Book picks similar to
Crucible of Evil by Lyda Belknap Long
gothic
horror
00-inbox
avon-gothic
The Eye Stones
Harriet Esmond - 1975
She soon discovers that both her sister and her new husband have tragically perished in a fire which destroyed their home. Alone in the bleak Norfolk brecklands, Deborah is at first forced to accept hospitality from the handsome yet forbidding widower, Sir Randall Gaunt. Yet even when Deborah later stumbles upon the warm companionship of Lord Stannard, the charming young aristocrat wooing her with such passionate urgency, the strange events that follow cause her feelings of uneasiness to grow. And then, before long Deborah becomes inextricably involved in a nightmare of unimaginable evil…
Vanished
Cheryl Gorman - 2015
Devlin Morgan, the reclusive owner of Morgan’s Keep, coolly turns away her inquiries, and the villagers, who respect Devlin, refuse to cooperate, as well. Worse still is her own unwanted attraction to him. Especially once she begins to suspect he’s involved with her sister’s disappearance and the mysterious “Chiming Ghost.” In order to solve the mystery of her missing sister, she’ll also have to probe Devlin’s dark past, discover the truth about the “ghost.” and decide whether to trust the passion in her heart or play it safe and return to England. Whatever happens, she’ll never be the same when she leaves the island.
Button Bright
Michael Kurland - 1990
But Button was only dimly aware of the sounds. Her consciousness had shrunk down to focus on the body that was blocking her hole— —and the warm, thick liquid that was dripping onto her hand.” Button is an 11 year old, bubbly and intelligent girl who is haunted in her dreams by a tapping sound… Living with her mother and father in Cottsborough, Vermont, Button had been trained to hide and not ever answer to her secret name, ‘Rachel’. One day, two men arrive at Button’s family home searching for her by this secret name. Refusing to give Button up, things turn violent and the men shoot her father dead. Through a narrow crack in the floor boards, Button bears witness to the murder. Eluding the two men who tried to catch her, Button uses her wits to navigate herself from Vermont to Boston and then to New York. Button has a plan to find her uncle Dromkin. When her search seems hopeless, Button is taken in by a resident of her uncle’s apartment building, Phil, who claims he can help. But when they find Dromkin sprawled on the floor with his throat cut, Button is convinced she is somehow the cause of these family murders... Will Phil be able to keep her identity hidden long enough for her to find out the truth? Praise for Michael Kurland: "A perfect tale of childhood terror." - Tom Kasey Michael Kurland grew up in New York City, attended Columbia University, spent four years in the Army, much of it in Europe, and now lives in California with his partner, novelist Linda Robertson, a dog, a cat, and an occasional visiting family of raccoons. He has been a teacher of obscure subjects to disinterested children, the editor of a magazine even more idiosyncratic than himself, a seeker of absent persons, a magical explainer, and guest lecturer at numerous unrelated events. Kurland has written a dozen or so science fiction novels, a brace of mysteries, and several books that fit into that tenuous genre known as “mainstream.” He has been nominated for an Edgar (twice) and for the American Book Award. His books have been translated into eleven other languages. His other novel with Venture Press is Psi Hunt.
Invisible Girlfriend- love, life and beyond
EKTA CHANDNA - 2018
You cannot believe your luck that the new girl in school who is as beautiful as the sunrise, is willing to date you! You fall deeply in love with her. On a fine day while having a romantic candle-light dinner with your gorgeous girlfriend under the star-lit sky, with a cold wind blowing, she just . . . disappears, into thin air. Baffling, isn’t it? That’s exactly what happened to Siddharth a.k.a. Sid. Where did she go? What happened? How can this happen? Read the novella to find out the mystery of the invisible girlfriend! Invisible Girlfriend is a unique tale of love that you have never encountered before!
The Retreat: A Romantic Suspense (Triquetra Series Book 3)
L.C. Kincaide - 2019
Casey Barrow and a group of co-workers were looking forward to a few days of rest and camaraderie at a Catskill Mountains retreat away from their demanding careers. Reunited with a man she turned down years ago when working in Chicago, she hopes to make up for lost time during this getaway. However, rather than unwinding, the group becomes stranded in the dreary mountain mansion. By morning, four people have disappeared without a trace. Someone carrying a grudge has lured them there and cut off every means of escape. Running out of time, the captives face a new danger at every turn to liberate themselves. With the men injured from their efforts, Casey realizes it is up to her to find help before the killer returns to finish the rest of them off one by one. ** If you haven't read the first two books in the series and plan to, be warned of Major Spoilers in the Epilogue.**
The Seeding
David Shobin - 1982
Sandra Fischer relaxes in bed. Moments later, when her husband enters the room — she is dead. One by one, the women are dying. The leading medical experts are baffled. There is only one clue: the rich, sweet scent of the tropics — the scent of life, seconds after each woman's shocking death.One dedicated doctor. One beautiful woman. Together they will enter an awesome new realm of medical knowledge beyond both life and death. For he will discover a terrifying secret. And she has been chosen for … THE SEEDING.
Comraich (Jessamine #2)
Shani Struthers - 2018
Getting to work in one of the spare bedrooms she makes a startling discovery, one that pulls her into a world of the intense and disturbing passions of others that have been here before.Jessamin has to decide.Will delving deeper into Comraich's history bring hope and peace to this troubled house or return her to a darkness she's only recently left behind?
