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A Cold Season
by Alison LittlewoodA dark and disturbing tale from a bold new voice in horror writing: After the battlefront death of her husband, a soldier, in the sands of the Middle East, a distraught Cass decides to move to the bucolic, picture-perfect village of Darnshaw with her teenaged son. Since Cass's website design business can be run from anywhere with an internet connection and Ben could benefit from a change of scenery, a move to the highlands village seems like just the thing.But the locals aren't as friendly as she had hoped and the internet connection isn't as reliable as her business requires. And when Ben begins to display a hostility that is completely unlike his usual gentle nature, Cass begins to despair. Finally, the blizzards thunder through and Darnshaw is marooned in a sea of snow.When things look their blackest, she finds one sympathetic ear in the person of her son's substitute teacher. But his attentions can't put to rest her growing anxiety about her son and her business. And soon, she finds herself pitted against dark forces she can barely comprehend. The cold season has begun.From the Hardcover edition.
A Cold Season: The Chilling Richard and Judy Bestseller!
by Alison LittlewoodHow far would you go to save your child? A nail-biting thriller, 'perfect reading for a dark winter's night' (Richard and Judy).Cass's husband is missing, presumed dead in Afghanistan. Floored by grief, Cass is left alone to take care of her son, Ben, who has been traumatised by his father's death. So when a renovated mill becomes available in the remote Lancashire village of Darnshaw, Cass decides it will be the perfect place for her family to heal. But it quickly becomes clear that outsiders are not welcome in the village, and Ben is displaying a hostility Cass can't understand. As darker events unfold, Cass starts to question her son's sanity. Then a blizzard blows in and Darnshaw is marooned in a sea of snow.Threatened on all sides, Cass finds herself pitted against forces she can barely comprehend.A broken family. A dark secret. The cold season has begun . . .
A Cold Season: The Chilling Richard and Judy Bestseller! (The Cold #1)
by Alison LittlewoodHow far would you go to save your child? A nail-biting thriller, 'perfect reading for a dark winter's night' (Richard and Judy).Cass's husband is missing, presumed dead in Afghanistan. Floored by grief, Cass is left alone to take care of her son, Ben, who has been traumatised by his father's death. So when a renovated mill becomes available in the remote Lancashire village of Darnshaw, Cass decides it will be the perfect place for her family to heal. But it quickly becomes clear that outsiders are not welcome in the village, and Ben is displaying a hostility Cass can't understand. As darker events unfold, Cass starts to question her son's sanity. Then a blizzard blows in and Darnshaw is marooned in a sea of snow.Threatened on all sides, Cass finds herself pitted against forces she can barely comprehend.A broken family. A dark secret. The cold season has begun . . .
A Cold Silence
by Alison LittlewoodBen Cassidy has strict instructions from his mother, Cass, never to return to his childhood home of Darnshaw. But when an old friend dies, he returns to investigate a computer game she was playing named Acheron. Acheron claims it will give you all that you ask for, something Gaila, Ben's sister, knows all too well. But there is a price, and hers is to get Ben to London.As Ben and his friends delve ever deeper into the world of Acheron, good motivations and morality begin to slip, and they find themselves falling further into corruption. Ben and Gaila could save them all, but the price for doing so might just be too high to pay . . .
A Cold Silence: The Cold Book 2 (The Cold #2)
by Alison LittlewoodThe sequel to the Richard and Judy bestseller A Cold Season. New game Acheron offers you everything you desire . . . at the cost of your soul.Ben Cassidy promised his mother he would never to return to Darnshaw, the remote village they barely escaped when he was a child. But when his friend, Jessica, kills herself, he feels compelled to investigate.Jessica was playing a sinister computer game called Acheron, which claims it will give you anything you desire . . . for a price.As Ben and his friends delve ever deeper into the world of Acheron, good motivations and morality begin to slip, and they find themselves spiralling out of control. Ben could save them all, but the cost for doing so might be too high to pay . . .Would you?
