Her cheeks were pale, and her eyes had the wild and stolid glare which Rodolph had observed when she awakened from the slumber of the grave; she quitted the castle, and after gazing around her, as if uncertain which way to go, she proceeded towards the village. In the mid 1800s, the inexpensive publications known as penny bloods were all the rage in Britain. Spinning tales of high Gothic drama, violence and monstrosity, this literary phenomenon was significant for its depictions of dangerous and transgressive women which inspired such milestone Gothic works as Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla. Collecting ten tales from classic - and truly obscure - penny publications and featuring newly edited text and insights from Dr Dittmer's research, this new volume revives a company of witches, femme fatales, vampire mistresses and deadly criminals to enthrall a new generation of readers.

She felt their eyes, all those executioners... Enter a world where, watched by millions, prisoners fight like gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom. 'The new maestro of dystopian lit has arrived' WIRED 'A pure fire page turner' MAX PORTER 'Electrifying' GEORGE SAUNDERS Welcome to Chain-Gang All-Stars, the popular and highly controversial programme inside America's private prison system. In packed arenas, live-streamed by millions, prisoners compete as gladiators for the ultimate prize: their freedom. Fan favourites Loretta Thurwar and Hamara 'Hurricane Staxxx' Stacker are teammates and lovers. Thurwar is nearing the end of her time on the circuit, free in just a few matches, a fact she carries as heavily as her lethal hammer. As she prepares for her final encounters, as protestors gather at the gates, and as the programme's corporate owners stack the odds against her - will the price be simply too high? --------- READERS CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK OF SUMMER 2023 'I've waited my whole life for a sapphic Hunger Games!' 'An explosive page-turner that's also a chilling social commentary.' 'This novel is alive and glorious. Give it all the awards.' 'Had me cheering and weeping, unable to tear my eyes from the page.' 'A masterpiece that packs a mighty punch.'

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! "A powerful portrait of the courageous women who fought against ignorance, misogyny, and racial prejudice." -William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of This Tender Land and Lightning Strike The new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek! Bestselling historical fiction author Kim Michele Richardson is back with the perfect book club read following Honey Lovett, the daughter of the beloved Troublesome book woman, who must fight for her own independence with the help of the women who guide her and the books that set her free. In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned, Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good. Picking up her mother's old packhorse library route, Honey begins to deliver books to the remote hollers of Appalachia. Honey is looking to prove that she doesn't need anyone telling her how to survive. But the route can be treacherous, and some folks aren't as keen to let a woman pave her own way. If Honey wants to bring the freedom books provide to the families who need it most, she's going to have to fight for her place, and along the way, learn that the extraordinary women who run the hills and hollers can make all the difference in the world.

Edgar Allan Poe was a master of the tale of psychological horror and the author of what is considered the first modern detective story. This anthology gathers more than 20 of Poe’s groundbreaking tales of the macabre, among them “The Tell-Tale Heart,� “The Masque of the Red Death,� and “The Fall of the House of Usher.� It also includes his trilogy of stories featuring detective C. Auguste Dupin: “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,� “The Mystery of Marie Rôget,� and “The Purloined Letter.�

With a veritable army at his command, Jinwoo is now ready to take on the Demon’s Castle-but he’s got a meeting with Jinah’s teacher to deal with first! When asked to talk down a high school student from a life of being a hunter, Jinwoo figures the fastest way would be to show them the realities of a raid. Little does he know that there’s more to this particular gate than meets the eye...

How well do you know your friends? Four friends on the holiday of a lifetime. Until a vicious murder shatters their paradise. Four friends who’d do anything for each other, until now. Only one of them killed Caleb. But all four know how to keep a secret. And they’re all guilty of something… Praise for Phoebe Morgan: ‘Combines a beautiful, exotic location with a slithering, unsettling sense of suspense. A page-turner, full of secrets and reveals’ Adele Parks, No. 1 bestselling author of One Last Secret, in Platinum ‘Tense, well-paced and with a cast of relatable flesh-and-blood women … an exhilarating, read-in-one-sitting ride’ Louise Candlish, bestselling author of The Heights ‘A deadly cocktail of lies, secrets, obsession and revenge hits boiling point under the blazing African sun in this breathlessly twisty thriller’ T.M. Logan, bestselling author of The Curfew ‘A superbly executed tale with just the right amount of tension and intrigue’ The Sun ‘A delightfully sinister romp’ Heat 'A wonderfully atmospheric thriller of secrets, lies and betrayals … a heart-stopping rollercoaster of a read with a dark sense of menace and hugely relatable characters’ B A Paris, bestselling author of The Therapist ‘This is great. Kept me gripped!’ Jane Fallon, bestselling author of Just Got Real ‘This will take you into another world. But hold your breath! Because you’re in for a ride’ Jane Corry, bestselling author of We All Have Our Secrets 'A hugely entertaining thriller that turns a dream holiday into a nightmare’ Jane Casey, bestselling author of The Killing Kind ‘Properly tense and full of surprises’ Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange ‘Great characters, all with secrets, and a fabulous setting’ Catherine Cooper, bestselling author of The Cruise

