Victorian Gothic

The riveting tale of the Curse of the Stradivarius, unfolds poignantly as a gothic mystery book, set in 19th-century England and Italy during the early to mid-1800s.The narrative pivots around the extraordinary life of Franklin Ricketts, whose existence begins to take an eerie turn after inheriting his family estate in Worth. He forms a deeply rooted bond with fellow music enthusiast, William Bolton at Oxford University. Their shared admiration for the violin and piano intertwines their destinies, uncovering an ominous connection to the maddening suite "Areopagita" by Graziani. As Franklin ...

Lust frozen and hidden in chastity's belt, Until puberty sparks and lust’s touch is felt, And perversion doth flame, and chastity, melt. --Goddess Alice of Wonderland Yesterday I (Alice) came of age. So I’m going on a journey of debauchery and self-exploration. Yes, I’m ready to finally perv out! Also yesterday, Dorothy of Oz was murdered. She had asked me to marry her. I want her back. So I’m traveling to the Greek Myth Realm, so I can bring Dorothy back from Hades. The handsome Mad Hatter is my sidekick. I intend to have lots of fun with him. I don’t like the Goddess of Chastity...

"Beware of the diamonds." Tamaris Craig cannot forget the strange fortune from the gypsy woman, but then there have been many mysteries in Tamaris's life beginning with her mother's obsession with Penhallow Castle. After her mother's death, Tamaris has an opportunity to visit the castle that dominated her childhood, but the mysteries only deepen at the brooding Penhallow Castle, When Tamaris meets the brash, mocking Gawain Trevain, she's in danger of losing more than just her heart. And diamonds are the least of her worries.

Eleanor and Nathaniel, now settled into their liberated life at Veil House, prepare for their next literary salon after Isolde’s defeat. A letter arrives from Miss Clara Duval, a wandering poetess requesting a seat, her script “delicate but firm” and her words laced with cryptic charm. Intrigued, they invite her, expecting a kindred spirit. Clara arrives—a lithe, auburn-haired woman with a traveler’s weathered satchel and eyes that gleam with secrets. Her poetry, recited at the salon, is intoxicatingly sensual, weaving riddles of lost lovers and hidden truths that captivate the ...

Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, but with her father's passing and her uncle's decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone. The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron's legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron's only living son, Harry - the man who broke Eleanor's heart.

Left penniless and alone by the death of her father, Sarah Lowell works as a day nurse at King’s College Hospital. Her daily walk to and from work crosses the Rookery of St. Giles, a dangerous place made all the more frightening by the fact someone lurks in the shadows, watching Sarah, stalking her. Enigmatic surgeon Killian Thayne offers Sarah his protection, but his sensual, commanding presence presents another kind of danger. Then a patient is found dead, drained of blood. Another soon follows, and another, and rumors paint Killian as the monster who killed them.

When they were young, at Oxford University, Henry and Gabriel’s love burned hot and bright, and they thought to change the world together until a devastating tragedy ripped them apart. Now, as youth fades away, Henry can no longer stand to see his own reflection in the mirror. All he sees is a sad, tired old man whose body has betrayed him. He craves the touch of another, to feel attractive and vital once more but his obsession with finding a cure for insanity has stolen his life away, and now, his work has taken on a dark and sinister dimension.

The flat-cart rattled and bumped along the dirt road, the donkey moving at a sedate walk, in as little hurry as myself, apparently, to come to Innismore. I sat huddled on the boards, hands clasped and eyes roving the marshlands and bogs on either side of me, wondering what had possessed me to leave Dublin and come west into Connemara, this wild and rocky country that seemed as inhospitable as an Englishman’s musket. Seamus McCarty, he of the black scowl and the curious gray eyes, who drove the flat-cart and glanced at me from time to time with a quirking of his bushy eyebrows, was almost ...

The lonely grandeur of Greytowers castle, the hatred of her supposed relatives, the madwoman wandering amid the gravestones—all: this was Elizabeth Gifford's inheritance—should she prove the granddaughter of wealthy old Sir Richard. But the tyrannical Sir Richard had not yet chosen an heir. He played with his relatives as a cat would play with a mouse before devouring it. And then again, he had no answer to the question: Just who was in Elizabeth Gifford? Because there were two of them...