A Cold Silence: The Cold Book 2 (The Cold #2)
by Alison LittlewoodBen Cassidy has strict instructions from his mother, Cass, never to return to his childhood home of Darnshaw. But when an old friend dies, he returns to investigate a computer game she was playing named Acheron. Acheron claims it will give you all that you ask for, something Gaila, Ben's sister, knows all too well. But there is a price, and hers is to get Ben to London.As Ben and his friends delve ever deeper into the world of Acheron, good motivations and morality begin to slip, and they find themselves falling further into corruption. Ben and Gaila could save them all, but the price for doing so might just be too high to pay . . .(P)2015 WF Howes Ltd
The Crow Garden
by Alison LittlewoodSusan Hill meets Wilkie Collins in Alison Littlewood's latest chiller. Mad-doctor Nathaniel is obsessed with the beautiful Mrs Harleston - but is she truly delusional? Or is she hiding secrets that should never be uncovered . . . ?Haunted by his father's suicide, Nathaniel Kerner walks away from the highly prestigious life of a consultant to become a mad-doctor. He takes up a position at Crakethorne Asylum, but the proprietor is more interested in phrenology and his growing collection of skulls than the patients' minds. Nathaniel's only interesting case is Mrs Victoria Adelina - Vita - Harleston: her husband accuses her of hysteria and delusions - but she accuses him of hiding secrets far more terrible.Nathaniel is increasingly obsessed with Vita, but when he has her mesmerised, there are unexpected results. Vita starts hearing voices, the way she used to - her grandmother always claimed they came from beyond the grave - but it also unleashes her own powers of mesmerism . . . and a desperate need to escape.Increasingly besotted, Nathaniel finds himself caught up in a world of séances and stage mesmerism in his bid to find Vita and save her.But constantly hanging over him is this warning: that doctors are apt to catch the diseases with which they are surrounded - whether of the body or the mind . . .'[An] enjoyable excursion . . . gripping' The Sunday Times
The Crow Garden
by Alison LittlewoodSusan Hill meets Wilkie Collins in Alison Littlewood's latest chiller. Mad-doctor Nathaniel is obsessed with the beautiful Mrs Harleston - but is she truly delusional? Or is she hiding secrets that should never be uncovered . . . ?Haunted by his father's suicide, Nathaniel Kerner walks away from the highly prestigious life of a consultant to become a mad-doctor. He takes up a position at Crakethorne Asylum, but the proprietor is more interested in phrenology and his growing collection of skulls than the patients' minds. Nathaniel's only interesting case is Mrs Victoria Adelina - Vita - Harleston: her husband accuses her of hysteria and delusions - but she accuses him of hiding secrets far more terrible.Nathaniel is increasingly obsessed with Vita, but when he has her mesmerised, there are unexpected results. Vita starts hearing voices, the way she used to - her grandmother always claimed they came from beyond the grave - but it also unleashes her own powers of mesmerism . . . and a desperate need to escape.Increasingly besotted, Nathaniel finds himself caught up in a world of séances and stage mesmerism in his bid to find Vita and save her.But constantly hanging over him is this warning: that doctors are apt to catch the diseases with which they are surrounded - whether of the body or the mind . . .'[An] enjoyable excursion . . . gripping' The Sunday Times
Mistletoe: 'The perfect read for frosty nights' HEAT
by Alison Littlewood'Alison Littlewood has a real talent for building atmosphere, loaded with the promise of things to come -hints of dread with the possibility of hope' GuardianLeah thought Maitland Farm could give her a new life - but now old ghosts are dragging her into the past.Following the tragic deaths of her husband and son, Leah is looking for a new life. Determined to bury her grief in hard work and desperate to escape Christmas and the reminders of what she has lost, she rushes through the purchase of a run-down Yorkshire farmhouse, arriving just as the snow shrouds her new home.It might look like the loveliest Christmas card, but it's soon clear it's not just the house that needs renovation: the land is in bad heart, too. As Leah sets to work, she begins to see visions of the farm's former occupants - and of the dark secrets that lie at the heart of Maitland Farm.If Leah is to have a future, she must find a way to lay both her own past and theirs to rest - but the visions are becoming disturbingly real . . .'Alison Littlewood is one of the brightest stars in the horror genre' This is Horror
Path of Needles: A spine-tingling thriller of gripping suspense
by Alison LittlewoodSome fairy tales are born of dreams . . . and some are born of nightmares.'I loved Path of Needles. Dark but satisfying like the best chocolate' ELLY GRIFFITHS, bestselling author of The Postscript MurdersChrissie Farrell is young, beautiful and about to be crowned Queen of the Dance. But on the evening of her triumph she is abducted and murdered, her body left for the police to find.With no other clues, the disturbing way in which Chrissie's body has been posed has PC Cate Corbin at a loss - until university lecturer Alice Hyland is called in. An expert on fairy tales, Alice quickly notices a connection between the murder and an obscure version of Snow White.When a second body is found, Alice is dragged further into the investigation - and only then realises that she is becoming a suspect.'Psychologically complex hybrid of magical realism and police procedural' Publishers WeeklyNow Alice must fight, not just to prove her innocence, but to protect herself: because the body count is growing and it's looking like she might be next . . .
