In the Garden of Spite


Camilla Bruce - 2021
    . .Early in life Belle Sorensen discovers the world is made only for men. They own everything: jobs, property, wives. But Belle understands what few others do: where women are concerned, men are weak.A woman unhampered by scruples can take from them what she wants. And so Belle sets out to prove to the world that a woman can be just as ruthless, black-hearted and single-minded as any man.Starting with her long suffering husband Mads, Belle embarks on a killing spree the like of which has never been seen before nor since.And through it all her kind, older sister Nellie can only watch in horror as Belle's schemes to enrich herself and cut down the male population come to a glorious, dreadful fruition . . .Based on the true story of Belle Sorensen whose murderous rampage began in Chicago in 1900, Triflers Need Not Apply is a novelistic tour de force exploring one woman's determination to pay men back for all they have taken.

The Secrets of Ashmore Castle


Cynthia Harrod-Eagles - 2021
    . .1901. When The Earl of Stainton dies in a tragic hunting accident, Giles, the eldest son of the noble Tallant family must step forward to replace him as the head of the family. But Giles has avoided the Castle and his stifling relatives for years, deciding instead to forge his own path away from the spotlight. Now, he must put aside his ambitions and honour his duty to the family.With their world upended, the Tallants and their servants struggle to find their place in the house - and society - once again. And Giles realises that, along with the title and the castle, he's also inherited his father's significant financial troubles that threaten the security of his entire family.In Kensington, Kitty Bayfield, the painfully shy but moneyed daughter of a Baronet, has just left school with her penniless companion Nina. Nina captures the new Earl's heart, but only Kitty can save his family from their debts, and soon Giles must choose between his duty and his heart . . .The Secrets of Ashmore Castle is the first in a brand new historical family drama series, filled with heartbreak, romance and intriguing secrets waiting to be uncovered. The perfect read for fans of Downton Abbey, Bridgerton and rich period dramas

Deadly Justice


Chet Cunningham - 2014
    Justice. Only three or four people know who Mr. Justice really is. He hears about some injustice in the West and goes to that area to battle the bad guys to bring justice to the common man who can't fight for it himself. This book finds Mr. Justice defending a north county sheriff who is falsely accused of back shooting and killing a man. Lance goes to the town, finds an eye witness to the actual killing, gets the sheriff released, then goes on a three man hunting trip to bring the real killers to justice. It's a long and dangerous trip and his life and that of the accused killers hang in the balance when he blunders into a war between two feuding families. We don't know if he will survive, let alone get back to the county jail with his prisoner

The Temptation of Eileen Hughes


Brian Moore - 1981
    This book portrays the relationship between a quiet young shop assistant from Ulster and her wealthy employers.

The Haunting of Gatesworld Manor


Cat Knight - 2019
    All she had to do was stay at the manor and research the history of the house.  She didn’t know she couldn’t leave….. Novelist and freelancer Zandra Turner is finding it tough to get work when a mysterious envelope brings a job offer to research the history of Gatesworld Manor. The estate manager seems evasive, the housekeeper borders on rude, but that is not all that’s wrong with Gatesworld manor. How is it possible that the layout of the manor changes with rooms and hallways that come and go? And who is the woman that Zandra hears crying in the night? But more than anything how can it be day and night at the same time? As Zandra enters into a battle for her soul the world she finds herself in closes in around her, and Zandra’s existence hangs in the balance. Will she manage to find her way out of the manor and back to her life, or will the manor claim her life forever? 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 HouseGhosts and Haunted Houses Vol OneThe 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 HouseIf you read stories in the occult, occultism, horror, supernatural and paranormal genres then add these to your reading list.

