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Stories from the Plague Years
by Michael MaranoFrom the author of the Bram Stoker Award–winning Dawn Song: “The kind of horror that gets under your skin and picks away at your brain” (Tor.com). Stories from the Plague Years is the first fiction collection from award-winning fantasy author Michael Marano. Nine tales arranged in a haunting symphony that guide readers through a tour of the darkest landscapes of human existence. Here, fury and hate grow so strong, they cannot be held within one man’s body, and manifest themselves to devastating effect. Cities contain second, unseen cities populated by the vengeful ghosts of those who died too soon. Countries fall to famine and war. But these are also the tales of love lasting beyond death, love existing beyond all hope, and friendships never forgotten. Within are the widely praised stories “Winter Requiem,” “The Siege,” and the controversial “Burden,” as well as two original novellas, including the Shirley Jackson Award–nominated “Displacement.” Marano, acclaimed for his evocative voice, paints lush portraits both terrifying and tender, injecting even the darkest of fantasies with a punk rock sensibility and a touch of the humane. With Stories from the Plague Years, he presents snapshots of a time when our world collided with evil, sickness, and self-destruction, and left behind lasting scars on those who dared to survive. “Few horror authors are better equipped to write about madness than Marano. With an expansive vocabulary, a tenacious commitment to poetic prose, and a willingness to follow whatever discursive paths his whim takes, Marano is an acquired taste—but without doubt possessed of a unique talent.” —Booklist
The Stories of Ray Bradbury: Space Stories: Jonah Of The Jove-run, Zero Hour, Rocket Summer, Lorelei Of The Red Mist (Everyman's Library Contemporary Classics Ser.)
by Ray BradburyAn extensive collection of imaginative short stories by a National Medal of the Arts–winning author of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and suspense.Fly to Mars and explore the mysteries of the red planet. Journey through time to futures ruled by cold computers and hear the deafening roar of dinosaurs in the past. Sing the body electric and look into the mechanical eyes of androids that want to replace human life as we know it. Visit idyllic landscapes and nostalgic towns that hide sinister secrets. Available in one massive collection for the first time digitally, experience the wondrous mind of Ray Bradbury through one hundred of his all-time greatest tales. These are the stories that ask &“What if?,&” the stories that make the mind turn, and those that are, in the true spirit of Ray Bradbury, best read under the safety of a blanket. Featuring works from Dark Carnival (1947), The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), The Golden Apples of the Sun (1953), Fahrenheit 451 (1953), The October Country (1955), Dandelion Wine (1957), A Medicine for Melancholy (1959), R Is for Rocket (1962), The Machineries of Joy (1964), S Is for Space (1966), I Sing the Body Electric! (1969), and Long After Midnight (1976)—as well as six additional stories available only in this collection—this is the best of Bradbury over numerous decades, thoughtfully compiled from the seminal short story collections that marked his illustrious career.
Stories of Terror and the Supernatural
by Herman GrafGhosts, murder, demonic possession, and psychological torment: these are just some of the subjects taken up by the unparalleled writers in this superb collection. Lovers of the supernatural will discover the true masters of the genre, and readers of classic literature will discover another side of their favorite Victorian, French, and American authors. In "La Grande Bretèche" by the great French nineteenth-century writer Honoré de Balzac, a doctor discovers an abandoned manor with a disturbing history. Victorian master Thomas Hardy's "The Three Strangers" proves just how hard it is to judge a man's character, even when a life is at stake. In Robert Louis Stevenson's exciting and suspenseful trilogy "The Suicide Club," a detective delves into a dark association whose members are intent on losing their lives. And in "Green Tea," by the incomparable ghost-story writer Sheridan Le Fanu, a detective of the occult investigates the case of a clergyman haunted by a demon in the form of an ethereal monkey. This chilling collection also includes stories by: Edgar Allan PoeHenry JamesWilla Cather Charles Dickens Guy de Maupassant Rudyard Kipling Nathaniel Hawthorne Charlotte Brontë And more
Stories to Keep You Alive Despite Vampires
by Ben AckerThis fourth wall–breaking middle grade collection of spooky, scary, and spoopy stories for fans of Lemony Snicket and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark might just help you survive the night in a house full of vampires.If you are reading this book, then you must be trapped in that spooky house with those vampires. Sorry about that. But! You might just make it out if you manage to tell them one scary story each night in accordance with standard vampire rules. Don&’t know any scary stories? Good thing you found this book! Every tale in this tome is true…more or less (more more than less). You get a little bit of everything in this monster mash: from hitchhiking phantoms to women in white, a carnivore beast that loves a good vacation to a haunted mannequin with a bug problem, killer phones, concerned werewolves, you name it. Everything you need to keep those vampires on the edge of their seats—and well away from your neck. But beware…don&’t get too comfortable. Names have power, and if you whisper about too many things in the dark, they might just hear you.
