Even the oldest, wildest legends are usually born from som kernel of truth. Elizabeth Bathory’s claim to fame was as a 16th century Hungarian noblewoman who preserved her youth by bathing in the blood of hundreds virgins. But even if the truth is less salacious, surely there must be something to it. Shelley Puhak makes the case that Elizabeth Bathory deserves no such derision.
Each year I try to clear the list of books I meant to read and/or review. Some I read and didn’t get around to covering. Some I started and didn’t finish for various reasons. Some simply got lost in the shuffle. So I’m clearing the docket for the new year, without completely ignoring these worthy titles.
A spate of new gothic novels, with haunted shipwrecks, frightening hospitals, strange cliff homes and more…
Carol Spencer, at the behest of her Newport-based mother, agrees to open the Maine summer home ahead of the rest of the family’s arrival. Expecting to find some harried housekeepers looking for clean sheets and an overgrown garden, Carol is shocked to discover the dead body of a stranger.
Six guests are invited to Midwinter Trust, an upscale, exclusive resort in the North Pennines. Fieldstone buildings, cozy fireplaces, gourmet meals, a quiet place to enjoy the holiday. The perfect setting for a few people to start dying under mysterious circumstances.