Now an Amazon Prime Original series, Red Queen is the first in Juan Gómez-Jurado's internationally bestselling thriller series, translated by Nick Caistor. More than two million copies sold in Spain alone. Sunday Times - Best Thriller Books of the Year 'A Spanish spin on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo . . . A female Sherlock Holmes' - The Times 'Fizzes with energy . . . echoes of Lisbeth Salander, but the crackling interplay . . . adds an extra layer of originality... sparkling' Financial Times You've never met anyone like her . . . Antonia Scott is special. Very special. She is not a policewoman or a lawyer. She has never wielded a weapon or carried a badge, and yet, she has solved dozens of crimes. But it's been awhile since Antonia left her attic in Madrid. The things she has lost are much more important to her than the things awaiting her outside. She also doesn't receive visitors. That's why she really, really doesn't like it when she hears unknown footsteps coming up the stairs. Whoever it is, Antonia is sure that they are coming to look for her. And she likes that even less. Praise for Red Queen: 'Often compared with Lisbeth Salander . . . Antonia Scott looks destined to leave every bit as lasting an impression.' - Daily Mail 'One of the most extravagantly entertaining novels I’ve ever read. It's an electrifying serial-killer thriller . . . I loved every word.' - A.J. Finn, bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

The origin of AidaIro’s masterpiece! Toilet-bound Hanako-kun was originally published in Monthly GFantasy as a self-contained short series, and you can read those three chapters here along with AidaIro’s debut work, “The Beloved Living Dead.� Come and see where it all began!

With his marriage on the rocks and his life in shambles, washed up crime writer Lucas Graham is desperate for a comeback. So when he's promised exclusive access to notorious cult leader and death row inmate Jeffrey Halcomb, the opportunity is too good to pass up. Lucas leaves New York for the scene of the crime-a split-level farmhouse on the gray-sanded beach of Washington State-a house whose foundation is steeped in the blood of Halcomb's diviners; runaways who, thirty years prior, were drawn to his message of family, unity, and unconditional love. Lucas wants to tell the real story of Halcomb's faithful departed, but when Halcomb goes back on his promise of granting Lucas exclusive information on the case, he's left to put the story together on his own. Except he is not alone. For Jeffrey Halcomb promised his devout eternal life…and within these walls, they're far from dead.

Acting on behalf of his firm of solicitors, Jonathan Harker travels to the Carpathian Mountains to finalize the sale of England's Carfax Abbey to Transylvanian noble Count Dracula. Little does he realize that, in doing so, he endangers all that he loves. For Dracula is one of the Un-dead—a centuries-old vampire who sleeps by day and stalks by night, feasting on the blood of his helpless victims. Once on English soil, the count sets his sights on Jonathan's circle of associates, among them his beloved wife Mina. To thwart Dracula's evil designs, Jonathan and his friends will have to accept as truth the most preposterous superstitions concerning vampires, and in the company of legendary vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing, embark on an unholy adventure for which even their worst nightmares have not prepared them.   First published in 1897, Bram Stoker's Dracula established the ground rules for virtually all vampire fiction written in its wake. This volume is one of Barnes & Noble's Collectible Editions classics. Each volume features authoritative texts by the world's greatest authors in an exquisitely designed foil-stamped binding, with distinctive colored edging and an attractive ribbon bookmark. Decorative, durable, and collectible, these books offer hours of pleasure to readers young and old and are an indispensable cornerstone for any home library.

Stepping far afield from his medical studies, Victor Frankenstein brings to life a human form he has fashioned from scavenged body parts. Horrified by his achievement, he turns his back on his creation, only to learn the danger of such neglect. Written when Mary Shelley was only 20 years old, Frankenstein has been hailed as both a landmark of Gothic horror fiction and the first modern science fiction story.

Welcome to Lapvona. In a village in a medieval fiefdom buffeted by natural disasters, a motherless shepherd boy finds himself at the centre of a power struggle that puts all manner of faith to a savage test . . . Discover the Sunday Times bestselling novel from the author of TikTok sensation My Year of Rest and Relaxation. 'One of the most provocative reads of the year' i NEWSPAPER 'Disturbingly funny' OBSERVER, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 'An addictive read . . . with a chequered cast of misfits, despots and unholy souls' THE FACE 'One of America's most exciting - and most provocative - young novelists' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Lapvona deserves all the hype it's received and more' i-D 'Brace yourselves' STYLIST