Storm: Elementals 1 (Elemental #1)
by Brigid Kemmerer"This book will take your breath away." --Kim Harrington, author of Clarity and PerceptionBecca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys--all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water--just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death. And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca. Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all. The storm is coming. . ."Five hot guys, one tough heroine, plenty of romance and non-stop action. . ..Elemental is the new series to watch." --Inara Scott, author of The Marked "Magic, suspense, and enough twists to keep you reading until sunrise." --Award-winning author Erica O'Rourke
Storm
by Nicola SkinnerThe sinister eeriness of Doll Bones meets the dark humor of Lemony Snicket in this smart middle grade ghost story.Frances—you can call her Frankie—was not a happy baby. She was born amidst chaos, to two loving but unprepared parents. On a beach. In a storm. No wonder she’s always had a temper.And you know what did nothing to quell her anger? Dying dramatically in a freak natural disaster that wiped out her whole town.As a ghost, it’s not so easy for Frankie to hide her rage, especially when suspicious visitors to her ruined home seem to have a keen and ominous interest in her. But when you were born with a storm inside you—sometimes the only way to calm it is to finally let it out. Readers who loved the heart of books like Shouting at the Rain and Orphan Island will love following Frankie’s ghostly journey.
Storm
by Amanda SunAfter almost a year in Japan, Katie Greene has finally unearthed the terrible secret behind her boyfriend Tomohiro's deadly ability to bring drawings to life-not only is he descended from Kami, the ancient Japanese gods, but he is the heir to a tragedy that occurred long ago, a tragedy that is about to repeat. =Even as the blood of a vengeful god rages inside Tomo, Katie is determined to put his dark powers to sleep. In order to do so, she and Tomo must journey to find the three Imperial Treasures of Japan. Gifts from the goddess Amaterasu herself, these treasures could unlock all of the secrets about Tomo's volatile ancestry and quell the ink's lust for destruction. But in order to complete their quest, Tomo and Katie must confront out-of-control Kami and former friend Jun, who has begun his own quest of revenge against those he believes have wronged him. To save the world, and themselves, Katie and Tomo will be up against one of the darkest Kami creations they've ever encountered-and they may not make it out alive.
The Storm Beneath a Midnight Sun
by Alexander Dan VilhjálmssonReturning to the world of Shadows of the Short Days, it's time to go beyond Reykjavík to Hrímland's remote islands . . .CHANGE DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN FOR THE BETTER.War on the mainland is draining Reykjavík. For some, the remote islands off Hrímland's coast are their only hope of survival.Elka, a recovering addict, has fled there with her son Sölvi. In their village they find a new life - all thanks to the Deep, a peculiar power their neighbours praise for the booming fishing industry. Everything seems perfect, but Sölvi does not trust the people who take his mother in.Kari is a professor of sorcery, recruited for a career-making venture - an excavation of an ancient power. He must go deep into the magical wasteland, find what is buried there, and turn the tide of the war forever. But the world might not be ready for the storm he will unearth . . .* * * * * * * * * *'A marvellous, quirky, original fantasy' Joanne Harris, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Strawberry Thief on Shadows of the Short Days'One of the most ambitious, intense, original and thrilling debuts I've read in a long time' Grimdark Magazine on Shadows of the Short Days'Fresh and exciting: full of dark, demonic, revolutionary shenanigans' Peter Newman, author of The Vagrant on Shadows of the Short Days
The Storm Beneath a Midnight Sun
