Book picks similar to
The Orphans by J.S. Donovan
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For Sale: Old Manor House
Merabeth James - 2011
Growing up with paranormal entities in all shapes, sizes and species in the Victorian mansion of her eccentric Aunt Penelope Trevelyan, who probably would have been burnt as a witch in another time, Caitlin had been told countless times that she was fated to travel to Cornwall “when the time is right” and find? Her aunt had said it would be love with a happy ending, but Caitlin had her doubts. So far, she hadn’t found any man she was willing to spend more than a few hours with let alone a lifetime. But when she opens the letter from Thane Edmunds requesting her help, she feels a strange, intense pull that shoots a shiver of awareness through her entire being. Deep down, all the way to her toes, she knows the time was finally “right” and destiny had come banging on her door. Caitlin’s knack for ghost hunting had started in her college years, when she founded North East Paranormal Investigative Services, largely to protect her Goth friend and then roommate, Moira Smoot, from her own inept dabblings in the occult…something that had almost cost her more than her life. Since then, rules had been set up to help guard their safety in a setting, where anything could happen. Rules an excited Caitlin seems to forget, when she arrives in Cornwall ahead of her team and disregards NEPIS’ first rule of ghost hunting….”never go in alone”… by driving out to the site for a quick look around before night fall. Expecting a caretaker, she is disappointed to find the dilapidated manor locked up tight and no one there, at least no one living, for she senses more than one pair of ghostly eyes witness her arrival. Circling the outside, listening to the pound of the surf on the rocks below the cliffs, she finds the lock broken on the kitchen door and enters. Looking around the fast darkening, cavernous room, she notices that a cot had been set up in one corner and the swing door to the rest of the manor both padlocked and painted with a crudely drawn red cross. Knowing that can’t be good…knowing she should get her keister out of there, but fast, and head back to the safety of the village, she finds herself battling an inexplicable compulsion to spend the night…and losing. All alone in the dark, she begins to think she may have made a “horror”ble mistake, when she senses not only the usual ghosts and spirits that go ‘bump in the night’, but also the distant presence of Colin, the long dead fifth Earl of Eastwythe, now a restless incubus who plots to ensnare her in his delicious web of dark sexuality, since feeding his lust has been his sole antidote to an eternity he finds both “ducedly boring” and very lonely. But, listening to Caitlin moving about in the kitchen from his attic lair, he feels a twinge of conscience and decides to leave her “unmolested”…at least for the night. And so Caitlin, wrapping herself in the comforting memories of the past…cold…hungry…and more than a little scared, waits out the long, dark night unaware she has been given a short reprieve. One that Colin already regrets. But when Thane Edmunds arrives in the morning, and hears Caitlin knocking out the hinge pins in his kitchen door in order to satisfy yet another compulsion to see the rest of the manor before she leaves for the village, the atmosphere heats up quickly in the old manor.
The Jilted: A Novel
Meghan O'Flynn - 2018
And that evil is waking up. "An expertly layered work of impressive scope, The Jilted will leave you pondering the real-life differences between good and evil.” ~Kristen Mae, bestselling author of Red Water
BLOODIED HANDS. WHISPERED WORDS. BURIED TRUTHS.
It’s been two weeks since Chloe Anderson’s fiancé, Victor, disappeared with his daughter, and each night since, Chloe has awakened from the same horrible dream. She’s convinced the nightmares are trying to tell her something, especially when she finds Victor’s camera at an old antique shop downtown—a place where the shadows of the past roam the cobbled streets. Chloe takes a job at the shop, hoping Victor will return for his prized possession. But when she’s sent to do an antiques appraisal on the outskirts of New Orleans, she feels the energy of the sprawling plantation like an icy hand on her back, drawing her away from the shop—and sucking her in. Perhaps it’s the plantation’s mysterious owner triggering her long-dormant intuition. But intuition doesn’t explain the terrifying visions that now plague her waking hours, or the mutilated girl who stalks her from the shadows, vanishing when Chloe tries to speak to her. And the voices… Come to me. Watch out for the dark, child. Is this what Victor meant when he told her he’d felt possessed? Is she losing her mind the way he did? Now Chloe must look deep within herself, summoning a power she’s tamped down since childhood, because the thing that took Victor is an old, vicious darkness, far more ancient than the horrors that seep from every branch on the white-washed plantation—more appalling than the hideous acts of violence that lurk in each long-abandoned cemetery. And if she cannot defeat the evil, if she succumbs to the madness, the creature stalking the town will take Victor, take Chloe . . . and make sure no one leaves Cicatrice alive. For fans of Stephen King, Nick Cutter, and Thomas Heuvelt, this breathtaking supernatural thriller is a masterfully crafted novel about what horrors might exist on the other side—whether we believe they are there or not.
