Book picks similar to
The Trinket Box by John Kaden
shorts
bump-in-the-night
horror
psychological
Dangerous Appointment
Dennis Kenyon - 2005
'What have I done?... What have I bloody well done?' Alistair Craig asks himself, as his dream of a million dollars and a new life is shattered upon the shocking discovery of the identity of his passenger. Thrust at the heart of a terrorist kidnap plot, Craig will need to expertly navigate a heart stopping 1,000-mile flight to the Champagne Princess, a luxury yacht anchored in the Atlantic, as he battles to thwart ISIS & the IRA s plans. Political intrigue, violent action, torture and a fraught romance are masterfully woven together in Dennis Kenyon's first, breath-taking thriller, 'Dangerous Appointment'.
A Valley Dream
Anna Jacobs - 2021
At thirty-six, Bella Porter is dependent on her abusive cousin, acting as an unpaid servant. When a kind relative leaves her a house in the village of Backshaw Moss, Thomas tries to take it from her, but she defies him and grasps this chance of a new start in Lancashire. It is not going to be easy, though. The house is on the edge of a slum and in a state of disrepair, let out to various people, some good, some bad. But if she succeeds in keeping her house, she might also gain other benefits.
The Traveling Vampire Show
Richard Laymon - 2000
All over the rural town of Grandville, tacked to power poles and trees, taped to store windows, blowing along the sidewalks, fliers have appeared announcing the mysterious one-night-only performance of The Traveling Vampire Show.The show will feature Valeria, the only known vampire in captivity. According to the fliers, she is a gorgeous, stunning beauty. In the course of the performance, she will stalk volunteers from the audience, sink her teeth into their necks and drink their blood!For three local teenagers who see the fliers, this is a show they don't want to miss. But they may have to.Though they can probably scrape up the price of admission, other obstacles stand in the way. One problem, nobody under 18 years of age is allowed into the show. Dwight, Rusty, and Slim are only 16. Another problem, the show begins at midnight and the three teens always have to be home by then. If that weren't bad enough, the show is to take place at Janks Field -- a desolate patch of ground with a nasty history -- that has been declared off limits by their parentsThe situation appears hopeless.Though Dwight and his friends fear they won't be able to attend the actual performance of the Traveling Vampire Show, they do have the entire day to themselves. Why not hike out to Janks Field and take a look around? With any luck, they might be able to watch the crew make preparations for tonight's performance. If they're really lucky, maybe they'll get a peek at Valeria, the gorgeous vampire.And so the three friends set off on foot for Janks Field...Dwight is a solid, honest kid, long on common sense and loyalty to his friends. He always tries to do what's right.Rusty is a husky guy who relishes trouble.Slim, their long-time pal, is the brains of the outfit, a voracious reader of novels, an aspiring writer, and a girl. Also, she is sometimes too brave for her own good.The Traveling Vampire Show is the tale, told in Dwight's own words, of what happened to him, Rusty and Slim on that hot summer day they hiked to Janks Field. It's the story of their friendship and love, their temptations, their betrayals, and their courage as they went where they shouldn't go, did what they shouldn't do...and ran into big trouble.
Escape!
Iain Rob Wright - 2019
Can you figure out the secrets of "the room" and escape before it's too late? Cheryl is about to learn that the people she works with are keeping a secret. One they are willing to kill for. Cheryl is the new girl at work, which is why she feels like she doesn't have a choice when she's asked to go on a "company outing." She and six of her colleagues are to be locked inside a room with only their wits to aid them. If they escape in time, there'll be prize money. Fail, and the repercussions could be deadly. Brand new chiller novel from Iain Rob Wright. Grab your copy of Escape! today, because everyone loves trying to figure out a mystery before the time runs out. WHAT READERS ARE SAYING An absolute wonderful read. Had me guessing from the beginning. Excellent fast paced story with an unseen twist at the end. WOW!!!... what another brilliant book which is truly horrifying and twisted, this put's another twist to the meaning of "TEAM BUILDING" at work. Makes you wonder about the people you work with. Escape! is one of the most unique, gruesome, and horrifying books I’ve ever read, and I loved every minute of it! Great thriller with a lot of twists and turns. Kept me on the edge of my seat. So intense I couldn't stop until I reached the end. If you enjoy Stephen King or James Herbert, then you'll enjoy this book too. Escape! Is scary because something like this could really happen and people are really that sick! Escape! is so thrilling that I stayed up late and just kept on reading until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. You just can't put this book down, a real page turner. Iain takes the latest popular entertainment experience "the escape room" and twists it turning it into another page turner, keeping you trapped in the pages until you escape at the end. An intense joyride filled with a solid shock and awe factor that will keep you turning pages. Spine tingling from the first line to the mind-blowing conclusion! A must read for thrill seekers. Will never, ever, do an escape room after this! A great read - excellent plot and another one to keep me up well past my bedtime!