by Alexander Dan VilhjálmssonReturning to the world of Shadows of the Short Days, it's time to go beyond Reykjavík to Hrímland's remote islands . . .CHANGE DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN FOR THE BETTER.War on the mainland is draining Reykjavík. For some, the remote islands off Hrímland's coast are their only hope of survival.Elka, a recovering addict, has fled there with her son Sölvi. In their village they find a new life - all thanks to the Deep, a peculiar power their neighbours praise for the booming fishing industry. Everything seems perfect, but Sölvi does not trust the people who take his mother in.Kari is a professor of sorcery, recruited for a career-making venture - an excavation of an ancient power. He must go deep into the magical wasteland, find what is buried there, and turn the tide of the war forever. But the world might not be ready for the storm he will unearth . . .* * * * * * * * * *'A marvellous, quirky, original fantasy' Joanne Harris, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Strawberry Thief on Shadows of the Short Days'One of the most ambitious, intense, original and thrilling debuts I've read in a long time' Grimdark Magazine on Shadows of the Short Days'Fresh and exciting: full of dark, demonic, revolutionary shenanigans' Peter Newman, author of The Vagrant on Shadows of the Short Days
Storm Born (Dark Swan #1)
by Richelle MeadA spirit hunter is the target of deadly danger and Otherworldly lust in a paranormal thriller by the New York Times bestselling author of Vampire Academy. Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world. Call her a mercenary if you want, but it&’s just business to her. Until now. Hired to find a teenager who&’s been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie encounters a startling prophecy—one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that her first-born will threaten the future of the world. Now Eugenie is a hot target for every ambitious demon in the Otherworld, and the ones who don't want to knock her up want her dead. Eugenie handles a Glock as smoothly as she wields a wand, but she needs some formidable allies for a job like this. She finds them in Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a taste for bondage, and Kiyo, a gorgeous shape-shifter who redefines animal attraction. But with enemies growing bolder and time running out, the greatest danger is yet to come, and it lies in the dark powers that are stirring to life within Eugenie herself."Storm Born is my kind of book -- great characters, dark worlds, and just the right touch of humor. A great read." --Patricia Briggs
Storm Demon
by Gregory LambersonIn the fifth book in the Jake Helman Files series, private investigator Jake Helman returns to New York City after fighting the battle of his life on Pavot Island to save his best friend, Edgar. He's anxious to start a new life with NYPD homicide detective Maria Vasquez, but first he must search for psychic healer Laurel Doniger who disappeared while he was away. As Jake investigates Laurel's secret past, he's drawn into a conflict with a being who has existed since the dawn of mankind. This creature is known by many names-Lilith, succubus, witch, storm demon-but Jake and his allies will come to know her as the Storm Demon, and she'll destroy New York City to take revenge on those who interfere with her plans.
Storm Demon
by Gregory LambersonIn the fifth book in the Jake Helman Files series, private investigator Jake Helman returns to New York City after fighting the battle of his life on Pavot Island to save his best friend, Edgar. He's anxious to start a new life with NYPD homicide detective Maria Vasquez, but first he must search for psychic healer Laurel Doniger who disappeared while he was away. As Jake investigates Laurel's secret past, he's drawn into a conflict with a being who has existed since the dawn of mankind. This creature is known by many names-Lilith, succubus, witch, storm demon-but Jake and his allies will come to know her as the Storm Demon, and she'll destroy New York City to take revenge on those who interfere with her plans.
Storm Demon
by Gregory LambersonIn the fifth book in the Jake Helman Files series, private investigator Jake Helman returns to New York City after fighting the battle of his life on Pavot Island to save his best friend, Edgar. He's anxious to start a new life with NYPD homicide detective Maria Vasquez, but first he must search for psychic healer Laurel Doniger who disappeared while he was away. As Jake investigates Laurel's secret past, he's drawn into a conflict with a being who has existed since the dawn of mankind. This creature is known by many names-Lilith, succubus, witch, storm demon-but Jake and his allies will come to know her as the Storm Demon, and she'll destroy New York City to take revenge on those who interfere with her plans.
