Victorian Gothic

In a world of shadows, love defies every curse. In Victorian London, a dark, forbidden love unfolds in this spellbinding gothic romance retelling of Beauty and the Beast. When the enigmatic Lord Ravenwood—cursed, tormented, and haunted by betrayal—encounters the spirited Lavinia Ashcroft, their fates become irrevocably entwined. Bound by secrets and driven by a relentless desire to defy an enchanted curse, their union becomes a battleground between the man and the beast within him. As Ravenwood’s monstrous past threatens to consume him, Lavinia’s mystical gift reveals hidden truths ...

Can a curse strike twice in a woman's life? In 1854, 17-year-old chambermaid Clara Crofton was dismissed from Gravesend Hall for having fallen in love with Richard Blackwood, the younger son of the house. Alone in the world, Clara found a tenuous position as a seamstress, but she always blamed the Gravesend curse for the disaster that had befallen her - and for Richard's death soon after in the Crimean War.

"For the love of God, cut off my head." The last request in Uncle Silas's will shocks everyone speechless, everyone except his favorite niece, Anna. More than death itself, the claustrophobic Silas fears a premature burial. Will her elders carry out his request? Anna is certain they will not. It's up to her to do the right thing, even if it is a bit grisly. Armed with butcher knife and candle, Anna heads for the crypt underneath the church in the dead of night. All does not go according to Anna's careful planning.

As far as rash decisions go, it was formidable. But Lady Jocelyn Rathbourne's will remains strong. If the only way to save her family's estate and reputation is by aiming a small pistol at the Duke of Calydon, then so be it. For Lady Jocelyn demands satisfaction - and she will have it at any cost. Even if it means demanding the hand of the intense and foreboding Duke himself....

The House on Thornhallow Moor (Book One of the Between Heartbeats Series) On the wind-swept cliffs overlooking Blackwater Hollow stands Thornhallow Moor—a house bound by secrets older than the sea. When Clara Wren returns to the neglected Victorian estate of her childhood, she expects memories, perhaps even closure. But the house has waited patiently for her arrival, harboring more than just dust and echoes of the past. Whispers drift through empty rooms, footprints glisten with seawater, and in the shadows stands Silas Vale—a ship’s captain lost to a storm over a century ago. Bound ...

To know Dorothy of Oz is to be afraid of her, to despise her. And yet Alice of Wonderland is very much afraid that she may love her. When they lived in Wonderland together, there were good qualities about Dorothy. They were such good friends then. But Dorothy has changed. Now she’s the sadistic, manipulative chief of the munchkin tribes, who summoned a tornado to bring Alice back to the magical realms. Dorothy has promised to send Alice back to England only if she agrees to duel the Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Knight one at a time. Dorothy keeps trying to woo Alice. Dorothy even wears an ...

In the third installment of the Dorothy vs. Alice Trilogy, Alice must face off against the Tin Man, who calls himself the Tin Knight. When Alice lived in Wonderland with Dorothy, there were good qualities about Dorothy. They were such good friends then. But Dorothy has changed. Now she’s the sadistic, manipulative chief of the munchkin tribes, who summoned a tornado to bring Alice back to the magical realms. Dorothy has promised to send Alice back to England only if she agrees to duel the Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Knight one at a time. Dorothy keeps trying to woo Alice. Dorothy even wears ...

As the age of the photograph dawns in Victorian Bath, silhouette artist Agnes is struggling to keep her business afloat. Still recovering from a serious illness herself, making enough money to support her elderly mother and her orphaned nephew Cedric has never been easy, but then one of her clients is murdered shortly after sitting for Agnes, and then another, and another. Why is the killer seemingly targeting her business?

Welcome to Winterhaven ~ Almost Nothing Is What It Seems... But the Sex is Real and the Secrets are Many! Down and out on her luck, Verity answers an ad in in a small country newspaper. The job offer sounds almost too good to be true and the salary is much more than she made in the city. Even with her doubts, though, Verity visits Winterhaven and falls in love with the rural area... but behind the lush green beauty of the countryside lies ugly secrets! Winterhaven Manor holds many secrets, and all those associated with the grand old estate seem to have secrets of their own to protect. ...

Forever untangling the branches of her strange family tree, Edwina Blackwood is at a turning point. Her parents’ disappearances still strike her as unaccountably odd. Her sister’s questionable life and untimely death have left her shaken. Spellfire has transformed her home and livelihood to ash. And now a devious stalker is on her trail. With supernatural detective Ian Cameron by her side, Edwina can’t get out of London fast enough.

