This Week In Horror 11/07/2017

Chillingworth Mews: A supernatural horror novel by Anton Palmer

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Synopsis:

Following a near fatal car crash, Roger Davies - a psychic whose gift has been more of a curse than a blessing - is given a second chance at life. After forging a pact with the dead to become a weapon of retribution for those souls who suffered a violent end, his mission brings him into contact with Chillingworth Mews and the evil within senses an opportunity to finally break free from its prison of bricks and mortar...

Splatterpunk Fighting Back by Bracken MacLeod and 8 others

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Synopsis:

A row with a boyfriend leads to unexpected and bloody consequences...
A high powered CEO undertakes a highly unusual therapy to take his career to the next level…
A mother frantically searches for the child as the world burns…

Featuring new fiction by Adam Millard, Matt Shaw, Bracken MacLeod, John Boden, Duncan Ralston, Rich Hawkins, Glenn Rolfe, George Daniel Lea, Tim Curran, WD Gagliani & Dave Benton and Kristopher Rufty.

A charity anthology.

Edited by Jack Bantry & Kit Power

Between The Wolves & The Sheep by Jax Cortez

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Synopsis:

Two child victims, no clues. “The Eraser” has struck again for a third time. Can Detective David Johnson hold his marriage together long enough to solve the case with a town on the edge, the media circus on his heels, and now an unexpected tragedy unfolding right before his eyes? In a world where David thought he was safe being a cop, nothing could ever prepare him for what he is about to experience.

Spirits Unchained: Five Haunting Stories About the African-American Experience by Sedrie Danielle

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Synopsis:

Five chilling stories about the African-American experience during the slavery period.
What happened to the man who lost his way while attempting to escape?
What it really a star that Lady Moses followed?
What was Tituba's true fate?
Vampire Orphanage by Patrica Mattern

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Synopsis:

Marley and Tom are the perfect couple. To see them, you may not even notice that while Tom is human, Marley is a dhamphir, a half vampire. They're just a friendly couple who want a home in the country, filled with laughing, happy children.

Unfortunately they are unable to have any children of their own, so they decide to adopt. After all, there are so many children who need good homes.

​They begin to adopt homeless, needy vampire orphans. What children could possibly be more in need of a loving home? In a short time they are delighted to wind up with a baker's dozen. But these rescued kids come with their own baggage: sires, enemies and dangerous secrets that threaten to tear their new family apart.

Will this blended group become a truly happy, loving, integrated family? Will they be able to survive their differences and the dangers lurking around every dark corner? Find out for yourself why Tom and Marley love their sometimes distrustful and always dangerous children, and why they will do anything to keep their family together.

New This Week in Horror 8/30/2017

The Soprano  Sarah England

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Synopsis:

'It is 1951 and a remote mining village on the North Staffordshire Moors is hit by one of the worst snowstorms in living memory. Cut off for over three weeks, the old and the sick will die; the strongest bunker down; and those with evil intent will bring to its conclusion a family vendetta spanning three generations.
Inspired by a true event, 'The Soprano' tells the story of Grace Holland - a strikingly beautiful, much admired local celebrity who brings glamour and inspiration to the grimy moorland community. But why is Grace still here? Why doesn't she leave this staunchly Methodist, rain-sodden place and the isolated farmhouse she shares with her mother?
Riddled with witchcraft and tales of superstition, the story is mostly narrated by the Whistler family who own the local funeral parlour, in particular six year old Louise - now an elderly lady - who recalls one of the most shocking crimes imaginable.'

Tales from the Boiler Room  Assorted Authors.

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Synopsis:

Leprechauns are out to get me. I'm not kidding. They're real, and they're a**holes. I'll tell you why. And while I'm at it, I'll tell you about the two guys who took on Hades’s demons on a drunken dare. What they brought back you'll never believe. I also heard about a dude who answered a help wanted ad from a vampire hunter. Hoo, was that a bad idea… But I bet you thought vampires weren't real or ghosts either. Pull up a chair. I'll tell you some stories that'll give you the creeps, maybe make you laugh a little, too. That's ok. I used to laugh at this stuff, until I met Patrick.
Terrors That Tingle  Wesley Thomas

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Synopsis:

Want to experience terrors that make you tingle?

