Mark Samuels is een Britse schrijver van weird en fantastische fictie, die voortbouwt op de traditie van Arthur Machen en H. P. Lovecraft. Zijn korte verhalen richten zich vaak op het beschrijven van een schaduwwereld waarin zijn protagonisten geleidelijk angstaanjagende en extatische vergezichten ontdekken die zich achter de moderniteit verschuilen. Het werk van Samuels is zeer geprezen door collega-schrijvers en verscheen in prestigieuze anthologieën van horror en weird fiction aan beide zijden van de Atlantische Oceaan.
Literate and subtle horror takes center stage, appealing to readers who appreciate nuanced storytelling. The narrative weaves psychological tension with chilling elements, creating a haunting atmosphere that lingers. With compelling characters and intricate themes, it invites exploration of fear and the human psyche. This book promises to captivate those who enjoy a sophisticated approach to the horror genre.
Set in 1940, the story follows Saul Prior as he is tasked with cataloguing the library of Thool Abbey, which leads him into an isolated and eerie environment. As he navigates the abbey, he encounters strange dreams and an overwhelming sense of entrapment. Lady Caroline Degabaston emerges as a haunting figure, deepening the mystery. The narrative intricately weaves elements of Gothic horror and surrealism, creating a chilling atmosphere that blurs the line between reality and the uncanny.
Mark hardly needs an introduction — this is his 6th collection of short stories following on from 2016’s instantly sold-out “Written in Darkness”. This book contains the following stories: “Decay” “An End to Perpetual Motion” “Moon Blood Red – Tide Turning” “The Crimson Fog” “The Court of Midnight” “In the Complex” All six stories — the middle one a novelette — are interconnected by a common thread. The story “In the Complex” will be first published here and “The Crimson Fog”, arguably this collection’s centerpiece, has not been published in this form elsewhere either. Illustrated endpapers and a frontispiece by Ibrahim Ineke.