Book picks similar to
The Mammoth Book of Thrillers, Ghosts and Mysteries by John R. Crossland
classics
future-bookshelf
ghosties-and-ghoulies
mystery
Manifest Recall
Alan Baxter - 2018
As layers of ugly truth are peeled back and dark secrets are revealed, the duo find themselves in a struggle for survival when they unravel a mystery that pits them against the most dangerous forces in their lives. A contemporary southern gothic thriller with frightening supernatural overtones, Alan Baxter’s Manifest Recall explores the tragic life of a hitman who finds himself on the wrong side of his criminal syndicate. Baxter’s adrenaline-fueled approach to storytelling draws readers into Eli Carver’s downward spiral of psychosis and through the darkest realms of lost memories, human guilt and the insurmountable quest for personal redemption.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories
Robert Louis Stevenson - 1995
His wife found it too gruesome, so he promptly burned the manuscript. In another three days, he wrote it again. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was published as a "shilling shocker" in 1886, and became an instant classic. In the first six months, 40,000 copies were sold. Queen Victoria read it. Sermons and editorials were written about it. When Stevenson and his family visited America a year later, they were mobbed by reporters at the dock in New York City. Compulsively readable from its opening pages, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is still one of the best tales ever written about the divided self.
Heartman
M.P. Wright - 2014
Joseph Tremaine “JT” Ellington, an ex-cop with a tragic past and a broken heart, has left his native Barbados in search of a better life in the Mother Country. But Bristol in the Sixties is far from the Promised Land and JT faces hostility from both the weather and the people.Then local mogul Earl Linney approaches him. He needs JT’s help finding Stella Hopkins, a young deaf and mute West Indian woman who has gone missing, and who the police aren’t interested in searching for. With rent due, and no job, JT has little option than to accept.Calling on his wits and not-so-honest cousin Vic for help, JT soon finds himself adrift in a murky world of prostitution and kidnapping where every lead reveals more mystery and nobody can be trusted. What is Linney’s connection to the girl? Have more women gone missing? And what exactly is the Erotica Negro Club? Facing hostility and prejudice as well as the demons from home he thought he’d escaped, JT must unravel a deadly conspiracy in a dangerous and unfamiliar world.
The Mayhem Children (A Project Specter Mystery Book 1)
Paul Seiple - 2018
Psychopath, Elvin Hayes was convicted and executed for the presumed murders. He went to his grave with the secrets of what happened to the children dubbed The Silent Six. Thirty years later, the six are no longer silent. A curse has been summoned. The children have come home to play a demonic game called The Mayhem. Detective Kim Strode must find out who conjured The Mayhem before it destroys everyone connected to the case. There’s one major problem. Kim is connected. Her father sent Elvin Hayes to the electric chair. THE MAYHEM CHILDREN, a terrifying tale of witchcraft, demons, and revenge, is an ode to classic eighties horror.
The House on Poultney Road : based on a true ghost story
Stephanie Boddy - 2014
How do you put such terror into words when the words I choose need to be real, not just a fabrication of a well educated imagination. I know that you may have your doubts and conclude with your own presumptions; and with no hard-evidence to offer, I am asking for you to explore and consider your deepest beliefs. I am unable to refer to this as a story, it goes much deeper than that of a progressive tale with happy ever afters. What you are about to read is real; the feelings and emotions described have actually been lived. The fear felt. This is a narrative of the events which took place across almost a century, 1903 to 1983, in a house which stood closely among others and for many years shared the usual comforts of home. This house was once safe, it was a comfortable place to spend time but over time, it evolved into a dark emptiness which the house of Poultney Roads’ residents would never forget. It was hidden away from what it once was and over time had emerged as a building of strong, solid bricks which concealed more secrets than some members of my family wish to remember. I am not writing this in an attempt to scare you but yet to inform you of what exists, whether you choose to believe it or not. This is not a fictional novel, created to shock and leave you in suspense but is instead a retelling of what happened to several generations of a family who had lived their lives as any other but who were, quite literally, introduced to another world. I guess you could consider this a warning, that perhaps you should believe your instincts instead of living your life creating explanations and judgements. Seeing is believing some might say but learning about the house on Poultney Road could prepare you for something you may one day come face to face with and perhaps prevent you from the pain that that this house bought to so many. Safe in your own home; sit back in a comfortable chair and turn on the side light. The beam will comfort you through this roller-coaster of memories which have left their mark on everyone who entered The House on Poultney Road. 'This book awakens those lost or hidden fears that its predecessors seemed to smother.' Horror Honey (http://www.horrorhoney.net) 'I felt a fear I've never felt before from a book, I had shivers and my hairs standing up on my arms.' Amazon review. 'What a Fantastic novel, Stephanie Boddy pulled me in by the end of the first chapter, I had read it by the end of the day.' Beverley Aspinall, Horror Inside the Box Amazon no.1 Bestseller : Ghosts / Unexplained Mysteries / Supernatural
Twilight Eyes / Midnight / House of Thunder
Dean Koontz - 1992
Hold That Breath
Abhirup Dhar - 2019
Bored homemaker, Saachi curious about the supernatural plays the elevator game to reach the other world. Wandering photographer, Barry Bandeira puts up at a fort hotel one night and unearths an ancient curse. Abhay Kumar, a horror fiction writer, looking forward to a wedding anniversary celebration with his lovely wife, confronts his nemesis. Jeevika tells a true ghost story while on a road trip in Delhi-Jaipur expressway with her rich spoilt boyfriend, Ojas. Raman Chabra, a film producer meets a talented struggler, Dhruv in a dilapidated cinema hall to hear his horror script. One of these stories connects the others. Fear will be unleashed from the master storyteller of 'Stories Are Magical' and 'Once Again… With Love!' Have a fun, simple, relaxing and a little spooky read! Enjoy.