Starving Men


Siobhan Finkielman - 2020
    He also spends part of his professional life secretly counseling former members of the disbanded IRA. Michael always thought this would be enough to satisfy his heritage, but when the highly skilled yet deeply disturbed Turlough O’Sullivan enters his office, he sees an opportunity that the demons of his past won't let him overlook.Haunted by childhood tales of the gruesome history of the Irish people under British rule, Michael enlists his new patient's help in tracking down the living descendants of the long-dead villains of Irish history, as payback for his country and his lineage.But Michael's plan for a bloody revenge doesn't run smoothly: not only must he learn the truth about the role models who formed him as a child, but on his trail is a young detective at Scotland Yard, an officer obsessed with stopping the unknown serial killer who is out for an historical revenge that she can't understand.

The Long Trail


Brad Dennison - 2013
    The story of a family building a ranch in the rugged wilderness of post Civil War Montana, and of a young man seeking his family and his destiny. If you liked the movie OPEN RANGE or the TV shows BIG VALLEY and LANCER, or the novels of Louis L'Amour and Ralph Compton, then this might be for you.

Opium and Absinthe


Lydia Kang - 2020
    Tillie Pembroke’s sister lies dead, her body drained of blood and with two puncture wounds on her neck. Bram Stoker’s new novel, Dracula, has just been published, and Tillie’s imagination leaps to the impossible: the murderer is a vampire. But it can’t be—can it?A ravenous reader and researcher, Tillie has something of an addiction to truth, and she won’t rest until she unravels the mystery of her sister’s death. Unfortunately, Tillie’s addicted to more than just truth; to ease the pain from a recent injury, she’s taking more and more laudanum…and some in her immediate circle are happy to keep her well supplied.Tillie can’t bring herself to believe vampires exist. But with the hysteria surrounding her sister’s death, the continued vampiric slayings, and the opium swirling through her body, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for a girl who relies on facts and figures to know what’s real—or whether she can trust those closest to her.

The Familiars


Stacey Halls - 2019
    None of her previous pregnancies have borne fruit, and her husband, Richard, is anxious for an heir. Then Fleetwood discovers a hidden doctor’s letter that carries a dire prediction: she will not survive another birth. By chance she meets a midwife named Alice Grey, who promises to help her deliver a healthy baby. But Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft.Is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Fleetwood must risk everything to prove her innocence. As the two women’s lives become intertwined, the Witch Trials of 1612 loom. Time is running out; both their lives are at stake. Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.Rich and compelling, set against the frenzy of the real Pendle Hill Witch Trials, this novel explores the rights of 17th-century women and raises the question: Was witch-hunting really women-hunting? Fleetwood Shuttleworth, Alice Grey and the other characters are actual historical figures. King James I was obsessed with asserting power over the lawless countryside (even woodland creatures, or “familiars,” were suspected of dark magic) by capturing “witches”—in reality mostly poor and illiterate women.

The Asylum


John Harwood - 2013
    She has no memory of the past few weeks. The doctor, Maynard Straker, tells her that she admitted herself under the name Lucy Ashton the day before, then suffered a seizure. When she insists he has mistaken her for someone else, Dr. Straker sends a telegram to her uncle, who replies that Georgina Ferrars is at home with him in London: “Your patient must be an imposter.” Suddenly her voluntary confinement becomes involuntary. Who is the woman in her uncle’s house? And what has become of her two most precious possessions, a dragonfly pin left to her by her mother and a writing case containing her journal, the only record of those missing weeks? Georgina’s perilous quest to free herself takes us from a cliffside cottage on the Isle of Wight to the secret passages of Tregannon House and into a web of hidden family ties on which her survival depends. Another delicious read from the author praised by Ruth Rendell as having “a gift for creating suspense, apparently effortlessly, as if it belongs in the nature of fiction.”

The Last Pope


David Osborn - 2004
    The passing of humble and beloved Pope Gregory XVIII brings the Lords of the Church to the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome to meet in its secret recesses and elect a new pope. They find they must choose between a caring, but guilt-ridden, American cardinal (the very same young priest who made a heart-rending confession so many years ago) who would bring reforms to the Church, or a cardinal whose soul belongs to the Inquisition. At stake-the future of the Church itself.