Path of Needles: A spine-tingling thriller of gripping suspense
by Alison LittlewoodSome fairy tales are born of dreams . . . and some are born of nightmares.'I loved Path of Needles. Dark but satisfying like the best chocolate' ELLY GRIFFITHS, bestselling author of The Postscript MurdersChrissie Farrell is young, beautiful and about to be crowned Queen of the Dance. But on the evening of her triumph she is abducted and murdered, her body left for the police to find.With no other clues, the disturbing way in which Chrissie's body has been posed has PC Cate Corbin at a loss - until university lecturer Alice Hyland is called in. An expert on fairy tales, Alice quickly notices a connection between the murder and an obscure version of Snow White.When a second body is found, Alice is dragged further into the investigation - and only then realises that she is becoming a suspect.'Psychologically complex hybrid of magical realism and police procedural' Publishers WeeklyNow Alice must fight, not just to prove her innocence, but to protect herself: because the body count is growing and it's looking like she might be next . . .
Seasons of Mist: This chilling, evocative omnibus includes the Richard and Judy bestseller A Cold Season
by Alison LittlewoodFrom Richard and Judy bestselling author Alison Littlewood, a genre-defying master of subtle horror, comes a perfectly horrifying omnibus. Containing A Cold Season, Path of Needles and The Unquiet House, as well an exclusive preview of A Cold Silence.A broken family. A dark secret. The cold season has begun . . .In A Cold Season, newly widowed Cass buys a renovated mill in the remove Lancashire village of Darnshaw, hoping that it will give her and her son, Ben, a fresh start. But it quickly becomes clear that outsiders are not welcome in the village and Ben begins displaying a hostility Cass can't understand. As darker events unfold, Cass starts to question her son's sanity. Then a blizzard blows in and Darnshaw is marooned in a sea of snow. Threatened on all sides, Cass finds herself pitted against forces she can barely comprehend . . .Some fairy tales are born of dreams . . . and some are born of nightmares.In A Path of Needles, a body is found in a shallow grave in the trees near Newmillerdam. The victim is a young girl, and the gruesome way in which the body has been posed has the police at a loss. Until Alice Hyland, an expert in fairytales is brought into the investigation and discovers a connection between the victim and an obscure Italian version of Snow White. It seems a fairytale has taken a twisted, nightmarish turn.Then another body is found in a similarly shocking state. Now Alice must fight, not just to prove her innocence, but to protect herself from what lies in wait in the woods . . .What is lurking in the corners of Mire House? In The Unquiet House, Emma Dean is desperately seeking a fresh start - so when she inherits an old house in the depths of the Yorkshire countryside, she realises that this could be her chance. Mire House is dreary, dark and cold - yet when Emma walks inside, she feels an immediate sense of belonging.It isn't long before Charlie Mitchell, grandson of the original owner, appears, claiming that he wants to get to know her as they are the last of their family. But Emma suspects he's more interested in the house than his long-lost relatives.And when she starts seeing ghostly figures, Emma begins to wonder: is Charlie trying to scare her away, or are there darker secrets lurking in the corners of Mire House?
The Unquiet House: A chilling tale of gripping suspense
by Alison LittlewoodWhat is lurking in the corners of Mire House? Chillingly atmospheric, The Unquiet House is perfect for fans of Stephen King. Struggling to recover from the catastrophic loss of both of her parents, Emma Dean desperately needs a fresh start. When she inherits an old house in the depths of the Yorkshire countryside, she realises that this could be her chance. Mire House is dreary, dark and cold - yet when Emma walks inside, she feels an immediate sense of belonging.It isn't long before Charlie Mitchell, grandson of the original owner, appears, claiming he wants to seek out his family. But Emma suspects he's more interested in the house than his long-lost relations.And when she starts seeing ghostly figures, Emma begins to wonder: is Charlie trying to scare her away, or are there darker secrets lurking in the corners of Mire House?'Reads like a timeless classic of the genre' - Guardian
The Hidden People
by Allison LittlewoodIn 1851, within the grand glass arches of London's Crystal Palace, Albie Mirralls meets his cousin Lizzie for the first--and, as it turns out, last--time. His cousin is from a backward rural village, and Albie expects she will be a simple country girl, but instead he is struck by her inner beauty and by her lovely singing voice, which is beautiful beyond all reckoning. When next he hears of her, many years later, it is to hear news of her death at the hands of her husband, the village shoemaker. Unable to countenance the rumors that surround his younger cousin's murder--apparently, her husband thought she had been replaced by one of the "fair folk" and so burned her alive--Albie becomes obsessed with bringing his young cousin's murderer to justice. With his father's blessing, as well as that of his young wife, Albie heads to the village of Halfoak to investigate his cousin's murder. When he arrives, he finds a community in the grip of superstition, nearly every member of which believes Lizzie's husband acted with the best of intentions and in the service of the village. There, Albie begins to look into Lizzie's death and to search for her murderous husband, who has disappeared. But in a village where the rationalism and rule of science of the Industrial Revolution seem to have found little purchase, the answers to the question of what happened to Lizzie and why prove elusive. And the more he learns, the less sure he is that there aren't mysterious powers at work.
