Quintillus Returns - In A Brand New Edition!

 

1913. Storm clouds gather over Europe – and in a basement in Vienna, an unquiet spirit stirs…

Adeline always dreamed of visiting the Austrian capital, so the chance to work there seems like a dream come true. But, from the moment she sets foot in the elegant mansion that belonged to the late archeologist Dr. Emeryk Quintillus, she senses a presence—one so menacing and evil, she fears for her sanity and her life.

Strange noises from behind the walls, shadowy figures that cannot be there, hieroglyphics that appear on the wall, and an enigmatic portrait of a long dead Egyptian queen. Quintillus had made the discovery of the century—so why did he hide it?

Ancient enemies are at war in this mysterious house, and Adeline’s fate is inextricably woven to theirs.

Of all the nasty characters I have created over the years, one stands out for me. Dr. Emeryk Quintillus's obsession with Cleopatra, his total, single-minded determination to bring her back to life, and to possess her for all eternity - combined with his total lack of humanity - make him the villain who keeps on giving to me as his creator.

He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Even death cannot thwart him.

Now, for a writer, when a book goes out of print, that's a kind of death. And when that fate befalls a trilogy...  You see, Wrath of the Ancients started out its publishing life as Book One of the Nemesis of the Gods trilogy and was soon followed by Waking the Ancients and Damned by the Ancients which completed the set.

Fast-forward a few years and the trilogy was united in one large volume, entitled Nemesis of the Gods. When this also went out of print, Quintillus wasn't having any of it. Hell hath no fury like a demon archaeologist scorned.

Now he has risen again. The trilogy is being re-released in the original three volumes with stunning new cover art, all courtesy of lovely publishers, Crossroad Press (in their Macabre Ink imprint).

Available in ebook and print editions:

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Kobo

and elsewhere

Images:

Crossroad Press

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Who Would Be...The Second Wife

 

Emily Marchant died on Valentine’s Day. If only she’d stayed dead…

When Chrissie Marchant first sets eyes on Barton Grove, she feels as if the house doesn’t want her. But it’s her new husband’s home, so now it’s her home as well. Sumptuous and exquisitely appointed, the house is filled with treasures that had belonged to Joe’s first wife, the perfect Emily, whom the villagers still consider the real mistress of Barton Grove.

A stunning photograph of the first Mrs. Marchant hangs in the living room, an unblemished rose in her hand. There’s something unnerving and impossibly alive about that portrait, but it’s not the only piece of Emily still in the house. And as Chrissie’s marriage unravels around her, she learns that Emily never intended for Joe to take a second wife…

In print for the first time!

'Highly recommended for fans of gothic horror, ghost stories, or anyone looking for a chilling read.' - Little Miss Zombie

'The Second Wife is a story of both the persistence of the Supernatural and of psychological horror, so finely tuned that the approach of the horrendous is gradual but implacable. I'm so glad I read this in the daylight; although I expect to have nightmares tonight. I literally have chills.' - The Haunted Reading Room

'Wonderfully creepy and intriguing. I think the moral of this story is... don't be the second wife. Bad things will happen to you.'- Reading the Paranormal

'This story is a fantastic choice for anyone who prefers to allow their imagination to inflate certain horrors instead of asking the author to spell everything out in bright red letters.' - Long and Short Reviews

The Second Wife is available in ebook and print editions here:

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and elsewhere

Images:

Crossroad Press

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Now You Can See, Hear and Hold...The Devil Inside Her

When dreams become nightmares, someone will die

Haunted by the death of her husband and only child, Elinor Gentry’s recurring nightmares have left her exhausted. She’s crippled by debt, and only the remnants of her former life surround her, things she can’t bear to sell, and wouldn’t make much profit from if she did. Then, for no apparent reason, the nightmares transform into pleasant dreams. Dreams that lead her to take back control of her life.

A string of horrific and unexplained suicides–and an unnerving discovery about Elinor herself—lead her best friend to seek help from the one person who has seen all this before, and things begin to spiral out of control. Hazel Messinger knows that Elinor’s newly found well-being is not what it seems, and Hazel’s not about to let the demon inside remain there permanently.

'A great - and very different take - on a demon possession story.'  -  Cat After Dark

'With lovely, dark imagery and a terribly twisted way of killing innocent people, Marnie and Elinor's story skates between true friendship and horror. Creepy, just the way I like it.' - Reading the Paranormal

Now available for the first time in print, as well as ebook and Audible!

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and elsewhere

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Crossroad Press

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Miss Abigail's Room - First Time in Print!

It wasn’t so much the blood on the floor that Becky minded. It was the way it kept coming back…

As the lowest-ranking parlour maid at Stonefleet Hall, Becky gets all the dirtiest jobs. But the one she hates the most is cleaning Miss Abigail’s room. There’s a strange, empty smell to the place, and a feeling that nothing right or Christian resides there in the mistress’s absence. And then there’s the blood; the spot that comes back no matter often Becky scrubs it clean. Becky wishes she had somewhere else to go, but without means or a good recommendation from her household, there is nothing for her outside the only home she’s known for eighteen years. So when a sickening doll made of wax and feathers turns up, Becky’s dreams of freedom and green grass become even more distant. Until the staff members start to die.

A darning needle through the heart of the gruesome doll puts everyone at Stonefleet Hall at odds. The head parlour maid seems like someone else, the butler pretends nothing’s amiss, and everyone thinks Becky’s losing her mind. But when the shambling old lord of the manor looks at her, why does he scream as though he’s seen the hounds of hell?

Stonefleet Hall hides many secrets...

But the worst of them reside in Miss Abigail's Room.

"Catherine Cavendish has consistently given me a case of the creepy crawlies with her books and this story is no different. It starts with the blood on the floor and it just gets worse and worse for poor Becky until you don't know who she should trust or who she should be running from... Paranormal horror. There's nothing more terrifying" - Reading the Paranormal

 "This is one of those books that, once begun, you want to stay in until the final page"- Horror After Dark

Now in print FOR THE FIRST TIME

and available from:

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and elsewhere

Images:

Crossroad Press

Shutterstock

 

Some Dinner Invitations Are Best Ignored...

'This was one of those stories that snuck up on me. It was nicely dark, moved quickly and kept me guessing as to what was going to happen right up to the end.' - Reading the Paranormal

For no apparent reason, Nadine, Maggie, Gary, and Nick are invited to dinner at the lavish home of top fashion writer, Erin Dartford. But why has she invited them? Why doesn't she want her guests to mingle? And just what is it about the mysterious Erin that makes them want to run for their lives?

Little do they know that as they prepare to eat their first course, an evil as old as mankind is about to be unleashed. And revenge really is a dish best served cold…

I am delighted to announce that Crossroad Press has just published the paperback version of my first novella. Thirteen years on from its first release, Cold Revenge was only available in ebook versions but now, for the first time, it's in print!

Don't get me wrong, I love my Kindle. It's great for vacations. But, let's face it, there's nothing like the sight, feel and smell of a real book.

Cold Revenge was borne of a chance conversation about...well...revenge (in concept, rather than practice, I hasten to add). 'Revenge is a dish best served cold' said author Eugene Sue in Memoirs of Matilda first published in 1846 (although he may not have been the first). In my story, you can make your own minds up as to who deserves vengeance (if anyone).

Erin Dartford has already determined her choices...

Cold Revenge is available in paperback and ebook from:

Amazon

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and elsewhere