Fleeing a cruel stepfather, Harriet Russell escapes into a stormy night, relying only on the mercy of servants to help her. Her coach overturns, leaving her and her driver injured. Seeking help from whoever lives nearby, she stumbles between a set of gates guarded by fierce demonic gargoyle statues. As she enters the shadowy, haunted lands belonging to the duke of Frostmore, she’s afraid of meeting with him, but she must in order to help her driver.

“Oh, those aren't ordinary goggles, miss! There's nothing ordinary about them,” claimed the seller. “Those are special. Very special. You might not believe me, but... those goggles will let you see ghosts.” Goggles that let you see ghosts? It's an obvious scam, but the (usually) intellectual Augusta Hodge succumbs to it. Why? She desperately wants to see her deceased father again. Shortly after her father's death, Augusta accepts a job as a governess. She never wanted to be a governess, but as a penniless spinster, her options are limited. Her new employer is a difficult man, but ...

The year is 1898. Following the harrowing events that nearly destroyed London, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson set sail aboard the RMS Lucania, bound for America. A well-earned speaking tour awaits—or so they believe. But the Atlantic crossing is anything but ordinary. When a series of mysterious deaths shakes the ship’s crew, Holmes and Watson are drawn into a chilling investigation that points to something far more sinister than mere illness or accident. Whispers spread through the lower decks of strange cargo, locked holds, and shadowy figures that disappear into the night. As ...

When Gabriel Thorne accepts a position as a steward at the mysterious Blackburn Manor, he’s drawn to its secluded beauty—and the enigmatic man who rules its halls. Sebastian Hale, the reclusive heir of the estate, harbors a haunted past and a darkness he keeps buried beneath his composed exterior. As Gabriel uncovers Blackburn’s hidden secrets, he discovers an antique mirror with an unsettling power to reveal truths better left hidden. The mirror’s influence pulls Gabriel and Sebastian closer, unearthing vulnerabilities neither man expected to share. Together, they embark on a ...

This omnibus brings together seven of H.E. Bulstrode’s ghost stories originally published between 2016 and 2018. These are: The Ghost of Scarside Beck A newly-wed Cumbrian vicar and his wife experience a night like none they could ever have foreseen. He may have answered his calling, but who, or what, is calling her? Old Crotchet The year is 1920, and it's Twelfth Night by the old reckoning. Festivities are about to commence at Hinton St Cuthbert Manor when something sinister stirs from its protracted dormancy, awakened, it would seem, by the arrival of two young guests. The old ways, ...

Yesterday Alice of Wonderland (me) 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. She’s a total prude--wears a magic chastity belt. My goal is to um...sample the companionship of copious amounts of men and women. But she wants to ...

Really, it's too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders's favorite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived - and possibly fraudulent - Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what's a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he's escorting the world's most maddening woman to the world's most romantic city to find her missing relative.

Practical, unassuming Jane Shoringfield has done the calculations and decided that the most secure path forward is this: a husband, in a marriage of convenience, who will allow her to remain independent and occupied with meaningful work. Her first choice, the dashing but reclusive Doctor Augustine Lawrence, agrees to her proposal with only one condition: that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his crumbling family manor outside of town. Yet on their wedding night, an accident strands her at his door in a pitch-black rainstorm, and she finds him changed.

In Victorian London, where traveling sideshows are the very pinnacle of entertainment, there is no more coveted ticket than Ashe and Pretorius' Carnivale of Curiosities. Each performance is a limited engagement, and London's elite boldly dare the dangerous streets of Southwark to witness the Carnivale's astounding assemblage of marvels. For a select few, however, the real show begins behind the curtain. Rumors abound that the show’s proprietor, Aurelius Ashe, is more than an average magician. It's said that for the right price, he can make any wish come true.

Nicola Claire's captivating new Gothic romance series continues with a dark and sinister London City at the end of the nineteenth century - brightened by a fearless and talented heroine and a loyal and secretive police inspector... Determined doctor? Interfering busybody? Fearless fighter? The London of Anna Cassidy’s memories is not the London she faces today. Having proved her worth as a physician, Dr Cassidy finds herself pitted against the stolid attitude of a male-dominated society. But it's not only society she has to contend with. A criminal mastermind has set themselves up in ...