O Silêncio da Verdade (Thriller #1)
by Simona LiubicichItália, Dolomitas 1962-1985. Um fato perturbador abala a quieta amenidade de uma pequena aldeia nas Dolomitas, na fronteira com a Áustria. Duas garotas do lugar desaparecem; só uma delas — Patrizia Montaldo — é reencontrada após três dias, em estado de confusão e com uma amnésia que durará vinte e três anos, até que os fantasmas do passado, talvez presenças espirituais reais, voltarão para clamar por justiça revelando segredos inconfessáveis e uma verdade impressionante.
The Ghost of Thomas Kempe
by Penelope LivelyWhen the Harrisons move to an old cottage in Oxfordshire they are beset by small domestic disasters --ink spilt, buckets tripped over, objects mysteriously moved, all kinds of bumps and creaks and draughts. Naturally, they assume that ten-year-old James is the troublemaker, and James decides it simply isn't worth the bother to tell them about Thomas Kempe --after all, they'd never believe him. For Thomas Kempe was a seventeenth-century sorcerer who has materialized as a poltergeist, and he is bent on making James his apprentice! At first it is merely irritating, but then some very unpleasant things start to happen. James decides that Thomas Kempe must be got rid of --but how?
Tout ce que l’on ne voit pas
by Joan Llensa“Tout ce que l’on ne voit pas” est un recueil d’histoires effrayantes qui nous emmènent aux limites de notre réalité. Jorge Magano Certains disent que la vraie terreur naît de ce que nous avons en nous. Et s’il est vrai que la société a évolué à pas de géants, ce n’est pas le cas de nos plus grandes craintes. Ouvrir la porte à “Tout ce que l’on ne voit pas” signifie pénétrer dans un monde dangereux et obscur qui nous terrorise. 23 récits courts qui, dans des contextes différents, attiseront vos peurs. Un voyage dans une ambiance tendue qui vous amènera à remettre en question la réalité telle que vous la connaissez. Voisins, immortalité, vengeance, réincarnation, enlèvement, mauvais traitements… Des thèmes qui se mêlent au surnaturel, au mysticisme et à l’imagination, et qui vous feront douter de ce que vous considérez comme acquis jour après jour. Joan Llensa ne veut pas faire peur. Ce jeune auteur veut montrer ce qui se cache sous nos yeux, surprendre le lecteur et traverser avec lui la mince frontière qui sépare la lumière de l’obscurité, la réalité du mystère. Dans chaque histoire, vous découvrirez un monde que vous ne pensiez pas si proche et que vous n’oublierez plus, même une fois le livre fermé. Auras-tu le courage de traverser? Au top des livres les plus vendus en Espagne, Italie et au Mexique depuis sa publication.
The Secret of Vesalius
by Jordi LlobregatFrankenstein meets The Shadow of the Wind in a Gothic thriller set in the diabolical city of fin-de-siecle Barcelona.Daniel Amat has left Spain and all that happened there behind him. Having just achieved a brilliant role in Ancient Languages at Oxford University and an even more advantageous engagement, the arrival of a letter - a demand - stamped Barcelona comes like a cold hand from behind.He arrives back in that old, labyrinthine and near-mythic city a few days before the great 1888 World Fair, amid dread whispers of murders - the injuries reminiscent of an ancient curse, and bearing signs of the genius 16th century anatomist, Vesalius. Daniel is soon pulled into the depths of the crime, and eventually into the tunnels below Barcelona, where his own dark past and the future of science are joined in a terrible venture - to bring the secret of Vesalius to life.Gothic and gripping, this historical thriller makes of Barcelona a diabolical character - emerging out of the dark into a new electrical age, aflame with spirit, superstition and science. Published in eighteen countries, Jordi Llobregat's bestselling first novel mixes a passionate setting and cryptic mystery into a genre-crossing phenomenon.