'The pages are drenched in blood, dread, and fear. Read at your own risk! But trust me, you will want to read this collection. It's sure to scratch all your horror related itches.’ – Horrornerd.

From the British horror author that brought you the bestselling horror collection 'Nightmare Fuel' comes his latest collection of horrifying tales.

From ominous messages, doll makers, transformational stairs, stage fright, crazy old ladies, malfunctioning elevators, and terrifying helicopter rides.
This collection is a must-read for horror bookworms.

‘This thriller will tingle your senses and send shivers down your spine. Another great collection by a go-to author of horror.’ – Pamela Winn, Author.

'A great collection of scary short stories.' - MP Book Reviews.

Broken  Stefan Mears

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Synopsis:

Darien, a man on the verge of collapse. Not eating. Not sleeping. Not since his wife died. Not since the night of their last fight.

Darien visits a psychic. A specialist in hauntings. His last hope.

Darien will do anything to contact his dead wife.

"Broken", a tale of ghosts and one man's quest to reach beyond death. From Stefon Mears, author of The House on Cedar Street.

The Demon of London  Ayse Hafriza

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Synopsis:

What does every demon want in life? To be invisible of course. Jassassah the Demon finds herself on the London Tube, and just what is a demon meant to do when traveling with busy distracted commuters? Well if she isn't ruining their lives it would be a wasted opportunity. Jassassah picks off her victims one by one, delving into their secret, dark and most disturbing thoughts. Reminding them of the monsters they once were or showing them the monsters they can become.

How would Jassassah play with your mind? Or could you even distinguish her whisper from your own thoughts?

Read the first book in The Demon Series and follow her adventures. Just don't read it in the dark, because she might be reading over your shoulder.

New This Week in Dark Fantasy 8/23/2017

Captivated by Crimson by Brynn Myers

 

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Synopsis:

She is the fated one I have been waiting for...
The crimson in her veins will restore me…

My desire for her burns like no other…
I must possess her…
Dare to touch her and you will be the one to suffer…

Nola Blair is a free-spirited photographer sent to cover the party of the century in Elizabeth Bathory’s ruined castle. It was an assignment she'd declined––twice, but when she was offered a hefty sum to indulge the wealthy eccentric, she finally gave in. Little did she know that the guests at this party were centuries old and their desires reached far beyond those of a normal partygoer.

One captivating night will change her life and the two vampires vying for her will fight to the death to get what they want. One wants her to be his and the other wants her blood.

Who will decide Nola’s fate?

 
Throne of the Bastards  by Brian Keene &  Steven L Shrewsbury

 

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Synopsis:
Sword and sorcery collides with horror once again in this sequel to Brian Keene and Steven L. Shrewsbury’s award-winning KING OF THE BASTARDS.

Learning that his family is in danger, Rogan returns to his former kingdom, now under siege from foreign invaders and supernatural forces led by his bastard son. With time running out, the aging barbarian and his trusted companions, Javan and Akibeel, must forge an alliance of new friends and old foes, mustering an army to retake the kingdom. Surrounded by savages, soldiers, demons, and dark magic, it will take all of their cunning, skill, ruthlessness, and courage to survive the slaughter and determine once and for all who shall sit upon the THRONE OF THE BASTARDS.

 
Swarm and Steel by  Michael Fletcher

 

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Synopsis:

Zerfall awakens in an alley, wounded and unable to remember her past. Chased by an assassin out into the endless wastes of the desert, she is caught, disfigured, and left for dead. Her scabbard is empty, but the need for answers—and the pull of her sword—will draw her back to the city-states.

