrett purchases the property with dreams of running his own business. But his presence awakens a dormant curse and unleashes a terror from beyond.The Haunting of the Silver Creek LodgeIn a small town rests an old lodge with a big secret.Maxine Finch and Simon York, a recently married couple with little money, use their limited honeymoon funds to buy a foreclosed inn in the tiny snowy town of Silver Ridge, Colorado. But when strange things start happening in the middle of the night, Maxine and Simon wonder if their investment is a dangerous mistake.The Haunting of the Briar RoseJules is recovering from a recent failure when her mysterious uncle makes her an offer she can’t refuse: restore his bed and breakfast the Briar Rose.When Jules inherits the Briar Rose bed and breakfast from her strange and mysterious uncle, she thinks it will be the opportunity of a lifetime for her and her husband, Paul. But Jules and Paul soon discover that the Briar Rose holds many secrets: one of them about the murders that took place a year prior, when two of the guests never checked out.

    Beasley, he discovers how sinister the world can be, what true friendship means, and that being a hero in 1959 may cost him his life. Grieving from his father's disappearance and his grandfather's death, Andy is nearly hopeless. The intrigue of the secret, and his friendship with Mr. Beasley, give him a renewed sense of purpose. But when the men who used to run with the local mob discover that Andy knows about the "secret", they come out of the shadows and a hunt for the evil truth begins.Andy finds himself fighting for his life, committed to his promise, and searching for answers in a house haunted by a one-handed witch.

    

    This new series aims to reprint the best short stories published in the previous calendar year by British writers, whether based in the UK or elsewhere. The editor’s brief is wide ranging, covering anthologies, collections, magazines, newspapers and web sites, looking for the best of the bunch to reprint all in one volume. Neither genre nor Granta shall be overlooked in the search for the very best new short fiction.The first book of the series includes stories published in 2010 by the following authors: David Rose, Hilary Mantel, Lee Rourke, Leone Ross, Claire Massey, Christopher Burns, Adam Marek, SJ Butler, Heather Leach, Alan Beard, Kirsty Logan, Philip Langeskov, Bernie McGill, John Burnside, Robert Edric, Michèle Roberts, Dai Vaughan, Alison Moore and Salley Vickers.Table of Contents:Flora – David RoseWinter Break – Hilary MantelEmergency Exit – Lee RourkeLove Silk Food – Leone RossFeather Girls – Claire MasseyForeigner – Christopher BurnsDinner of the Dead Alumni – Adam MarekThe Swimmer – SJ ButlerSo Much Time in a Life – Heather LeachStaff Development – Alan BeardThe Rental Heart – Kirsty LoganNotes on a Love Story – Philip LangeskovNo Angel – Bernie McGillSlut’s Hair – John BurnsideComma – Hilary MantelMoving Day – Robert EdricTristram and Isolde – Michèle RobertsLooted – Dai VaughanWhen the Door Closed, It Was Dark – Alison MooreEpiphany – Salley Vickers

    Real true crime is not for everyone. The stories in this book represent humanity at its absolute worst. Pure evil. Television crime shows and news articles often skip the gruesome parts of true crime stories. The real details are just too grisly for the average viewer or reader.In my books, however, I do my best to include the details, regardless of how unsettling they may be. Each story requires hours of research. I search through old newspaper articles, court documents, police reports, autopsy results, and first-hand descriptions. Some of the specifics can be disconcerting. I choose to include the details not to shock, but to give the reader a deeper view into the mind of the killer. Although it’s unlikely any of us will understand the motives of a diabolical monster, the level of depravity will keep you turning pages.That being said, if you are overly squeamish about the details of true crime, this book may not be for you. If you’re okay with it… then let’s begin.Volume 7 features: Longer stories, more photos, a bonus chapter, and an online appendix with additional photos, videos, and documents. Volume 7 of True Crime Case Histories features twelve new stories from the past fifty years.A sampling of the stories include:You’ll read about a law enforcement officer that took advantage of the trust associated with his uniform. His brutal reign of terror lasted eight years. It took the bravery of two young women that escaped his grasp to bring him down.There’s the story of the recent law school graduate with a crush on his neighbor. Rather than asking her out on a date, he stalked and spied on his classmate, eventually taking her life. There’s also the heartbreaking story of a single mom, drowning in debt, that did the unthinkable for insurance money.Seven of the stories in this book feature women killers, two of which took the time to meticulously dismember their victims—a task that can take great strength. Another woman manipulated her two teenage boys into killing for her. Yet another woman staged an elaborate hoax to get rid of her loving husband rather than go through the agony of a messy divorce.You’ll also read of a sadistic group of up to twelve killers that took joy in abducting and torturing young men in Australia. Sadly, only one of the mysterious group has been brought to justice.Plus many more disturbing stories.The twelve stories in this volume are shocking and disturbing, but they’re true. These things really happen in the world. We may never understand why killers do what they do, but at least we can be better informed. You may have heard of a few of the stories in this volume, but there are several I’m almost certain you haven’t.

    When she meets Adam, a fellow sleuth and collector, they embark on their biggest adventure yet: the Whitson house. The house is a marvel, and its secrets are even stranger than Kendra imagined.Kendra stumbles upon the find of a lifetime. But she may have signed on for more than she bargained. There’s a darkness in the house that wasn’t there before, a pair of eyes in every corner, watching, waiting. And Adam isn’t at all who he claimed to be.