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The House of Thunder: A psychological thriller of masterful suspense
by Dean KoontzHow do you know what is real when you wake into a nightmare? The House of Thunder is an unforgettable novel of terror and murder from bestselling novelist Dean Koontz. Perfect for fans of Richard Laymon and Harlan Coben. 'Dean Koontz is a prose stylist whose lyricism heightens malevolence and tension. [He creates] characters of unusual richness and depth' - The Seattle Times In a cavern called The House of Thunder, Susan Thorton watched in terror as her lover died a brutal death in a college hazing. And in the following four years, the four young men who participated in that grim fraternity rite also died violently. Or did they?Twelve years later Susan wakes in a hospital bed. Apparently involved in a fatal accident, she is suffering from amnesia. She doesn't remember who she is or why she is there. All she knows is that her convalescence is unfolding into a fearful nightmare - and that the faces that surround her, pretending loving care, are those of the four men involved in that murder years before.Have the dead come back to life? Or has Susan plunged into the abyss of madness? With the help of her neurosurgeon, Susan desperately clings to her sanity while fighting to uncover who or what could be stalking her... What readers are saying about The House of Thunder: 'I have never read a book so filled with mystery and suspense''Koontz creates several ingenious plot twists and mysteries, some of which had me gasping out loud, they were so fantastic''Wonderful plot and living, breathing characters are of course the norm from Koontz, but this book has an indefinable quality about it that sets it apart from the others'
The House of Velvet and Glass
by Katherine HoweKatherine Howe, author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, returns with an entrancing historical novel set in Boston in 1915, where a young woman stands on the cusp of a new century, torn between loss and love, driven to seek answers in the depths of a crystal ball.Still reeling from the deaths of her mother and sister on the Titanic, Sibyl Allston is living a life of quiet desperation with her taciturn father and scandal-plagued brother in an elegant town house in Boston's Back Bay. Trapped in a world over which she has no control, Sybil flees for solace to the parlor of a table-turning medium.But when her brother is suddenly kicked out of Harvard under mysterious circumstances and falls under the sway of a strange young woman, Sibyl turns for help to psychology professor Benton Jones, despite the unspoken tensions of their shared past. As Benton and Sibyl work together to solve a harrowing mystery, their long-simmering spark flares to life, and they realize that there may be something even more magical between them than a medium's scrying glass.From the opium dens of Boston's Chinatown to the opulent salons of high society, from the back alleys of colonial Shanghai to the decks of the Titanic, The House of Velvet and Glass weaves together meticulous period detail, intoxicating romance, and a final shocking twist in a breathtaking novel that will thrill readers.Bonus features in the eBook: Katherine Howe's essay on scrying; Boston Daily Globe article on the Titanic from April 15, 1912; and a Reading Group Guide and Q&A with the author, Katherine Howe.
The House of War and Witness
by Mike Carey Linda Carey Louise Carey“A fantastical ghost story and a suspenseful military mystery . . . A daringly original fantasy novel” from the authors of The Steel Seraglio (Publishers Weekly). 1740. With the whole of Europe balanced on the brink of war, an Austrian regiment is sent to the furthest frontier of the empire to hold the border against the might of Prussia. Their garrison, the ancient house called Pokoj. But Pokoj is already inhabited by a company of ghosts from every age of the house’s history. Only Drozde, the quartermaster’s mistress, can see them, and terrifyingly they welcome her as a friend. As these ageless phantoms tell their stories, Drozde gets chilling glimpses not just of Pokoj’s past but of a looming menace in its future. Meanwhile the humorless lieutenant Klaes pursues another mystery. Why are the people of the neighboring village so surly and withdrawn, so reluctant to welcome the soldiers who are there to protect them? What are they hiding? And what happened to the local militia unit that was stationed at Pokoj before the regiment arrived? The camp follower and the officer make their separate journeys to the same appalling discovery—an impending catastrophe that will sweep away villagers and soldiers alike. Perhaps neither of them can prevail. If they do, it will be with the help of the restless dead . . . “TheHouse of War and Witness burns slow to start, but by the end it burns fiercely. It’s a compelling, accomplished novel, deft with its characters and interesting with its themes.” —Strange Horizons