Storm Front: The Dresden Files, Book One (Dresden Files #1)
by Jim Butcher'The Dresden Files is my favourite series ever' Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind***THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLING SERIES*** Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I.Turns out the 'everyday' world is full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in.Harry's business as a private investigator has been quiet lately - so when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, he's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name. Magic - it can get a guy killed. The first case file of Harry Dresden, private investigator and wizard, Storm Front is the first novel in the Sunday Times bestselling Dresden Files series, perfect for fans of Supernatural and urban fantasy fiction by authors such as Benedict Jacka and Ben Aaronovitch.'Butcher's storytelling is satisfying on a level that's bone-deep' io9'One of the most reliable post-Buffy supernatural thriller series on offer'Time Out'Dresden has a vitality that few urban fantasy heroes can match'SFXThe Dresden Files novels begin with STORM FRONT, and continue with FOOL MOON, GRAVE PERIL, SUMMER KNIGHT, DEATH MASKS, BLOOD RITES, DEAD BEAT, PROVEN GUILTY, WHITE NIGHT, SMALL FAVOUR, TURN COAT, CHANGES, GHOST STORY, COLD DAYS and SKIN GAME.For more of Harry Dresden's adventures, check out the Dresden Files short story collections SIDE JOBS and BRIEF CASES.
The Storm Lord (Wars of Vis #1)
by Tanith LeeA recognized master fantasist, Tanith Lee has won multiple awards for her craft, including the British Fantasy Award, the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, and the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Horror. In the land of Dorthar, the Storm Lord reigns as king. According to law, the Storm Lord’s youngest son will be the rightful heir. His queen, the cunning and ambitious Val Mara, intends her young son, Amrek, to be that heir. But fate has other ideas. When the Storm Lord abducts a Lowlander priestess, conceives a child with her, and then dies in mysterious circumstances, the unborn baby of that union suddenly becomes the heir to a vast kingdom—a situation that Val Mara is eager to rectify. When his mother also dies, the infant, Raldnor, must be taken far from the Storm Lord’s stronghold to escape the queen’s murderous wrath, forsaking all knowledge of his royal heritage. Raldnor grows up among the people of the Plains, but he is set apart from his friends and neighbors by the mystery of his past. Meanwhile, Amrek has taken the throne as his mother intended. If Raldnor is to reclaim his destiny and defeat the usurper who has taken his place, he will have to survive trials of strength, political sabotage, and threats against his life, regaining his birthright as the true Storm Lord of Dorthar.
The Storm Lords
by Ravon SilviusThe heat took everything from Rowen: his parents, his voice when the local cure for heatstroke poisoned him, and the trust of his fellow villagers, who branded him a water thief. It would have claimed his life when he was deemed unworthy of precious resources and left in the sun to die, had not a strange man named Kristoff ridden in on the wind and told Rowen he had power. Rowen works hard to become a Storm Lord, one of a secret magical group that brings storms to break the heat waves overtaking their world. But Rowen is starting his training at a disadvantage since he cannot speak and is much older than the other novices. The desire to please Kristoff inspires him to persevere even more than the threat of being sent back to his village to die should he fail. Still, he cannot gather rain, and when his abilities manifest, they are unlike anything known to the Storm Lords. Unless Kristoff can help him control his deadly powers, the entire world will be in danger. Kristoff might be among the mightiest of the Storm Lords, but he’s never been a mentor before. For a chance to be with Rowen, he’s willing to risk everything.
Storm of Secrets: A Haunted Bluffs Mystery (A Haunted Bluffs Mystery #2)
by Loretta MarionA deadly storm, a missing three-year-old child, a grisly murder, and the eerie presence of the spirits of the dead set the stage for the second mesmerizing installment of Loretta Marion's paranormal suspense series.A powerful storm descends upon Cape Cod's Whale Rock at the peak of tourist season--and the weekend Cassandra Mitchell's and Daniel Benjamin's wedding is set to take place at The Bluffs, the magnificent Victorian mansion Cassie inherited from her family. In the wake of the storm's destruction, three-year-old Lucas Kleister goes missing--and the body of small-time drug dealer Lee Chambers is found in a restaurant dumpster. Now, the WRPD are faced with a murder to solve, a missing child to find, and the aftermath of one of the worst storms in recent memory.While aiding with the clean-up and helping the displaced, Cassie has been receiving cryptic messages from the spirits of her great-grandparents, Percy and Celeste Mitchell, the original residents of The Bluffs. At first, the messages are benign, but soon, they begin to point to something more sinister. As Cassie works to decipher their meaning, the specter of a mysterious local legend surfaces. The tale of Barnacle Boy--and what happened to him during another destructive storm decades earlier--will weave through the desperate search to find Lucas and the identity of the killer.