Killchain
Adam Baker - 2015
She has tactical command of a US kill-team, CIA operatives, rookies and veterans of a dozen war zones. It should be a straightforward hit but her luck is about to run out. She will soon find herself trapped in a city gone to hell, struggling to complete her mission in the face of betrayal, a spreading pandemic and a population hungry for flesh…
The One: A Short Story
K.C. Luck - 2018
Someone with the same habits, the same hobbies, the same interests. She wants The One. And she will do anything to find her. If you like a quick, little read with a touch of romance, a touch of spooky, then you will love KC Luck’s page-turning short story. Note: This is a short story and includes strong female characters in a lesbian relationship.
Gone
Stacy Claflin - 2014
Eager to prove herself grown up, she goes to a dark, secluded park. She’s supposed to meet the boy of her dreams who she met online. But the cute fifteen year old was a fantasy, his pictures fake. She finds herself face to face with Chester Woodran, a man capable of murder.Distraught over his own missing daughter, Chester insists that Macy replace his lost girl. He withholds food, locks Macy up, and roughs her up, demanding that she call him dad. Under duress from his constant threats and mind games, her hold on reality starts to slip. Clinging to her memories is the only way of holding onto her true identity, not believing that she is Chester’s daughter. Otherwise she may never see her family again.
The Haunting of The Lost Traveller Tavern
Cat Knight - 2019
It was the perfect opportunity for a sea-change. True, it needed a bit of renovation but that was only expected.
If only she had not stayed at that dirty B&B, because someone must have slipped acid into her sugar cube. Everything would be back normal once the effects subsided, wouldn’t it?
The Lost Travellers Tavern had been vacant for a decade when Lauren bought it. It needed a lot of work, but she could cope with that. She could deal with odd noises, strange events, entirely black spots and even the deepest cold she had ever encountered. But then there was Loomis, the groundskeeper, who refused to enter the house on account of the ‘thems.’ In exasperation Lauren attempts to shake off the worst of it and wait for things to get better…until she sees the floating head. Will Lauren survive the perils of the tavern, or will she too, like those before her, succumb and fade into history.
List of Books
The Ghosts and Haunting Collection - 16 Book Boxed SetThe Haunting of Elleric LodgeThe Haunting of Grayson HouseThe Haunting of Weaver HouseThe Haunting of Fairview HouseThe Haunting of Keira O’ConnellThe Haunting of Ferncoombe HouseThe Haunting of Highcliff HallThe Haunting of Stone Street CemeteryThe Haunting of Knoll HouseThe Haunting of Harrow HouseThe Haunting of Rochford HouseThe Haunting of the Grey LadyThe Haunting of Blakely ManorThe Haunting on the Ridgeway (Ghost Sight Chronicles)Cursed to Haunt (Ghost Sight Chronicles)The Revenge Haunting (Ghost Sight Chronicles)The Haunting of Fort RecluseThe Haunting TrapThe Haunting of Montgomery HouseThe Haunting of Mackenzie HouseThe Haunting of Gatesworld ManorIf you read stories in the occult, occultism, horror, supernatural and paranormal genres then add these to your reading list.
Call of the Cherokee
F. Gardner - 2020
After receiving an invitation, three friends decide to check out the theater, curious as to what all the hype's been about.Part of a series of interconnected horror novels that can be read in any order. Each book serves as a stand alone story, yet builds a greater picture behind a sinister mystery in Chicago.
Voyage to Hell
Matt Shaw - 2017
There's something happening on the posh liner... The people - staff and passengers alike... They're changing...From Matt Shaw comes a claustrophobic new horror.
Brother's Keeper
Glen R. Krisch - 2012
As they reached adolescence, they started to drift apart, taking opposite paths into adulthood. Jason went to college before getting a job at for the local newspaper. Marcus chose a path littered wi...th drugs, violence, and self-destruction.Now adults, Jason has cut Marcus from his life and considers himself an only child.Clean and sober, Marcus finds his true calling when he joins the Arkadium, a secret society dating back millennia. They plan on setting history back ten thousand years by unleashing a world-wide calamity that will destroy modern man's domination of the planet. As the Arkadium set their plan in motion, Marcus reaches out to his brother, wanting him by his side to record the new prehistoric era. Jason is forced to make a choice, join his brother in the time of humanity's descent, or die like so many others.A 16k word novella that introduces the forthcoming Brother's Keeper trilogy of novels. Book 1 is due Winter 2012.
