Alexis Henderson schrijft speculatieve fictie die zich verdiept in de rijken van dark fantasy, hekserij en kosmische horror. Haar werk verkent vaak mythische en bovennatuurlijke thema's, waarbij ze de donkerdere aspecten van de menselijke psyche en het uitgestrekte onbekende onderzoekt. Beïnvloed door haar opvoeding in een stad vol spookverhalen, wordt Henderson's proza gekenmerkt door een meeslepende sfeer en verontrustende beelden. Lezers kunnen verhalen verwachten die zowel tot nadenken stemmen als ontsnapping bieden naar werelden vol mysterie en dreiging.
Born on the fringes of Bethel, Immanuelle does her best to obey the Church and
follow Holy Protocol. For it was in Bethel that the first Prophet pursued and
killed four powerful witches, and so cleansed the land. And then a chance
encounter lures her into the Darkwood that surrounds Bethel. It is a forbidden
place, haunted by the spirits of the witches who bestow an extraordinary gift
on Immanuelle. The diary of her dead mother . . . Fascinated by and fearful of
the secrets the diary reveals, Immanuelle begins to understand why her mother
once consorted with witches. And as the truth about the Prophets, the Church
and their history is revealed, so Immanuelle understands what must be done.
For the real threat to Bethel is its own darkness. Bethel must change. And
that change will begin with her . . .
WANTED - Bloodmaid of exceptional taste. Must have a keen proclivity for life’s finer pleasures. Girls of weak will need not apply. A young woman is drawn into the upper echelons of a society where blood is power in this dark and enthralling Gothic novel from the author of The Year of the Witching. Marion Shaw has been raised in the slums, where want and deprivation are all she know. Despite longing to leave the city and its miseries, she has no real hope of escape until the day she spots a peculiar listing in the newspaper seeking a bloodmaid. Though she knows little about the far north—where wealthy nobles live in luxury and drink the blood of those in their service—Marion applies to the position. In a matter of days, she finds herself the newest bloodmaid at the notorious House of Hunger. There, Marion is swept into a world of dark debauchery. At the center of it all is Countess Lisavet. The countess, who presides over this hedonistic court, is loved and feared in equal measure. She takes a special interest in Marion. Lisavet is magnetic, and Marion is eager to please her new mistress. But when she discovers that the ancient walls of the House of Hunger hide even older secrets, Marion is thrust into a vicious game of cat and mouse. She’ll need to learn the rules of her new home—and fast—or its halls will soon become her grave.
'Saturated with violence, desire, and power. It's a book with blood on its lips, and I loved it completely.' ALIX E. HARROW 'Alexis Henderson is one of the best Gothic writers out there.' HANNAH WHITTEN 'Dark academia stunner infused with Henderson's signature style - it's lush, atmospheric, imaginative and impossible to put down.' RACHEL HARRISON 'A modern-day Anne Rice, Henderson has a gift for creating a world engorged with desire and death.' THE NEW YORK TIMES Lennon Carter's life is falling apart. Until she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to sit the entrance exam for somewhere very few have heard of - Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because - like everyone else at the school - she is special. She possesses the innate gift of persuasion: the ability to wield her will like a weapon and to use it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself. After passing the gruelling exam, Lennon must now learn how to master this devastating power. While persuasion takes a heavy toll on her body and her mind, she is captivated by all that surrounds her - her studies, Drayton's lush, moss-draped campus, her brilliant classmates and, most of all, by Dante, the charismatic adviser who both intimidates and enamours her. But as Lennon becomes more adept at wielding her uncanny abilities, she uncovers more about the unsettling history of Drayton and Dante's tragic and violent past, and is increasingly disturbed by what she finds. For it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption and darkness . . . and it's a test she's terrified she is going to fail.