A Storm of Sisters (A Pinch of Magic Adventure)
by Michelle HarrisonThere are secrets hidden beneath the ice . . . bring the magic home in the frosty fourth instalment of the bestselling Pinch of Magic Adventures, from the award-winning Michelle Harrison. Pre-order now! When the Widdershins sisters and Granny are called away in deepest winter to look after cousin Clarissa, it doesn&’t take long for adventure – or trouble – to find them. The town of Wilderness has plenty to explore with its frozen lake and winter market, as well as being haunted by a doomed highwayman and his secret love. But the legends are true and seeing a ghostly figure one night, the girls realise that Granny is in terrible danger. As an icy storm rages, the race to save her begins – can the sisters lay Wilderness&’s ghosts to rest before another soul is claimed? Praise for the Pinch of Magic Adventures: &‘Harrison&’s fully imagined world has conviction, and the perils of the story are lightened by the warmth and spirit of its characters&’ The Sunday Times 'BRILLIANT' Emma Carroll, author of Letters From The Lighthouse 'Simply phenomenal!' Sophie Anderson, author of The House With Chicken Legs 'I was utterly captivated by the Widdershins sisters' Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish Boy &‘Gutsy and rude, full of warts-and-all family love, Harrison&’s latest has the wry enchantment of an E Nesbit classic&’ Guardian &‘A fabulous magical adventure&’ Sunday Express &‘Fantasy and adventure appear on every page of this spellbinding tale&’ Daily Mail
Storm of the Century: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935
by Stephen KingFor the first time in Stephen King's remarkable publishing history, the master storyteller presents an all-new, original tale written expressly for the television screen.They're calling it the Storm of the Century, and it's coming hard. The residents of Little Tall Island have seen their share of nasty Maine Nor'easters, but this one is different. Not only is it packing hurricane-force winds and up to five feet of snow, it's bringing something worse. Something even the islanders have never seen before. Something no one wants to see.Just as the first flakes begin to fall, Martha Clarendon, one of Little Tall Island's oldest residents, suffers an unspeakably violent death. While her blood dries, Andre Linoge, the man responsible sits calmly in Martha's easy chair holding his cane topped with a silver wolf's head...waiting.Linoge knows the townsfolk will come to arrest him. He will let them. For he has come to the island for one reason. And when he meets Constable Mike Anderson, his beautiful wife and child, and the rest of Little Tall's tight-knit community, this stranger will make one simple proposition to them all:"If you give me what I want, I'll go away."
Storm Watcher (The Watcher Series, Book #2)
by Lilith SaintcrowAll Mariamne Niege wants is to finish her thesis and get a job. Unfortunately, she's a Guardian now, and her visions of the future have grown so intense she is literally blind to the world while in their grip. Another complication is her Watcher, Hanson, who is sleeping on her couch and scaring her roommates, when he's not shepherding her through the visions and calming her progressively worsening nightmares. Then the earthquakes start, warning of an even bigger disaster--a disaster that could level her beloved city and claim both Mari's and her best friend's lives. A disaster her visions say are triggered by Hanson, even though he's sworn to protect her. Hanson has his own problems. He joined the Watchers to atone for a life of lies, but it seems the only way he can stay close enough to Mari to protect her is to use some of his less than honest talents. She is the only witch who can ease the agony of being a Watcher, and the only woman in the world he wants, but the distance between them grows daily. Then Mari's house is broken into and her roommates slaughtered by the Dark. In order to save Mari from the evil that hunts her, he's going to have to become more of the Dark himself, more of what frightens her, and risk losing her forever.
The Storm Weaver & the Sand: Third Book Of The Change (Books of the Change #3)
by Sean WilliamsSal and his friend Shilly have been joined by a third refugee, Skendar, by the time they make their way to the remote island that is the home of the famous, feared Haunted City, home of the Sky Wardens. Sal&’s great aunt, the Syndic, is also there, and she is determined to keep Sal under control, even if she has to imprison him to do it. But there are greater threats even than that. The ghosts that live behind the ancient glass of the City are restless. No one can say why they are stirred up and no one has any idea what they can do if they act. The golem is determined to make Sal do its bidding and will not stop short of murder to obtain his obedience. It appears that the Weavers have plans as well, yet no one knows, or will admit knowing, whether the legendary Weavers even exist or what they are. Beset on all sides by dangerous powers and controlling agendas, Sal must find a way to choose his own path . . . or submit to a fate not of his own making.