The House of War and Witness
by M. R. Carey Linda Carey Louise CareyIn the year 1740, with the whole of Europe balanced on the brink of war, a company of Austrian soldiers is sent to the village of Narutsin to defend the border with Prussia. But what should be a routine posting is quickly revealed to be anything but. The previous garrison is gone, the great house of Pokoj, where they're to be billeted, a dilapidated ruin, and the people of Narutsin sullen and belligerent. Convinced the villagers are keeping secrets - and possibly consorting with the enemy - the commanding officer orders his junior lieutenant, Klaes, to investigate. While Klaes sifts through the villagers' truths, half-truths and lies, Drozde, the quartermaster's woman, is making uncomfortable discoveries of her own - about herself, her man, and the house where they've all been thrown together. Because far from being the empty shell it appears to be, Pokoj is actually teeming with people. It's just that they're all dead. And the dead know things - about Drozde, about the history of Pokoj, and about the terrible event that is rushing towards them all, seemingly unstoppable. The ghosts of Pokoj, the soldiers of the empress and the villagers of Narutsin are about to find themselves actors in a story that has been unfolding for centuries. It will end in blood - that much is written - but how much blood will depend on Klaes' honour, Drozde's skill and courage, and the keeping of an impossible promise...
The House of War and Witness
by Mike Carey Linda Carey Louise Carey&“A fantastical ghost story and a suspenseful military mystery . . . A daringly original fantasy novel&” from the acclaimed authors of The Steel Seraglio (Publishers Weekly, starred review). In 1740, an Austrian infantry company more than two hundred strong arrives at the Prussian border. Their orders: to defend the town of Narutsin when war—inevitably—breaks out. But they don&’t get the warm welcome they&’re expecting. If anything, the locals seem strangely secretive, and the soldiers who previously garrisoned in the village have disappeared. Fearing the villagers may be consorting with the enemy, the commander orders his prim young lieutenant Klaes to investigate . . . On the outskirts of town, in a dilapidated manor known as Pokoj, the road-weary soldiers make their home for the winter. Accompanying them is Drozde, a camp follower and entertainer who possesses a very special talent: she can see and communicate with the dead. She&’s the only one who knows that the crumbling mansion is far from empty. It&’s teeming with ghosts—and they know her. Each spirit tells Drozde how they became a part of Pokoj&’s sprawling history, hinting at its future as well as its past. As she listens to their tales, it becomes apparent that the story of the manor hasn&’t yet ended—and that she and Klaes have their own parts to play in the horror that is to come . . . &“All of the characters come alive on the pages—even the ghosts. . . . A compelling, accomplished novel.&” —Strange Horizons &“Delightfully odd . . . Subtle horror and extra special creepiness . . . A fine example of what the Careys are capable of.&” —Starburst
The House of Whispers: A Novel
by Laura PurcellA new gothic Victorian tale from Laura Purcell, set on the atmospheric Cornish coast in a rambling house by the sea in which a maid cares for a mute old woman with a mysterious past, alongside her superstitious staff.Consumption has ravaged Louise Pinecroft's family, leaving her and her father alone and heartbroken. But Dr. Pinecroft has plans for a revolutionary experiment: convinced that sea air will prove to be the cure his wife and children needed, he arranges to house a group of prisoners suffering from the disease in the caves beneath his new Cornish home. While he devotes himself to his controversial medical trials, Louise finds herself increasingly discomfited by the strange tales her new maid tells of the fairies that hunt the land, searching for those they can steal away to their realm.Forty years later, Hester arrives at Morvoren House to take up a position as nurse to the now partially paralyzed and mute Miss Pinecroft. Hester has fled to Cornwall to try to escape her past, but surrounded by superstitious staff enacting bizarre rituals, she soon discovers her new home may be just as dangerous as her last.
The House of the Dead and Poor Folk
by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Constance Garnett2 novels that reflect the brutal conditions and horrors that Dostoyevsky witnessed while he was in prison in Siberia.