Verona: A Ghost Story (Kindle Single)


Benedict Ashforth - 2015
    Finally, a ghost story that reminds you why the basement is so terrifying!’ Brett McNeill of Rue Morgue Magazine ‘Ashforth does Edgar Allen Poe and Bram Stoker proud delivering a solid contribution to the literary movement. It is time that the ghost story made a comeback. With writers like Benedict Ashforth writing Abbot’s Keep, a revival just might be at hand.’ Matthew J. Barbour of Horror Novel Reviews ‘A really entertaining read with a delightful frisson of fear.’ Simon Ball of Horror Hothouse ‘Ashforth builds on the tension and the feeling of unease with each page to revel in a wonderfully tense and unnerving finale.’ Jim Mcleod of Ginger Nuts of Horror ‘Reminiscent of Poe, Abbot's Keep by Benedict Ashforth is a haunting novella with unique form and beautiful prose.’ Michael Bailey (HWA Bram Stoker Award Nominee) ‘. . . an eerie, atmospheric ghost story . . . has a gentle eeriness that keeps the reader wanting to find out more.' Julie K Top 50 Reviewer ‘Perfect ghost story.’ Christine Waddington 'Ashforth successfully builds a dark and relentless dread that steadily creeps through the text. Extremely accomplished.’ L Sharif ‘A gripping read right from the beginning. Couldn't put it down.’ D Boydell ‘I just could not put this story down. I wanted to know what happened as soon as I picked up my kindle. Strongly recommend.’ Mr Tony Cordon ‘The actual writing is wonderful, beautifully descriptive.’ Fiona White ‘I could not stop reading! it was as though I was in a trance, the story is captivating and very original.’ Safa R ‘A fantastic read, lots of twists and turns. Would recommend this to all Mystery readers. A book that is hard to put down.' Ms P Frain ‘. . . great plot and a well developed storyline. It is elegantly told with well built atmosphere and tension . . . a well conceived idea and would make excellent viewing were it ever to be dramatized.’ Cate Hamilton Read over 190 more reviews on amazon.co.uk

The Barefoot Girl: A Novel of St. Margaret, Patroness of the Abused


Catherine Monroe - 2006
     Fifteen-year-old Margharita is toiling in her family's meager field when a handsome gentleman rides in with a proposal of marriage. After only a few words with her father,Master Domenico Vasari tears Margharita away from the family she cherishes and the farm boy she loves-and hauls her off to a foreign, violent life, full of strangers and strange customs. At the Vasari castle, she is given powders, perfumes, and gowns of silk. But for these fineries Margharita pays a dear price. Vasari beats her, viciously and without warning, even when she becomes pregnant. So Margharita begins to pray, fervently and furtively, to the Blessed Mother and Saint Mary Magdalene. For her safety, for her unborn child, and for the starving masses surrounding the castle walls. Only then does the Virgin Mother reveal Margharita's fate to her-and why she will forever be known as the Barefooted One.

The Mistress of Windfell Manor


Diane Allen - 2016
    But when a new businessman in the form of Joseph Dawson enters their lives, both Charlotte and her father decide he's the man for her and, within six months, Charlotte marries the dashing mill owner from Accrington.Then a young mill worker is found dead in the swollen River Ribble. With Joseph's business nearly bankrupt, it becomes apparent that all is not as it seems and Joseph is not the man he pretends to be. Heavily pregnant, penniless and heartbroken, Charlotte is forced to face the reality that life may never be the same again . . .

A Wartime Wife


Jeannie Johnson - 2006
     Struggling to make ends meet, Mary Anne Randall is offered no help by her drunk and abusive husband. A pawnbroking business run from the wash house at the back of her home is the only way she can hope to keep her three kids fed and clothed. But, as storm clouds gather over Europe, can Mary Anne break free from her loveless marriage for what might be a last chance at love...? Previously published as LOVING ENEMIES