The Secret of Vesalius
by Jordi LlobregatFrankenstein meets The Shadow of the Wind in a Gothic thriller set in the diabolical city of fin-de-siecle Barcelona.Daniel Amat has left Spain and all that happened there behind him. Having just achieved a brilliant role in Ancient Languages at Oxford University and an even more advantageous engagement, the arrival of a letter - a demand - stamped Barcelona comes like a cold hand from behind.He arrives back in that old, labyrinthine and near-mythic city a few days before the great 1888 World Fair, amid dread whispers of murders - the injuries reminiscent of an ancient curse, and bearing signs of the genius 16th century anatomist, Vesalius. Daniel is soon pulled into the depths of the crime, and eventually into the tunnels below Barcelona, where his own dark past and the future of science are joined in a terrible venture - to bring the secret of Vesalius to life.Gothic and gripping, this historical thriller makes of Barcelona a diabolical character - emerging out of the dark into a new electrical age, aflame with spirit, superstition and science. Published in eighteen countries, Jordi Llobregat's bestselling first novel mixes a passionate setting and cryptic mystery into a genre-crossing phenomenon.
Witch Daughter
by Elizabeth LloydThey told her she would hate it there. Everyone hated it there. Crestindown was a cruel place for a young girl of eight to begin a life of servitude as a dusting wench. Especially a young girl like Catherine with her sharp tongue and her fanciful ways. And her secret, shocking legacy... But Catherine could not conceive of the horrors that awaited her. The twisted evil that would seek to punish her for her mother's sins. Or the dark power within her own soul that would wreak a vengeance that no child should ever witness...
The Disciple
by Stephen Lloyd JonesTHE DISCIPLE, from highly acclaimed author of THE STRING DIARIES, Stephen Lloyd Jones, is a richly-imagined thrill ride for fans of Stephen King, Lauren Beukes and THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS. 'Ferocious and masterful' Starburst magazineThey are coming...On a storm-battered road at the edge of the Devil's Kitchen, a woman survives a fatal accident and gives birth to a girl who should never have lived.The child's protection lies in the hands of Edward Schwinn - a loner who must draw himself out of darkness to keep her safe - and her arrival will trigger a chain of terrifying events that no one can explain.She is a child like no other, being hunted by an evil beyond measure.For if the potential within her is realised, nothing will be the same. Not for Edward. Not for any who live to see it.THE NEW NOVEL BY STEPHEN LLOYD JONES IS AVAILABLE NOW - THE SILENCED: A DARK AND GRIPPING THRILLERPraise for Stephen Lloyd Jones's novels:'Will keep you awake late into the night' SFX magazine'Original, richly imagined and powerfully told' Guardian'So gripping you'll want to read late into the night; so terrifying you shouldn't' Simon Mayo, Radio 2 Book Club
The Memory Wood: the chilling, bestselling Richard & Judy book club pick – this year’s must-read thriller
by Sam LloydTHE MUST-READ RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK. Chilling, moving and unputdownable, The Memory Wood is a thriller like no other. 'Beautifully told, with two superbly drawn young protagonists, Lloyd is a rare new thriller talent' Daily Mail'Superbly creepy, with an unexpected twist' Guardian*************Elijah has lived in the Memory Wood for as long as he can remember. It's the only home he's ever known.Elissa has only just arrived. And she'll do everything she can to escape.When Elijah stumbles across thirteen-year-old Elissa, in the woods where her abductor is hiding her, he refuses to alert the police. Because in his twelve years, Elijah has never had a proper friend. And he doesn't want Elissa to leave.Not only that, Elijah knows how this can end. After all, Elissa isn't the first girl he's found inside the Memory Wood.As her abductor's behaviour grows more erratic, chess prodigy Elissa realises that outwitting strange, lonely Elijah is her only hope of survival. Their cat-and-mouse game of deception and betrayal will determine both their fates, and whether either of them will ever leave the Memory Wood . . .*************Praise for Sam Lloyd'An intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller' Shari Lapena, author of The Couple Next Door'Remarkable. Stunning prose and compulsive reading. It's undoubtedly the best thriller I've read in a long, long time' Lesley Kara, author of The Rumour'I haven't read anything quite this exciting since Room. You think all the stories have been told, then something like this comes along' Emma Curtis, author of The Night You Left'Brilliant writing, a terrifying story, and characters so real it feels like you know them. If you enjoy dark, twisty thrillers that stay with you, read this book' Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely WifeReaders love The Memory Wood 'A very clever psychological thriller. Dark, creepy and intense.' *****'Deliciously dark... fresh and imaginative.' *****'The twists and turns in The Memory Wood will astound. This book is undoubtedly the best I've read this year.' *****__________**** THE RISING TIDE, Sam Lloyd's electrifying new thriller, is available now****