Stormbringer
by Alis FranklinIn Liesmith, a "wildly entertaining debut novel . . . guaranteed to resonate with fans of mythopoeic fantasy from the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien, George R. R. Martin, and Neil Gaiman" (Library Journal), Alis Franklin introduced a band of charming, unforgettable heroes. Now they're playing host to reincarnated Norse gods who are settling ancient grudges in the twenty-first century. Ragnarok--aka the end of the world--was supposed to doom the gods as well. Instead, it was a cosmic rebooting. Now low-level IT tech and comic-book geek Sigmund Sussman finds himself an avatar of a Norse goddess. His boyfriend, the wealthy entrepreneur Lain Laufeyjarson, is channeling none other than Loki, the trickster god. His best friends, Em and Wayne, harbor the spirits of slain Valkyries. Cool, right? The problem is, the gods who survived the apocalypse are still around--and they don't exactly make a great welcoming committee. The children of Thor are hellbent on reclaiming their scattered birthright: the gloves, belt, and hammer of the Thunder God. Meanwhile, the dwarves are scheming, the giants are pissed, and the goddess of the dead is demanding sanctuary for herself and her entire realm. Caught in the coils of the Wyrd, the ancient force that governs gods and mortals alike, Sigmund and his crew are suddenly facing a second Ragnarok that threatens to finish what the first one started. And all that stands in the way are four nerds bound by courage, love, divine powers, and an encyclopedic knowledge of gaming lore.
The Story Keeper: A twisty, atmospheric story of folk tales, family secrets and disappearances
by Anna MazzolaFrom the author of THE UNSEEING comes a sizzling, period novel of folk tales, disappearances and injustice set on the Isle of Skye, sure to appeal to readers of Hannah Kent's BURIAL RITES or Beth Underdown's THE WITCH FINDER'S SISTER.Longlisted for the 2018 Highland Book Prize'A wonderful combination of a thrilling mystery and a perfectly depicted period piece' Sunday MirrorAudrey Hart is on the Isle of Skye to collect the folk and fairy tales of the people and communities around her. It is 1857 and the Highland Clearances have left devastation and poverty, and a community riven by fear. The crofters are suspicious and hostile to a stranger, claiming they no longer know their fireside stories. Then Audrey discovers the body of a young girl washed up on the beach and the crofters reveal that it is only a matter of weeks since another girl disappeared. They believe the girls are the victims of the restless dead: spirits who take the form of birds. Initially, Audrey is sure the girls are being abducted, but as events accumulate she begins to wonder if something else is at work. Something which may be linked to the death of her own mother, many years before.
The Story Keeper: A twisty, atmospheric story of folk tales, family secrets and disappearances
by Anna MazzolaFrom the author of THE UNSEEING comes a sizzling, period novel of folk tales, disappearances and injustice set on the Isle of Skye, sure to appeal to readers of Hannah Kent's BURIAL RITES or Beth Underdown's THE WITCH FINDER'S SISTER.'A wonderful combination of a thrilling mystery and a perfectly depicted period piece' Sunday MirrorAudrey Hart is on the Isle of Skye to collect the folk and fairy tales of the people and communities around her. It is 1857 and the Highland Clearances have left devastation and poverty, and a community riven by fear. The crofters are suspicious and hostile to a stranger, claiming they no longer know their fireside stories. Then Audrey discovers the body of a young girl washed up on the beach and the crofters reveal that it is only a matter of weeks since another girl disappeared. They believe the girls are the victims of the restless dead: spirits who take the form of birds. Initially, Audrey is sure the girls are being abducted, but as events accumulate she begins to wonder if something else is at work. Something which may be linked to the death of her own mother, many years before.
The Story of a Lie (Hesperus Classics)
by Robert Louis StevensonA chance encounter in a Parisian café leads to a series of unfortunate misunderstandings that threaten to bring to a premature and irreconcilable end the envisioned marriage between a pair of young lovers. When eligible bachelor Dick Naseby meets the lovely young Esther Van Tromp— a woman estranged from her cherished father, a talented artist whose success takes him around the world— he is too well-bred and smitten with her to confess the truth: he knows her father well. He wrongly believes that to reveal the truth would cause great harm, and the consequences of his deceit soon become tangible.