A Trap of Terror... When Beatrice Perrine's father suddenly dies leaving her with little money, she has no choice but to become companion to Lady Ione Carlisle. But as Beatrice begins her duties at Carlisle Manor, she realizes that she has been hired to be more than just a companion . . . and it is with dread that she learns from the handsome Dunstan that the old house is known as "Folly Hall," built to the specifications of a madman. Beatrice soon discovers why, for she herself hears the strange sound of footsteps in the dark of night that threaten Lady Ione's sanity, and she sees the wild...

A boy with a dream. A demon with no name. A childhood in suburbia like a lucid dream. It all comes together, in no way predictable. But, in every way true. The truth has emerged about life, and its parallel worlds. Many will never get it. Some, unfortunately, will forever fear it...

Elizabeth Canham accepts a position at Burndale Academy, an isolated girl's school where she meets mysterious widower Griffin Fairfax, a man dogged by dark rumors who both frightens and fascinates her. Soon, a woman is found dead in the nearby woods - the victim of a brutal murder...a murder that bears terrifying similarity to others. Then Beth discovers all the victims were intimately connected to Griffin. Beth’s heart tells her Griffin cannot be the charming, seductive killer stalking the night, stealing women’s hearts...and lives.

In the shadows of London, desire is the deadliest experiment. Dr. Dorian Roch has spent his life clawing his way from orphanhood to the highest echelons of London society. A man of science, discipline, and control, he has never succumbed to the distractions of love—until he sets his sights on Lily Davenport, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy gentleman. When Dorian asks for her hand in marriage, her father is hesitant. He finds the young doctor too controlled, too perfect, and he fears what lurks beneath such restraint. As a test, he demands that Dorian experience a single night of ...

A Supernatural Thriller Book set in London and Venice during the 19th century, "The Midnight Caller" offers a thrilling exploration of human nature, madness, and the supernatural. The Midnight Caller follows the intriguing narrative of Dr. Young and his chilling encounter with the enigmatic Countess Narona. Set against the exquisite yet foreboding backdrops of London and Venice, the story immerses readers in a world filled with suspense, fear, and dark revelations. Vivid Setting and Gothic Elements The setting is painstakingly crafted, building the image of a lurid and dramatic 19th-century...

The Mt. Vernon Affairby Harper Stanwick, Sr. is a historical romance mystery set in New York during the 1890s. Embark on a journey of love, betrayal, and mystery in this captivating tale that weaves together the fates of three intriguing characters. When the stunning Teresa Drysdale returns from her European tour, she catches the eye of Howard Rutherford, the charming son of a New York millionaire. Their flirtation is cut short as Howard's interests shift upon meeting the beautiful and carefree Paola Flanders, also known as "Fly-away Pay." Paola's dark family history, linked to the ominous ...

The Ripper Lives: Psycho (5/10) A city in chaos. A killer in the shadows. A detective on the brink. London is drowning in fear, but Inspector Frederick Abberline refuses to let the darkness consume him. With each step deeper into the Ripper’s twisted world, he faces a truth more terrifying than murder—insanity is contagious, and no one is immune. When a routine investigation leads Abberline to a house of horrors, he finds himself entangled in the mind of a killer who defies all expectations. The crime scene is meticulous. The body—unnatural. The suspect—a man whose quiet rage has ...

The Darkness of Rashid by Steven Detmers is a paranormal and supernatural mystery novel set in Victorian London during the late 19th century. This gripping tale weaves a web of intrigue, exploring the enigmatic life of Rashid-Zahirah and his uncanny abilities to manipulate and predict the future. In the heart of London's bustling theater district, a fresh interpretation of Shakespeare's Hamlet draws an elite crowd, but it is the mysterious Rashid-Zahirah who steals the spotlight. With his striking appearance and unsettling aura, Rashid captivates the audience and commands the attention of ...

Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect Victorian governess. She’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But the longer Winifred spends within the estate’s dreary confines and the more she learns of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family, the more trouble she has sticking to her plan.

Maisie Thomas spends every summer at Grange House, a hotel on the coast of Maine ruled by the elegant Miss Grange. In 1896, when Maisie turns 17, her visit marks a turning point. On the morning after her arrival, local fishermen make a gruesome discovery: drowned lovers, found clasped in each other's arms. It's only the first in a series of events that casts a shadow over Maisie's summer. As she considers the attentions of two very different young men, Maisie also falls under the gaze of Miss Grange, who begins to tell her disturbing stories of her past.

The narrator - the old nurse of the title - is an old family retainer who has worked in the service of the same family for three generations. She tells the young children about a dark incident that she experienced in the company of the children’s mother, when she was a young woman and visiting her mother’s ancestral home.