  The New York Times best-selling series is now a graphic novel! Five Nights at Freddy's fans won't want to miss this pulse-pounding collection of three novella-length comic stories that will keep even the bravest player up at night . . .  Oscar, ever the miniature grown-up his mom needs him to be, decides to take something he wants . . . even though he knows it's wrong. Stanley is newly dumped, stuck in a dead-end job for a mysterious employer, and unable to connect with anyone. And Devon, abandoned by his dad and ignored by his mom, can't understand why love and friendship come so easily to everyone except him. Unfortunately, in the callous world of Five Nights at Freddy's, it's always in the depths of loneliness when evil creeps in. In this volume, three stories from the New York Times best-selling series Five Nights at Freddy's: Fazbear Frights come to life in delightfully horrifying comics. Readers beware: This collection of terrifying tales is enough to unsettle even the most hardened Five Nights at Freddy's fans. Told through delightfully scary artwork  Three novella-length comic stories that will keep even the bravest player up at night Perfect for gamers and fans of horror

A collection of iconic stories for all ages featuring Marvel's premier team of starbound heroes - Guardians of the Galaxy! They're the rag-tag band of adventurers tasked with protecting the entire Marvel-Verse. They're the Guardians of the Galaxy - and they put the far-out into outer space! When Earth faces a cosmic threat so great that even its mightiest heroes can t handle it alone, the Avengers assemble alongside the Guardians - but can these two very different teams work together to save the day? Then, when Death's Head, one of the galaxy's greatest bounty hunters, targets the Guardians, it's lights out for Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot! Plus, they're used to being the galaxy's most wanted - but why is Groot trying to arrest his best bud Rocket?! And for Star-Lord, it's all about the music!

True love, friendship and luck – a warm-hearted novel about where fate can lead you from the No.1 bestselling author.Now being filmed as LOVE, ROSIE. Best friends since forever, Rosie and Alex have shared their hopes, dreams, awkward moments – and firsts. But their bond is threatened when Alex’s family move to America. They stay in touch, but misunderstandings, circumstances and sheer bad luck seem to be conspiring to keep them apart. Can they gamble everything – even their friendship – on true love?

She was a mega-celebrity—he was a billionaire businessman—now he’s dead—she’s in jail Laurie Bateman was living the American dream. Since her arrival as an infant in the U.S. after the fall of Saigon, the pretty Vietnamese girl had gone on to become a supermodel, a successful actress, and, finally, the wife of one of the country’s top corporate dealmakers. That dream has now turned into a nightmare when she is arrested for the murder of her wealthy husband. New York City TV journalist Clare Carlson does an emotional jailhouse interview in which Bateman proclaims her innocence—and becomes a cause celebre for women’s rights groups around the country. At first sympathetic, then increasingly suspicious of Laurie Bateman and her story, Clare delves into a baffling mystery which has roots extending back nearly fifty years to the height of the Vietnam War. Soon, there are more murders, more victims, and more questions as Clare struggles against dire evil forces to break the biggest story of her life. Beyond the Headlines is perfect for fans of Robert Crais and Harlan Coben While all of the novels in the Clare Carlson Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is: Yesterday’s News Below the Fold The Last Scoop Beyond the Headlines It’s News to Me Broadcast Blues (coming 2024)

A sumptuous full-colour art book containing the complete collection of almost 200 sketches, drawings, paintings and maps created by J.R.R. Tolkien for The Lord of the Rings. As he wrote The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien’s mental pictures often found expression in drawing, from rough sketches made within the manuscript to more finished illustrations. Only a few of these were meant for publication; most were aids to help Tolkien conceive his complex story and keep it consistent. Many do not illustrate the final text, but represent moments of creation, illuminating Tolkien’s process of writing and design. In addition to pictorial sketches, numerous maps follow the development of the Shire and the larger landscape of Middle-earth, while inscriptions in runes and Elvish script, and ‘facsimile’ leaves from the burned and blood-stained Book of Mazarbul, support Tolkien’s pose as an ‘editor’ or ‘translator’ of ancient records. The Art of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien collects these drawings, inscriptions, maps, and plans in one volume. More than 180 images are included, all of them printed in colour from high-quality scans and photographs. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, two of the world’s leading Tolkien scholars, have edited the book and provide an expert introduction and comments. Readers who have enjoyed The Art of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, with which the book is uniform, will find much of interest also in The Art of The Lord of the Rings.

WELCOME TO UHTRED’S FEAST . . . The Last Kingdom is one of the most successful historical fiction series of our time, telling the epic story of the birth of England, and introducing one of the greatest ever fictional heroes: the iconic Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Saxon-born, Norse-raised, warrior and rebel. The final Last Kingdom book was published in 2020, but for the author the story felt unfinished: there were some Uhtred tales he still wanted to tell, and over the course of writing the books he'd become fascinated by some elements of the Anglo-Saxon world that it wasn't possible to fully explore in the novels. When he met renowned chef Suzanne Pollak, the idea for Uhtred's Feast was born. And here Bernard Cornwell tells those additional Uhtred stories, showing us the man behind the shield – as a young boy, as Alfred's advisor, and as prince – while Suzanne brings his world to life through beautifully crafted recipes which open a door into the Anglo-Saxon home . . .