Friend of the Devil
by Stephen LloydHigh school can be hell. Literally.A demonic detective novel best devoured in a single sitting--from acclaimed TV writer Stephen Lloyd. Welcome to Danforth Putnam, boarding school for the elite, sprawled across its own private island off the coast of New England. Sam, a war vet who feels sure he&’s seen it all, has been called here to find a stolen rare book. But as he corners D&D nerds, grills steroid-raging linemen, and interviews filthy-rich actresses, he soon senses that something far stranger—&“witchy&”, in fact—is afoot. When students start to meet mysterious and gruesome deaths, Sam realizes just how fast the clock is ticking. After joining forces with plucky, epilepsy-defying school reporter Harriet, Sam ventures into increasingly dark territory, unravelling a supernatural mystery that will upend everything he thinks he knows about this school—and then shatter his own reality. Toss Dracula into a blender, throw in a shot of hard-boiled detective fiction, splash in a couple drops of Stranger Things, and pour yourself a nice tall glass of Friend of the Devil.
Fervour
by Toby LloydThe Secret History meets Jewish horror meets Jonathan Safran Foer in this exciting debut novel about a Jewish family in contemporary London.Hannah and Eric are a successful couple living in North London with their three children and Eric's father, Yosef, a survivor of the camps. They are devout Jews who believe in the literal truth of the Old Testament, all except for their youngest son, Tovyah.The death of Yosef fractures the family's apparent harmony and has a disastrous effect on Elsie, the model daughter, who disappears for four days, plunging her parents and siblings into a living nightmare. When she returns, just as mysteriously as she left, she is strangely altered. Witnessing the complete transformation of their daughter's personality and some increasingly hard-to-explain events, Hannah and Eric begin to suspect Elsie is under the influence of black magic while Tovyah, a brilliant university student, believes his sister is suffering a mental collapse caused by his parents' antiquated beliefs. But who is right? And can the family be reconciled before tearing itself apart?(P)2024 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Fervour
by Toby Lloyd'Intriguing, propulsive and profoundly disturbing, this is a fearless look into the dark heart of family politics from a naturally gifted storyteller'JONATHAN COE'A suspenseful debut novel that propels the reader deep into the heart of an idiosyncratic family'OBSERVER'Remarkable . . . a work of real poignancy'DAILY MAIL'Extraordinary. . . A tremendous debut from a strikingly talented new writer'KIRKUS (starred review)'Gripping and powerful . . . Fans of Isaac Bashevis Singer and Stephen King alike will thrill to this superb modern folk tale'PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)'In this debut that explores identity, faith, and folklore . . . the dynamics are acutely observed, the characters vividly realised, and the escalating drama has the hypnotic, chilling effect of a horror film'BOOKSELLER (Editor's Choice)THE ROSENTHALS ARE NOT LIKE OTHER FAMILIESHannah and Eric are devout Jews living in North London with their three children and Eric's father Yosef, a Holocaust survivor. Both intellectually gifted and deeply unconventional, the Rosenthals believe in the literal truth of the Old Testament and in the presence of God (and evil) in daily life.As Hannah prepares to publish a sensationalist account of Yosef's years in war-torn Europe - unearthing a terrible secret from his time in the camps- Elsie, her perfect daughter, starts to come undone. And then, in the wake of Yosef's death, she disappears. When she returns, just as mysteriously as she left, she is altered in disturbing ways.Witnessing the complete transformation of her daughter, Hannah begins to suspect that Elsie has delved too deep into the labyrinths of Jewish mysticism and got lost among shadows. But for Elsie's brother Tovyah, a brilliant but reclusive student at Oxford, the truth is much simpler: his sister is the product of a dysfunctional family, obsessed with empty rituals and unbridled ambition.But who is right? And how can they stop the darkness from engulfing Elsie forever?