Marked by Passion
Kate Perry - 2009
Don't
lose the above artifact you've inherited from your ancestors-no matter how much it starts messing up your life.2.
Do
learn how to control its powers. (And, yes, that means putting up with über-complicated guardian lessons from your father's meddling ghost.) 3.
Don't
trust anyone. Especially Rhys, the mysterious bad boy who's always one step ahead of you . . . and as irresistible as sin.4.
Do
anything
to keep the scroll from landing in the wrong hands. Even if that brings on a heartbreaking betrayal, an evil you never saw coming, and a choice you may not live to regret.
Highgate (This Haunted World #3)
Shani Struthers - 2019
In Book Three discover Highgate, perhaps the most famous cemetery in the world, renowned for its Victorian Gothic splendour, famous residents, its vampire and, of course, ghosts... NB: With sometimes harrowing scenes, this is her darkest novel yet and not for the faint-hearted!Lucy Klein, 42, is not only obsessed with Highgate, she works there too, organising tours for those with an interest in some of the finest Victorian funerary architecture in existence. Single, and on the shy side, she is nonetheless content with her life, or so she thinks. When she meets the enigmatic Zak Harborne, she realises what she's been missing and quickly falls in love. He's everything she's ever wanted...isn't he? 1972, and Emma Matthews, a 19-year-old history student, also feels as though she's on the outside. After visiting a derelict Highgate with a group of friends, she starts to feel a connection, a sense of meaning to her life, in amongst the tombstones, the crosses and the angels. Returning to Highgate over and over, she discovers both a paradise and a garden decidedly more savage.Grace Derby is just 11 when she encounters the gentleman, tall and with a tall hat, a long black coat and a cape about his shoulders. It is the 1850s and street urchins such as her are not accustomed to kindness from those belonging to the upper echelons. Proffering money for food, for her and her family, he asks nothing in return. Curious about the man with the kind blue eyes, she follows him one day... all the way to Highgate.For some, it seems, all roads lead to Highgate...
Dig Two Graves
Keith Nixon - 2017
or murder? Detective Sergeant Solomon Gray is driven to discover the truth. Whatever the personal cost.When teenager Nick Buckingham tumbles from the fifth floor of an apartment block, Detective Sergeant Solomon Gray answers the call with a sick feeling in his stomach. The victim was just a kid, sixteen years old. And the exact age the detective's son was, the son Gray has not seen since he went missing at a funfair ten years ago. Each case involving children haunts Gray with the reminder that his son may still be out there – or worse, dead. The seemingly open and shut case of suicide twists into a darker discovery. Buckingham and Gray have never met, so why is Gray's number on the dead teenager's mobile phone?Gray begins to unravel a murky world of abuse, lies, and corruption. And when the body of Reverend David Hill is found shot to death in the vestry of Gray's old church, Gray wonders how far the depravity stretches and who might be next. Nothing seems connected, and yet there is one common thread: Detective Sergeant Solomon Gray, himself. As the bodies pile up, Gray must face his own demons and his son's abduction.Crippled by loss Gray takes the first step on the long road of redemption. But is the killer closer to home than he realised?Set in the once grand town of Margate in the south of England, the now broken and depressed seaside resort becomes its own character in this dark police suspense thriller, perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart MacBride, and Peter James. Dig Two Graves is the first in the Solomon Gray series.
Cursed
Elise Noble - 2018
Get up, go to work, avoid talking to the dead—that sort of thing. But not everyone dies quietly, and Rania’s soon being pestered by one ghost, blackmailed by another, and distracted by a handsome private investigator who’s got his own reasons for wanting to solve a particularly gruesome murder. While Will Lawson doesn’t mind using unorthodox methods to crack a case, he’s never had to contact his witnesses via a seance before. But the clock is ticking, and Will and his unlikely sidekicks need to hunt down a killer before he’s dispatched to join the spirit world himself. Cursed is a standalone paranormal romantic suspense novel in the Electi Series—no cliffhanger!
