Nothing says romance like a man-eating plant. Westman and Sophie are back. This time, a carnivorous plant from Africa is on display at the Royal Botanic Gardens. But are the man-eating myths true? Welcome to another Victorian mystery certain to thrill. Valentine's special short story…
Life during The Raj can be full of perils for an English girl, even one raised in India with a parasol in one hand and a rifle in the other. Bunny Spencer's father sends her to London, but the moment she reaches British shores, a nightmarish beast attacks from the shadows. Now stranded in an unfamiliar land with her companion, Anju, she fears for their lives - until she meets a dashing stranger in pilot goggles. Jim Penderry is a reporter. He's also a monster hunting enthusiast with a passion for fine dining and a good mystery - not necessarily in that order. When a werewolf appears in London, Jim is determined to catch it. Or at the very least, find out why the creature is stalking Miss Bunny Spencer. With the help of the journalists at Penderry's Bizarre magazine, he chases the menace from the foggy streets of London to the colourful bazaars of Bombay. But nothing prepares Jim and Bunny for the secret they're about to uncover. Or the danger afoot. Mystery, monsters and science collide in this rip-roaring tale of adventure, romance and smoked eel.…
Cursed with clairvoyance, Millicent Sinclair has been seeing ghosts for years. More annoyingly, she can hear them, speak with them, and worst of all, feel their clammy, cold touch. She takes no nonsense from the dead (or the living, for that matter), but an overnight stay at the haunted 'Black Swan Inn' leads to more than she bargained for.A short story for Christmas.~Selected by Crimson Peak (sponsored Reading List 'Historical Horror')…
--Watty winner-- In Victorian London, monster hunting isn't just a job, it's a way of life. Freddie Westman, a reporter for a paranormal magazine, is one of the best in the business, but now it's personal. His childhood friend, Jim Penderry, has disappeared, and the signs point to sinister forces from beyond the grave. If Westman wants to save Jim, he'll have to face his worst fear. No, not fighting a demon with only a cake to hand. Something far more daunting. Sceptical Sophie Penderry doesn't solve mysteries or go on adventures. She's more at home in the library with her nose in The Botanist's Guide to Plants and Fungi. But she puts the science books away to help Westman find her missing brother, whether he likes it or not. Which he really doesn't. Westman is a loner, reluctant to lead anyone into danger. According to him, the supernatural is not just the stuff of folklore and children's nightmares, and a world of black magic awaits them. Now Westman must decide if he should push Sophie away for her own safety, or take a leap of faith and accept an offer of help and friendship. Either way, time is running out to find Jim, and worse still, they may not make it back in time for tea and biscuits. ~Featured story (Sep 2014 - Aug 2017) ~Selected by R.L. Stine's 'Slappy' (Goosebumps Movie's sponsored reading list) ~Winner of the Wattys 2014 HQ Love Award…