When Jateko, a naïve youth, accidentally kills a member of his own tribe, he finds himself outcast and pursued across the desert for his crimes. Crazed from dehydration, dying of thirst and hunger, he stumbles across Zerfall.

Hunted by assassins and bound by mutual need, both Zerfall and Jeteko will confront the Täuschung, an ancient and deranged religion ruled by a broken fragment of Zerfall’s mind. Swarm, the Täuschung hell, seethes with imprisoned souls, but where gods—real or imagined—meddle in the affairs of man, the cost is high.

In Swarm and Steel, the power of belief can manifest and shape reality, and for political and religious leaders, faith becomes a powerful tool. But the insane are capable of twisting reality with their delusions as well, turning increasingly dangerous as their sanity crumbles. It is here that a long prophesied evil will be born, an endless hunger. The All Consuming will rise.
 
Blood Huntress by Izzy Shows

 

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Synopsis:

What does it say when vampires aren’t the thing most feared in the night?

Nina Rodriguez has become the most lethal weapon in the world. A blood mage trained by werewolves to hunt and kill with no remorse, no morality, and no hesitation. All that matters is the thrill of the kill, and the danger that comes with it.

When she’s given orders to infiltrate and observe the vampire court, she couldn’t turn it down anymore than she could cease to breathe.

The sweet taste of danger was enough to tempt her, and that only doubles when the vampire king chooses her as his own personal thrall.

He’s a temptation she wasn’t prepared for, but dangerous, and his attention could mean death if she doesn’t watch her mouth. Words are weapons in a vampire court, weapons she was not trained to use.

She can fight off any enemy, but no one prepared her to fight for her soul.

 
Bound by Sorcery by Antara Mann

 

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Synopsis:

A supernatural apocalypse is brewing. And only secret magic can defeat it.

Alexandra Shaw may be an elemental mage, but she prefers the quiet life, running her struggling occult bookshop. With secrets of her own and a magical lineage shrouded in mystery, she keeps a low profile. But when a New York banker is found gruesomely murdered with an ancient symbol carved into his chest — one representing a cult of demon hunters long thought extinct — the supernatural community, including the Magic Council, is stunned.

Alex reluctantly joins the investigation to keep her shop afloat, but tensions between gods and demons continue to rise and threaten to break into a devastating war. To diffuse the situation, the Council assigns a fiercely powerful and sexy fae to the case.

Ancient cults, demons, gods, ritualistic murders, a tempting fae — and as if all that weren't bad enough, now someone’s trying to kill her…

Bound By Sorcery is the first book in the Half-Goddess Chronicles urban fantasy series. It features a kick-ass heroine, a hot hero, mystery, and otherworldly adventures. Fans of Ilona Andrews, Ella Summers and Linsey Hall will enjoy this series.

Help Wanted!

Beta Readers Needed

As I near the end of my current work in progress I want to try something different with this one. In the past I've always relied on an editor alone to get a second set of eyes on my work. This time I'd like to add 4 to 5 beta readers to the process. If you enjoy reading works in the horror / dark fantasy genre and wouldn't mind sharing your reaction to a work by completing a questionnaire at the end I'd like to talk to you. 

The work in progress had been titled A Father's Love and my goal is to win a kindle scout deal with it. I'm currently searching for a title that better reflects the story in a single word. But that's my problem, unless you as a beta reader come up with a better suggestion. 

I've added the first few paragraphs below so you can get a feel for the story.

I'm sorry, there is no compensation aside from a mention in the acknowledgements in the finished book, my eternal gratitude, and the chance to read something no one else has seen yet.

The manuscript will come in at a little over 80,000 words. I have the first 20 chapters ready for beta readers, though I still have to put together the questionnaire. 

If you're interested, drop me a line at rschiver@gmail.com  I'll be setting up a closed beta readers group on Facebook where everyone participating can share their thoughts. 

Thank you.