A Case of Murder by Monte Carlo
Becki Willis - 2019
She may be petite, but she’ll take on anyone who threatens her patients’ safety and well-being. That feisty protectiveness creates problems when a hit and run victim lands in the ER and Police Detective Cade Resnick arrives to investigate. There’s no denying the sparks between these two, but their professions put them at odds. As Cade zeroes in on his suspect, Laurel won’t make it easy for him, not while the suspect is under her care. More than once, these two clash when Cade’s quest for justice collides with Laurel’s concern for her patients. Come along on the start of a new series and meet the staff and professionals who give Texas General Hospital its heart. There’s never a dull moment in the ER, or in the lively college town of College Station, Texas! From the best-selling author of The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series, Mirrors Don't Lie Series, and The Spirits of Texas Cozy Mysteries, enjoy a fresh approach to quick cozy reads, some dedicated to mystery, some to romance. Welcome to Texas General Cozy Cases!
The Awakening
Lisa M. Lilly - 2011
Her fingers made sweat marks on the paper. "I can't be pregnant. I haven't had sex.""Lisa M. Lilly's heart pounding new novel, "The Awakening," tells the story of one young woman who finds her life at risk over a phenomenon she cannot understand.Tara Spencer is at a loss. She has recently learned she's pregnant, despite never having had sex. Her fiance breaks up with her, convinced she cheated on him, and even her parents and best friend doubt her story.But when Cyril Woods, a member of The Brotherhood religious order, claims to believe that Tara is still a virgin, she believes she has finally found understanding.The Brotherhood sees Tara's child as a possible new messiah-that is, until they learn she is expecting a girl. This revelation convinces them that the child is actually the anti-Christ, and they are determined to prevent Tara from giving birth at any cost.As the forces aligned against her close in, Tara's only hope for survival is to solve the mystery of her pregnancy. But who is her friend and who is her enemy?Will Tara find answers before it's too late?
Death by Halloween (Adventures You Choose Book 1)
David Warkentin - 2013
As a child, you counted down the days to Halloween, thrilled at the prospect of venturing out into the night in a monster’s clothing and returning with a sack stuffed full with candy. As you grew through adolescence, your tastes gradually changed. You still lived in anticipation of Halloween, but you no longer cared much for its typical offerings. The costumes weren’t real. The candy was too sweet. What you wanted was adventure, panic, black magic. You wanted to find yourself on a dark hilltop, shaking with fear as impossible shadows crept up the slope toward you. You wanted to see the dead sit up in their graves. You wanted to stumble through the fog trying to escape the clutches of a madman. You wanted to survive a nightmare... Death by Halloween is a 'choose-your-own-adventure' style interactive book for adults and mature teens. It features: Masterfully executed hyperlink navigation Over 100 choices Over 50 endings A gender-neutral protagonist Ghosts Ghouls Murderers Self-loathing Cannibals Demons Mutilation Scarecrows Specters Zombies Pie And much more! Please have a look at the sample to get a better idea of whether or not this book is right for you. Because this is an interactive book, the sample chapters will be out of order and not interactive. They will, nevertheless, give you a pretty good idea of what to expect. PLEASE NOTE: As mentioned above, this book has some fairly graphic scenes of violence and is intended for a somewhat mature audience.
The Waking World (The Cosmic Slayers Book 1)
Jordan A. Moore - 2019
It carries a cryptic message about a Silver Key, an artifact that can open a portal between Worlds. Even more shocking; the letter adds that her mother might still be alive. Joy doesn't believe it until her home is attacked by a horrible monster, and her childhood friend is kidnapped. In the aftermath of the impossible, she has no choice but to obey the letter’s instructions. With the help of a reluctant band of bounty hunters and an unlikely Eldritch mentor, Joy sets off in search of the Silver Key and The Cosmic Slayers - a secretive group of people who dared to fight the all-powerful Elder Gods themselves - and won.But with each step they go deeper into the Dreamlands, the Elder Gods take one step closer to shattering the last barrier holding them back. If Joy and her bounty hunters don’t retrieve the Silver Key before Yellow King’s Festival begins, the Elder Gods will be free to destroy the Worlds they created.
The Snowman of Zanzibar
Gordon Wallis - 2018
The endless London winter had been bitterly cold. The steady work as a freelance insurance fraud investigator was mundane and repetitive, but this suddenly changes early on a frozen February morning. The wealthy client was desperate. Just how was his high flying young son making so much money? It sounded like a dream assignment. An escape from the city and a bit of travel. And for a while it was. But on an idyllic island paradise, someone is watching, and a deadly criminal cartel operates quietly in the shadows. As Green digs deeper he uncovers the truth, but a series of unfortunate events occur. Events far beyond his control. Events that result in unspeakable violence and horror. The cartel must be stopped, but who will be the next to die? The action comes hard and fast in this gripping 1st in series page turner and culminates in an ending that will stay in your mind for a long time. A very, very long time... Pick up The Snowman Of Zanzibar today and prepare for the ride of your life.