The House of the Vampire
by George Sylvester Viereck"He felt the presence of the hand of Reginald Clark - unmistakably - groping in his brain as if searching for something that had still escaped him. He tried to move, to cry out, but his limbs were paralyzed. When, by a superhuman effort, he at last succeeded in shaking off the numbness that held him enchained, he awoke just in time to see a figure, that of a man, disappearing in the wall that separated Reginald's apartments from his room..."This vampire doesn't want the blood from your veins; he's after the ideas in your head. The hypnotic Reginald Clarke chooses his victims for their artistic abilities, charms them, and discards them after robbing them of their gifts. Originally published in 1907, this gothic novella was among the first stories of its type and remains a gripping tale of psychic vampirism.
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel CleetonNamed an Anticipated Read of 2024 by Entertainment Weekly and a Best Historical Fiction novel of 2024 by BookBub.As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton&’s atmospheric new novel.With the Great War finally behind them, many Americans flock to South Florida with their sights set on making a fortune. When wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate on Biscayne Bay, they become the toast of the newly burgeoning society. Anna and Robert appear to have it all, but in a town like Miami, appearances can be deceiving, and one scandal can change everything.Years later following the tragic death of her parents in Havana, Carmen Acosta journeys to Marbrisa, the grand home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but Carmen quickly learns that nothing at Marbrisa is as it seems. The house has a treacherous legacy, and Carmen&’s own life is soon in jeopardy . . . unless she can unravel the secrets buried beneath the mansion&’s facade and stop history from repeating itself.
The House on Buzzards Bay: A Novel
by Dwyer Murphy&“Gothic chill wafts like ocean mist throughout this tale of college friends reuniting at an old house one them has inherited.&” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR&’s Fresh AirWhen a group of old college friends reunites for a summer vacation at a beach house in coastal Massachusetts, a sudden disappearance and the arrival of a seductive stranger threaten to unearth the darkest secrets of their relationships.As they hurtle into midlife, Jim and his closest college friends get together to rekindle the bonds of their friendship in his family&’s beautiful, generations-old vacation home along Buzzards Bay, the demands of work and family having caused them to drift apart over recent years. But what begins as a quiet and restorative seaside escape takes a darker turn when Bruce, an aloof but successful writer, disappears from the house without a trace, sending the group into an uneasy tension.Meanwhile, a series of mysterious break-ins besets the town, which is the site of an old Spiritualist campground turned idyllic fishing village. After a series of uncanny disturbances at the house, Jim can&’t help but feel that someone—or something—is watching them from the other side of the marsh. And with the arrival of a strange, seductive guest at their home, the group begins to question the very nature of their experiences—along with their already precarious ties with one other.In The House on Buzzards Bay, Dwyer Murphy returns with a chilling, atmospheric page-turner that explores the bonds of friendship, the growing accumulation of life's responsibilities, and whether our youthful dreams can endure the complexities of adulthood.
The House on Cold Hill (The Cold Hill Ghost Stories)