Listen to Me Now
A.I. Nasser - 2018
On a spur of the moment decision, John leaves his suburban married life to spend six months in an abandoned house in the quiet eerie town of Cafeville, where secrets lurk in every corner. The town's biggest source of gossip is the Greens who live right next door. As John attempts to put his finger on what it is about the house that has everyone steering clear, he finds himself captivated by the seductively charming Eva Green who is as dangerous as she is irresistible. A gruesome story begins to take form in his mind. As the lines between fiction and reality become blurred, something sinister emerges from the shadows and demands to be heard...
Mirror Mirror (Jack Dillon Dublin Tale Book 3)
Patrick Emmett - 2017
Enter Jack – because the job looks exactly like the work of an American criminal he escorted to jail a couple of years back. But the surviving eyewitness says the shooter was an old lady. Things just don’t add up. Jack had better put the pieces together quickly because it turns out the dead thug was the brother of local crime boss Eamon Dunne, and Dunne looks ready to tear Dublin apart to get vengeance. Jack’s friend with benefits, Abbey, is not the girl you’d take home to mama, but she has very useful connections who could help Jack out – if only he would connect. When he finally does, will it be too late? Jack, pick up the phone! WHO WILL LIKE IT: Fans of Dev Haskell and rascals like him. Also for fans of Robert B. Parker, Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiaasen, Lee Child, strong Minnesota men – especially when transplanted to Ireland, and drinkers of Guinness everywhere. The Dirty Lowdown - Faricy is the next Carl Hiaasen. Crime Scene - Mike Faricy is the author of the bestselling Dev Haskell series as well as the bestselling Corridor Man series which is written under the pseudonym Nick James. He is the winner of the 2016 International Crime Masters Silver Award.
Thirteen for Dinner
Denise Daisy - 2013
But it’s Averie who needs rescuing when all hell begins to break loose. Averie Cooke has never set foot on the old Faulkner plantation. The macabre history surrounding it is what keeps her away; not to mention everyone says the place is haunted. A hundred and fifty years ago Lunar Wilson was hung there. His lifeless body dangled in the breeze along with the gray Spanish moss. Later that same night, the petite southern belle, Emily Faulkner wrapped a thick rope around her delicate neck and joined her lover in the afterlife. Legend says all hell broke loose after that. Unaware that their only daughter was hanging dead up in the cupola, Emily’s parents continued on with their festivities, gorging themselves on prime rib, and guzzling expensive wine. They were pretty drunk by the time the Wilson boys burst inside the house slinging their hatchets, vindicating their brother’s murder. They decapitated James Faulkner, his socialite wife, Elizabeth and dismembered all eleven dinner guest. The massacre was the bloodiest ever recorded. So why does Averie agree to attend a dinner party in the same mansion where the massacre took place? She needs the money that’s why. But, she gets much more than a paycheck when she and another mysterious guest transports back to the year 1859, exactly one month before the gruesome event. Things go from bad to worse when she discovers the only way back home is to stop the murders. But can she put her fears aside long enough to change the past and find life in the place she fears the most?Thirteen for Dinner is a page turning thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat one minute, laughing out loud the next, and crying while you contemplate the meaning of life. Dealing with issues such as racism, slavery, hatred, and fear you’ll discover the only weapon that has the power to damage them all is love.
The Key
Kathryn Hughes - 2018
'Riveting' Lesley Pearse on The Letter. 'Gripping' Good Housekeeping on The Secret.
1956 It's Ellen Crosby's first day at work as a student nurse at Ambergate County Lunatic Asylum. When she meets a young girl committed by her father, and a pioneering physician keen to try out the various 'cures' available for mental illness, little does Ellen know that a choice she will make is to change all their lives for ever...2006Sarah is drawn to the abandoned Ambergate Asylum and whilst exploring the old corridors she discovers a suitcase in an attic belonging to a female patient who was admitted to the asylum fifty years earlier. The shocking contents of the suitcase lead Sarah to unravel a forgotten story of tragedy, lost love and an old wrong that only Sarah may have the power to put right.
Join the hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide who have lost their hearts to Kathryn Hughes' novels:
'I cried buckets of tears reading it'
'You cannot fail to fall for this story'
'I went through every emotion under the sun'
'One of the finest stories I have ever read'
'I have finished this book with tears in my eyes but a smile on my face'
'I feel like I'm a better person for reading it'