A Home for the Heart Louisa's Journey West: A Historical Western Pioneer Romance
Katherine St. Clair - 2017
It will make your heart melt! Download FREE with Kindle Unlimited! Louisa has lost her parents and her home, and her siblings are scattered, divided amongst kind relatives. She is grateful for the shelter offered her by her friend Sarah’s family, and she works hard to show it. But they too have paid a heavy price ¬– their son Thomas is never coming back, Matthew has lost an arm, and James…well, perhaps James will never quite recover. And the troubled times are not over. The winter has been hard, and under the new government, the taxes are more than many farmers can pay. They’re going to lose the farm. There is no future in the South. It’s time to go. Samuel Burke decides to sell his farm and move his family to Kansas. Over the objections of his Southern wife, he and his remaining sons, Sarah, and Louisa pack and begin the journey to a new life. On the way, each of them will face big challenges, from the physical hardships to loneliness, fear, and broken hearts. Through it all, Louisa is courageous and hardworking. With the help of her journal, she finds her way through betrayal and disappointment, on foot through the Kansas territory, and into the arms of the man she is destined to spend her life with. Louisa’s story brings to life the conditions endured by the countless pioneers who made their way by wagon across the prairies in the 19th century, especially those who came from the South after the war. Read on your favorite devices such as Kindle, iPhone, iPad, Android cellular phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop with Amazon's free reading Kindle App.
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Graves' End
Sean Patrick Traver - 2012
When Graves rises from his grave sixty years later, he finds himself drawn to freelance sorceress Lia Flores, who introduces him to an underworld he never could've imagined. Lia sets out to discover the meaning behind Graves' unexpected intrusion into her enchanted life, but neither the witchgirl nor the skeletal detective has any idea they're being set up by an old-school player on the LA scene: mobster/monster Mickey Hardface, also known as Mictlantecuhtli, the ambitious king of the Aztec realm of the dead.Funny and fast-paced, this genre-bending love letter to the City of Angels blends surreal magical fantasy with the narrative drive of a taut crime story. Epic in scope and rooted in California history, GRAVES' END adds a new chapter to the mythology of the post-Halloween holiday known as el Dia de los Muertos--the Day of the Dead.
Legacy
Michelle Dorey - 2017
She’s flitted like a butterfly from one college program to another. The only thing she’s ever finished has been the last call at dance clubs. Everything changes in a New York minute when her parents decide it’s time for tough love and cut her off. No more credit cards, no more cash allowance and OMG they cancelled her apartment’s lease. On top of all that, she’s banished to her grandmother’s. A grandmother she never knew existed. Her grandmother is batty as hell—Pamela York lives in an antiquated manor, dresses for dinner like she’s the Queen of England and makes crazy talk about ghosts. Ghosts? As. If. Keira’s about to learn a few things. Haunted houses do exist and she’s living in one. Pamela isn’t psychotic; she’s a powerful psychic whose lifework has been assisting reluctant spirits pass through The Veil to a higher plane. When Keira discovers she has a lot more in common with the old woman than she ever imagined, her real education begins. But it’s not just reluctant spirits Pamela has had to contend with. There also exist malevolent forces; paranormal entities that crave the chaos of a Veil torn asunder. Keira finds out not only are ghosts real— so are demons. Uh oh. A supernatural thriller with danger and magic.
The Children in the Lake: A Story You Will Never Forget
Mark Edward Hall - 2019
Nearly a century later there are those who still report seeing the children swimming beneath the surface like elusive dolphins. After losing her husband in a violent car crash, Rachel King and her two young sons venture to Arrowhead Lake to heal. When Rachel discovers that Great Woods Timber is planning to clear-cut this beautiful wilderness she enlists the help of Lilly Bowman and her mysterious father, chief and shaman of the Wabanaki nation. But dark events have been set in motion and Arrowhead Lake is under siege by a sinister force of mercenaries. When Chief Neptune vanishes, Rachel and Lilly call on Seth Ferguson, the local deputy sheriff for help. Together they discover an astonishing truth; a shadowy cabal that will stop at nothing to obtain the secret of Arrowhead Lake, a secret that if unearthed could have far-reaching consequences. When one of Rachel’s sons vanishes in the Lake, she and Lilly embark on a harrowing journey to find him. What they discover is a mind boggling truth that will change their lives forever. *