by Peter JamesA chilling, suspense-filled ghost story from multimillion-copy bestselling author Peter James, now also a hit stage show.Ollie and Caro Harcourt are moving house with their twelve-year-old daughter Jade. Ollie is desperate to leave the city. Caro is less sure. Then they view Cold Hill House, a dilapidated rural mansion, and fall instantly in love. It’s expensive, but with its space, seclusion and huge grounds it seems like a brilliant idea.That is, until they arrive.It soon becomes apparent that they are not alone. A spectral woman appears on screens and walks the corridors, vanishing before she can be challenged. Strange occurrences become ever more common. Then Caro starts seeing faces, always looking out of the same upstairs window. The room behind it could hold the key to the disturbing secret behind the house’s mysterious past. Except for the fact that the room doesn’t seem to exist…A blood-chilling horror novel from one of the true masters of thrills, perfect for fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz.Praise for The House on Cold Hill‘Impeccable’ The Sunday Times‘Superbly creepy modern horror story’ Book of the Week, Sunday Mirror‘James is a compelling storyteller and he ratchets up the tension in increments, so that his readers will be suitably terrified. By the time you want to scream 'Look behind you!', it's already too late.’ Daily Mail
The House on Prytania (A Royal Street Novel #2)
by Karen WhiteA woman is haunted—both literally and figuratively—by ghosts of the past in this second novel of the Royal Street series by New York Times bestselling author Karen White.Nola Trenholm may not be psychic herself, but she&’s spent enough time around people who are to know when ghosts are present, and there are definitely a few lingering spirits in her recently purchased Creole cottage in New Orleans. Something, or someone, is keeping them tethered to this world. And not all of them are benign. But with the sudden return of Sunny Ryan, Beau Ryan&’s long-lost sister, Nola has plenty to distract her from her ghostly housemates. Especially when the tempting—yet firmly unavailable—Beau, wanting to mete out justice to those he blames for Sunny&’s kidnapping, asks Nola for a favor that threatens to derail her hard-won recovery and send her hurtling backward. He asks her to welcome Michael Hebert back into her life, even though Michael is the reason for Nola&’s bruised heart. Beau is convinced that Michael&’s powerful family was behind Sunny&’s disappearance and that Michael is the key to getting information the police won&’t be able to ignore—if Nola is willing to risk everything for which she&’s worked so hard. Torn between helping Beau and protecting herself, Nola doesn&’t realize until it&’s almost too late why the ghosts are haunting her house—a startling revelation that will throw her and Beau together to fight a common enemy. Assuming Nola can get Beau to listen to what the spirits are trying to tell him, because ignoring them could prove to be a fatal mistake...
The House on Stone's Throw Island (Scholastic Press Novels)
by Dan PoblockiA remote island is haunted by wedding crashers from beyond the grave.Dan Poblocki is back with a new spooky ghost story perfect for fans of Mary Downing Hahn and John Bellairs.There is an island, far off the coast of Maine, where the ghosts of the past are restless.Josie Sandoval and Eli Barker are strangers when they board the ferry to Stone's Throw, traveling to the isolated island for a wedding. Then an immense storm blows in, and the wedding party is left stranded with no way to contact the mainland... and no idea that they have been targeted for revenge by the undead. The only clues to the danger they're in are a scrap of an old Nazi uniform -- and an unfamiliar voice, crying out for help in German... Josie and Eli soon realize there's much more to worry about than guest lists and flowers. It's up to them to uncover the chilling history of Stone's Throw Island and put its ghosts to rest -- or this dream wedding will become an absolute nightmare.
The House on Tradd Street (Tradd Street Ser. #No. 1)
by Karen WhiteThe brilliant, chilling debut of Karen White's New York Times bestselling Tradd Street series, featuring a Charleston real estate agent who loves old houses—and the secret histories inside them. Practical Melanie Middleton hates to admit she can see ghosts. But she's going to have to accept it. An old man she recently met has died, leaving her his historic Tradd Street home, complete with housekeeper, dog—and a family of ghosts anxious to tell her their secrets. Enter Jack Trenholm, a gorgeous writer obsessed with unsolved mysteries. He has reason to believe that diamonds from the Confederate Treasury are hidden in the house. So he turns the charm on with Melanie, only to discover he's the smitten one... It turns out Jack's search has caught the attention of a malevolent ghost. Now, Jack and Melanie must unravel a mystery of passion, heartbreak—and even murder.