Praise for Jessamine:
"A haunting tale of lost love and guilt." Carol"A beautiful ghost story which will make you cry." Amazon Customer"When you start to read this prepare to put your life on hold.. you won't want to put it down until you've read the last page." Gill Gillies"Reminiscent in parts of Wuthering Heights and even Jane Eyre in places." Laura Tawn"I fell headlong in the story and nothing else mattered." Amazon Customer
Soulstorm
Chet Williamson - 1986
There they will confront madness, murder, and the ultimate evil so that their billionaire host might find the key to life beyond the grave. But as they learn, dead souls dwell in The Pines. And death is just the beginning...
Called From Beyond: The Spirit Guide: Ghosts and Haunted Houses
Caroline Clark - 2017
Is Mark going mad or was his girlfriend Called from Beyond? Mark’s girlfriend dies in a car accident before he can tell her how much he loves her. He never believed in ghosts, but a well-meaning friend and guilt push him into new and dangerous territory. All he wants is the chance to say he is sorry. To speak to her one more time. During a desperate, alcohol-fueled binge, he buys an Ouija board and calls Alissa. Is his drinking problem or survivor’s guilt making him doubt his sanity? Or are the footsteps in the night and inexplicable messages real—has Alissa returned? Gail and Jesse have their own guilt to bear, both tormented by a secret they have no choice but to keep. Is it their fault Alissa died? All they want is to help Mark through his grief, but his true plight soon becomes apparent. Evil is waiting and it’s worse than they can imagine. Will Mark be sucked into the darkness or will he send away his love to save his own life? Scroll up now to find out in this thrilling, fast-paced ghost story that will have you reading well into the night. Just remember to keep the lights on. This is the second book in the exciting Spirit Guide Series. Each book is a complete story and they can be read in any order. They follow Gail and Jesse as they search for ways to put spirits to rest and to save those who are tormented by them. The first book in the series is The Haunting of Seafield House It is permanently 0.99 and FREE on Kindle Unlimited or get an introduction to the series for free - Get The Black-Eyed Children at http://eepurl.com/cGdNvX
THE DARKNESS
Stephen King - 2019
King. Do not let the lack of light stop you from discovering more adventures and stories that will keep you up at night and ignite the imagination. There is no place to hide in, THE DARKNESS!
The French Retreat
Suzanne | Sue Fortin - 2015
In a bid to reassess her life, she heads off to the only place she has ever felt content - her brother’s farmhouse retreat in rural France.Marcie isn’t the only one looking to escape. Ex-soldier Will hopes the gentle pace of French life will help to banish the ghosts of his past and offer him the fresh start he desires.However, all is not what it seems at The Retreat. Fuelled by a string of strange happenings and local rumours, Will and Marcie are pushed together as they try to discover who or what is behind it all. In so doing, they are faced with a moral dilemma and question if doing wrong is doing right?The French Retreat is a story of human compassion, hope and love.
In Darkness Waiting
John Shirley - 1988
Although In Darkness Waiting begins in much the same vein as many horror novels (mysterious deaths; a small town invaded by evil; plucky, attractive young lovers; the logical level-headed doctor; some salt-of-the-earth townsfolk...) by its end you will have discovered it is not "just another horror novel." With its exploration of the "insect" inside us all, In Darkness Waiting proves more relevant today than ever. Considering a read of In Darkness Waiting is like considering a trip through the Amazon with no weapons and no vaccinations and no shoes. It's like contemplating a journey in the Arctic clad only in your underwear. Or maybe it's more like dropping into one of those spelunker's challenges, those chilling pitch-black shafts into the Earth's crust-and when you get down there your light burns out and you remember the chitinous fauna of the cavern... Unlike undertaking those endeavors, you can get through the harrowing pages of In Darkness Waiting alive (although we are not promising you'll remain unscathed.) Towards the end you'll discover one of the most extreme yet literate passages ever written. It may well be the most outré scene ever created. But John Shirley wasn't after shock alone. Shock is never enough for him.
The Shivering Sands & The Secret Woman
Victoria Holt - 1983
There, she finds herself caught up in the drama of that ancient house and the unusual members of the Stacy family. When Caroline Verlaine's sister, the archaeologist Roma, disappears, Caroline is forced down to Lovat Stacy in an attempt to discover what has happened. She finds herself caught up in the drama of the ancient house and with the unusual members of the Stacy family. But it is Napier Stacy, recently returned from years of banishment for apparently killing his brother, who she is especially drawn to. Napier is haunted by the tragedy, and Caroline becomes determined that he should put his past behind him and not allow, what she insists was an accident, to cloud his life for ever. At the same time, she becomes equally determined to solve the mystery of her own sister's disappearance. Why has Roma vanished? Was it an accident or has she been murdered? As the tension mounts Caroline soon realizes that this quest to uncover the truth is a dangerous one and is marking her out as the next victim. /////// 2) The Secret Woman (1970) - To all appearances, Anna Brett was a quiet, capable young woman whose only ambition was to carry on the profitable antiques business bequeathed her by a spinster aunt. And so she was - until the memory of a cherished moment with a blue-eyed stranger suddenly returned to haunt her with savage intensity. It was then Anna discovered the secret woman who waited within her - impetuous, daring . . . and dangerous.
The Penance Stone
Suza Kates - 2013
To Harper Gray, it's the perfect getaway and a place to write her next book. The best part is she'll be all alone, safe in a mountainside retreat and isolated from the rest of the world. Because evil comes in many forms, and she's already lost too much. Reid Ellis knows the village of Chuujitsu, its culture, and its customs. When he agrees to aid the reclusive author, he can't understand why she hides herself away. Her past still casts a long shadow, but he's determined to make her feel safe. When a terrified young girl, priests who stalk the night, and ancient Shinto laws become part of the story, Harper and Reid can't tell truth from legend. The two become entangled in each other, but Harper still finds danger at every turn. Is there something more to the odd symbol she keeps seeing? Or is love the only thing she needs to fear?