Queen Joanna
Kate Danley - 2014
And when a face in the mirror confronts her with a dire warning, she realizes her life is at risk. Has she awakened a curse—or been struck by madness? “Queen Joanna” presents a haunting twist on the legend of Bloody Mary. This short story originally appeared in the From the Indie Side anthology.
Sunset in the Mists - The Dark Draws the Curtain (The Evynsford Chronicles #1)
Julianne T. Grey - 2018
First the dead ship rolled into the dock, then fog swallowed the community and then the disappearances occurred. One child vanished from her bed before sunrise. Then twin brothers did not return from their chores. As the cries for the local watchmen to do something – anything – grew, so did the number of abducted children. By the time the local watchmen called to Preston for professional constables, there were more children missing than accounted for in the panicked township. When Inspector Arthur Eldermann arrives in the mist-choked community, not a single child under the age of thirteen but older than three remains, and there are no witnesses, no bodies and no clues as to why. The Inspector, a lapsed clergyman of cold demeanor and sneering wit, has his work cut out for him among the surly and insular townsfolk. His one ray of hope lies in Miss Regina Hollferd, governess of the rural schoolhouse, whose dedication and knowledge may hold the key to the disappearance of so many of her students. Her zeal and diligence begin to touch something in Inspector Eldermann long left to the dark, and he finds himself enthralled and repelled in equal measure by the soft-spoken yet potent woman. He will need all the help he can get, as things are moving in the mists around Evynsford, and the great wheels of a dark, terrible engine have already been set in motion. Can daring, wit and rekindled faith find the stolen children and perhaps even forestall the shadow looming ever closer?
The Lake House/ផ្ទះកណ្ដាលបឹង
Manith J. - 2017
She has a 12 years old sister who lives with her aunt. To be able to live together, Soda promised her sister to have a stable job. She was hired to be a housemaid in a mansion which was built in the middle of a lake and located 80 km from the city. The first day of her staying, she realized that the owner of this house doesn't need a housemaid but they need a virgin girl to marry to a mysterious ancient sword.There is one way in but there is no way out...
Til Death Do Us Part
Leo Petracci - 2016
For Frederick and the inhabitants of his world, reincarnation is real, but people are always reborn in the country in which they died. Now Frederick seeks to pull off his greatest heist yet—enter a maximum security prison, where souls are trapped through reincarnation, and assemble the greatest criminal team that has ever lived. But for Frederick, the heist is just the beginning of a plan centuries in the making: a plan of revenge for unforgivable crimes committed a millennium before. And in this world, even death cannot keep Frederick from success.
When The Tik-Tik Sings
Doug Lamoreux - 2015
More victims follow, each killed under the oddest circumstances, each bearing an identical but unidentified wound, each attack accompanied by the most eerie, musical ticking. When the lead homicide investigator goes missing, Police Sergeant Erin Vanderjagt is forced into the fray and into a personal hell she never imagined.Who or what could be behind the bizarre deaths, and why is Erin's boyfriend suddenly acting crazy? Why has her idyllic world suddenly fallen apart? And – as the murders continue – what can Erin do, where can she go, how can she fight the horror... When the Tik-Tik Sings?
True Crime Case Histories - Volume 7: 12 Disturbing True Crime Stories (True Crime Collection)
Jason Neal - 2021
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.
A Portrait of Dorian Grey
Dru Simon - 2012
Birds are beautiful and fascinating but living with them is nothing like living with dogs or cats.Enter the laughter- and amazement-filled world of an African Grey Parrot named Dorian and discover the trials and delights of what life is really like for those who live with these wonderful creatures. A Portrait of Dorian Grey is not only a history of the authors' life with Dorian and his “flock mates” but a treasure trove of priceless information about the reality of what it takes and what can be expected when you live with these astonishingly intelligent and highly demanding animals. Many colorful photographs illustrate the rewarding behaviors and requirements along with some of the more disturbing and trying aspects of life as part of a flock. Why do so many people spend more time making breakfast for their birds than they do for themselves and spend more money on bird toys and treats than they do on their own wardrobes? Come discover the thrill of having a cogent conversation with an evolved dinosaur, the delight of an animal that makes intelligent jokes, the challenge of how to keep a winged Houdini in his cage, and the pure delight of having your pet look up at your and actually say aloud, “I love you!”
Falling Suns
J.A. Corrigan - 2016
Then his body is discovered. Her cousin Michael is found guilty of his murder and incarcerated in a secure psychiatric unit.Four years later, now divorced and back in the police force, Rachel discovers that Michael is being released to a less secure step-down unit, with his freedom a likely eventuality. Unable to cope with this, she decides upon revenge, assuming a new identity to hunt him down and kill him. However, as she closes in on her target, her friend Jonathan, a journalist, uncovers some unnerving information about her mother and others in her family and begins to suspect that Rachel’s perception of the truth might not be as accurate as she thinks – that she might be about to murder the wrong man…