The House on Vesper Sands
by Paraic O'Donnell'Tremendously good' Observer'The most vivid and compelling portrait of late Victorian London since The Crimson Petal and the White' Sarah Perry'Part Wilkie Collins, part Conan Doyle' Guardian'Huge fun' Daily Mail'Has everything you could want in a novel' Stylist 'Dickens is whirling enviously in his grave ... Read by a fire on a cold winter evening' Irish Times'Ladies and gentlemen, the darkness is complete.' It is the winter of 1893, and in London the snow is falling.It is falling as Gideon Bliss seeks shelter in a Soho church, where he finds Angie Tatton lying before the altar. His one-time love is at death's door, murmuring about brightness and black air, and about those she calls the Spiriters. In the morning she is gone.The snow is falling as a seamstress climbs onto a ledge above Mayfair, a mysterious message stitched into her own skin. It is falling as she steadies herself and closes her eyes.It is falling, too, as her employer, Lord Strythe, vanishes into the night, watched by Octavia Hillingdon, a restless society columnist who longs to uncover a story of real importance.She and Gideon will soon be drawn into the same mystery, each desperate to save Angie and find out the truth about Lord Strythe. Their paths will cross as the darkness gathers, and will lead them at last to what lies hidden at the house on Vesper Sands.'Like the love child of Dickens and Conan Doyle' Liz Nugent'This novel is an absolute banger' Jon McGregor'An utter joy' Joanna Cannon '
The House on Vesper Sands
by Paraic O'Donnell'Tremendously good' Observer'The most vivid and compelling portrait of late Victorian London since The Crimson Petal and the White' Sarah Perry'Part Wilkie Collins, part Conan Doyle' Guardian'Huge fun' Daily Mail'Has everything you could want in a novel' Stylist 'Dickens is whirling enviously in his grave ... Read by a fire on a cold winter evening' Irish Times'Ladies and gentlemen, the darkness is complete.' It is the winter of 1893, and in London the snow is falling.It is falling as Gideon Bliss seeks shelter in a Soho church, where he finds Angie Tatton lying before the altar. His one-time love is at death's door, murmuring about brightness and black air, and about those she calls the Spiriters. In the morning she is gone.The snow is falling as a seamstress climbs onto a ledge above Mayfair, a mysterious message stitched into her own skin. It is falling as she steadies herself and closes her eyes.It is falling, too, as her employer, Lord Strythe, vanishes into the night, watched by Octavia Hillingdon, a restless society columnist who longs to uncover a story of real importance.She and Gideon will soon be drawn into the same mystery, each desperate to save Angie and find out the truth about Lord Strythe. Their paths will cross as the darkness gathers, and will lead them at last to what lies hidden at the house on Vesper Sands.'Like the love child of Dickens and Conan Doyle' Liz Nugent'This novel is an absolute banger' Jon McGregor'An utter joy' Joanna Cannon '
The House on Yeet Street
by Preston NortonA hilarious ghost story about a group of thirteen-year-old boys whose friendship is tested by supernatural forces, secret crushes, and a hundred-year-old curse. When Aidan Cross yeeted his very secret journal into the house on Yeet Street, he also intended to yeet his feelings for his best friend, Kai, as far away as possible. To Aidan&’s horror, his friends plan a sleepover at the haunted house the very next night. Terrance, Zephyr, and Kai are dead set on exploring local legend Farah Yeet&’s creepy mansion. Aidan just wants to survive the night and retrieve his mortifying love story before his friends find it. When Aidan discovers an actual ghost in the house (who happens to be a huge fan of his fiction), he makes it his mission to solve the mystery of Gabby&’s death and free her from the house. But when Aidan&’s journal falls into the wrong hands, secrets come to light that threaten the boys&’ friendship. Can Aidan embrace the part of himself that&’s longing to break free…or will he become the next victim to be trapped in the haunted house forever? Perfect for tweens who enjoy books for kids 10-12, The House on Yeet Street blends supernatural thrills with humor in this fresh twist on ghost stories for young readers. Fans of mystery books for middle schoolers will love unraveling the secrets haunting Yeet house, while also connecting to the relatable friendship dynamics and coming-of-age themes.For those who love scary books but prefer their frights balanced with fun, The House on Yeet Street delivers a unique mix of spooky encounters and laugh-out-loud moments that will keep readers eagerly turning the pages.
The House on the Borderland
by William Hope Hodgon“A work that leads us to the very rim of the unknown.” –H.P. Lovecraft What does the edge of early 19th-century reality look like? Step into The House on the Borderland, where Hodgson's genius blurs reality and fiction at the crossroads of Victorian Gothic moodiness and new-age science. This newly refined edition, with insights from horror icon Jonathan Maberry, defines a genre. The story begins with the discovery of a manuscript amidst odd ruins. Within its damp pages is an unfathomable tale: A recluse and his dog confront shifting dimensions of spacetime and otherworldly horrors in their forsaken, remote house, exposing a ragged swath of the unknown that lurks just at the edge of reality. Hodgson, often named the “father of weird fiction,” inspired H.P. Lovecraft, of Cthulhu Mythos fame. Rediscover the novel that Lovecraft described as a profound influence. It’s a work that reshapes reality itself, a stormy night must-read for those seeking a blend of Stephen King's thrill and Lovecraft's depth. An oddly inspiring journey of weird science fiction awaits you. Rediscover a classic masterpiece that continues to mesmerize readers today. Open the door and approach the secrets within The House on the Borderland. It’s a timeless experience that will change you forever.
