Publisher's Synopsis
Shadows that change us are cast from many places but, once the darkness has touched us, we carry it forever in the scars on our hearts.
Whether it be full-fledged horror, a chilling thriller, a touch of dark humour or a tragic exploration of the melancholia we all carry inside of us, this collection demonstrates that the human heart is anything but predictable. When the going gets tough and uncomfortable truths are unearthed, it is often revealed that blackest of darkness can sometimes come from the brightest of light and that no heart is ever truly left untouched.
The year is 1781 and the Caribbean Sea had been his dominion, but The Verity would change his life forever... Within the Walls of Westwood - A chilling three-part tale of evil, of the imprint that hatred can leave on the world. Miss Charlotte Bell and her class of girls have been evacuated to Westwood Manor amidst the terrors of the Blitz but they may soon come to discover that the true terror is right in front of them. The Corpse in the Camellias - When a mysterious corpse shows up on the village green on the cusp of an award win and the lucrative tourist season, what is the parish council to do?
Cover it up of course! The Evening Commute - It's funny what little things you notice when travelling home on the bus every day.
I sometimes make up backstories about my fellow passengers to entertain myself.
Then, one day, one of my passengers disappears... Unearthing the Past - When Martha answers the door to two police officers one morning, she is immediately drawn back to the last time she saw her sister, all those years ago.
She'd gone off with Billy.
He's a bad'un, that Billy Crane... Her Jack of Hearts - What happens to a heart when it has sustained as much damage as it can take? The memories held in an old house slowly reveal a history which has pushed one poor soul to the limit. Secrets - Linda and Brian were about as nosy as it was possible to be. Now, as retirement begins to lose its novelty, they need a new way to keep themselves occupied. What better way than by sneaking into their neighbours houses and snooping around? But, will they like what they find? Keep Calm and Carrion - In this three part story, the tiny seaside village of Flint-on-the-Wold is busy surviving the Second World War and its children are busy enjoying the joys of youth. Then the undead arrive and bring the war with them. An Encounter With Spring-Heeled Jack - In the nineteenth century, London was plagued by a diabolical terror known as 'Spring-Heeled Jack'.
This is the account of one of his victims... The Dream Home - What would you do if, one night, you came home to find that somebody had been in your house, going through your things?
Messages on the mirror...missing objects...
What would you do if somebody was still there? If It Ain't Nailed Down - Ruth Baxter was the perfect neighbour, always willing to lend a hand, always following the rules.
Then, one day, she realises that breaking those rules can be a lot more fun... A Little Local Knowledge - The big house on the hill was known around the village for its hauntings.
Nobody doubted the stories - that house held evil!
It remained empty for decades, falling into disrepair.
Then, one day, somebody bought it... More thought-provoking and mysterious stories also await in this compendium of dark tales.