The House on the Borderland
by William Hope HodgsonA classic novel that bridges the gap between late 19th century British works in the supernatural or fantastic vein, and modern horror fiction. Listed as one of H.P. Lovecraft's favorite works.
The House on the Borderland
by William Hope Hodgson“A classic of the first water.” —H. P. LovecraftIn rural Ireland, two travelers stumble upon the ruins of a lakeside home. Inside, they discover a diary detailing the terrible final days of a man known only as the Recluse. A scholar who bought the house for its isolation, the Recluse is plagued by strange sounds and terrible hallucinations soon after he moves in. He dreams of an eerie “Plain of Silence,” where a jade-green version of the house is surrounded by ominous mountains populated with mythical beasts and gargantuan monsters. Exploring a nearby ravine known locally as the Pit, the Recluse and his loyal dog, Pepper, are attacked by a creature that appears to be half human and half swine. A fantasy reunion with his long-lost lover proves that the house has powers beyond the Recluse’s comprehension. And just when he thinks that the horror is finally over, the real nightmare begins.Dripping with tension and atmosphere, The House on the Borderland is a landmark of supernatural horror and one of the scariest stories ever told. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The House on the Borderland
by William Hope HodgsonFrom the beasts of the pit to the endless terror of the voidA manuscript is found: filled with small, precise writing and smelling of pit-water, it tells the story of an old recluse and his strange home – and its even stranger, jade-green double, seen by the recluse on an otherworldly plain where gigantic gods and monsters roam. Soon his more earthly home is no less terrible than this bizarre vision, as swine-like creatures boil from a cavern beneath the ground and besiege it. But a still greater horror will face the recluse – more inexorable, merciless and awful than any creature that can be fought or killed.
The House on the Borderland: Large Print (Haunted Library Horror Classics)
by William Hope HodgsonIN A RUINED HOUSE AT THE EDGE OF AN ABYSS LIES THE DIARY OF A MADMANFishing buddies Tonnison and Berreggnog didn't bargain for what they found while on holiday near the remote Irish village of Kraighten. While walking along the riverbank, they're astonished to see that the river abruptly ends. It reappears as a surge from a chasm some 100 feet below the edge of an abyss, where also stand the remains of an oddly shaped house, half-swallowed by the pit.Exploring the ruins, the friends discover the moldering journal of an unidentified man—the Recluse—who had lived in the house with his sister and faithful dog years ago. Its pages reveal the man's apparent descent into madness—how else to account for his chronicles of otherworldly visions, trips to other dimensions, and attacks by swine-like humanoid creatures that seem to have followed him home? After one particular vision in which he witnesses the end of the earth and time itself, the Recluse awakens in his study to find nothing has changed—except that his dog Pepper is dead, dissolved into a pile of dust. And then the "swine things" return...Praised by H. P. Lovecraft as one of the most influential works of "cosmic horror," William Hope Hodgson's 1908 masterpiece The House on the Borderland broke free of the Gothic horror conventions of the day with its eerie mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and supernatural elements. Terry Pratchett called it "the Big Bang in my private universe," and modern horror master Ramsey Campbell, in his introduction to this volume, hails the book as "an enduring classic of cosmic terror."
The House on the Borderland: The Collected Fiction Of William Hope Hodgson, Volume 2 (Gateway Essentials #502)
by William Hope HodgsonA manuscript is found: filled with small, precise writing and smelling of pit-water, it tells the story of an old recluse and his strange home - and its even stranger, jade-green double, seen by the recluse on an otherworldly plain where gigantic gods and monsters roam.Soon his more earthly home is no less terrible than his bizarre vision, as swine-like creatures boil from a cavern beneath the ground and besiege it. But a still greater horror will face the recluse - more inexorable, merciless and awful than any creature that can be fought or killed.