Richard Schiver

UNTITLED

At night the world slipped on a different mask, as the shadows grew long and deep. A menacing disguise that transformed even the most innocent objects into terrifying creatures. The stack of boxes sitting drunkenly in the corner had become a crouching beast, a thing of fangs and claws ready to leap out and devour her the moment she looked away. Even her Little Princess table, where she had served tea to her collection of stuffed animals on many an occasion, had become a frightening object, whose long shadow reached out for her with the searching fingers of some nameless thing.

“It’s okay, Puddles,” she whispered to the stuffed bunny tucked under the covers beside her, “it’s just your magination.” She pulled Puddles closer to her side, and as she did, she saw her father with her mind’s eye as he wound up to throw another ball. His face a mask of determination as he focused on the task at hand, fading into the dark recesses of her memory as another emerged.

“It’s the witch,” Marjorie, her best friend from school whispered in her mind, drawing her gaze to the pair of windows that looked out upon a night filled with myriad possibilities. The pale moonlight was broken by the passage of dark clouds across the face of the moon, creating alternating bands of light and dark that served to deepen the already threatening nature of the night.

She was out there, the Witch, if Marjorie was to be believed. Searching for her next victim, looking for the next bad little boy or girl to lure back to her lair. With the blankets pulled nearly up to her eyes, her gaze tracked around the darkened bedroom in an endless search for threats.

She was a good girl, she sought to convince herself as the shadows of the night swirled around her in an endless, primitive dance. She listened to her mommy as best she could, and at this thought, she remembered her dress lying on the floor of her closet. She had been told to hang it up.

But had she?

No. The answer chilled her to the bone.

Come join me in this adventure, it''ll be fun, I promise. Drop me a line rschiver@gmail.com
 

Free Read Friday: Billy Part V

Read Billy from the start. BILLY

Billy 

Part V

Reaching the hallway much sooner than he wanted, her door stood at the shadowy end. A bleak emptiness illuminated its perimeter as shadowy traces of night flowed through the gap like smoke that hung in the air, twisting and turning over and around one another. The door glowed with a soft white light as it began to swell in the middle, the sound of splintering wood coming to him as he stood rooted in place. It was like it could tell he was standing therem and against his will he was drawn to its bulging surface.

It lay just beyond the door. Drawing him with a sinister voice that spoke to him on a deep primitive level. He knew what waited for him beyond the door, as well as he knew the night, and the terrors it inspired. Shrouded in shadows it moved among the living like an errant thought that brought a brief chill on a warm sunny day. It was the essence of the night, of time immortal, and of a despair that knew no end.

It had claimed Sarah as its own. Driving her to the point of no return, filling her with a deepening sense of hopelessness that offered no light at the end of the tunnel. Driving her to the only option that remained.

Death.

It was as old as time itself, this thing that had laid claim to his sister’s soul, gathering her to it like a farmer reaping its fields. Walking among the living, spreading a boundless despair as it gathered the souls of those too weak to combat its touch.

Ebony traces of emptiness slithered through the shadows toward him, keeping to the dark corners as they sought out the essence of his life.

“Do you believe?” his sister whispered in his thoughts.

Believe in what? He wondered as he moved the length of the hallway, getting closer to her swelling door with every hesitant step. Here those shadowy tendrils of night caressed his legs with black tips that left a chilled touch in their wake. Every touch awakened an old memory that rose from the nighted abyss of his sub conscious, trailing oily bubbles of fear as it breached the light of his awareness, filling him with that overwhelming emptiness of despair.

He loved her, he knew it as well as he knew his own name. Though at times she had been brutally indifferent to his feelings, he still loved her as only a younger brother could love his older sister.

Each memory that rose to the surface of his consciousness contained a snapshot of her disdain for his existence. He saw her as she flipped her head impatiently as she walked away from him. She had no time for her younger brother, she had a life to live, people to meet, pleasures to yet enjoy.

Yet for each slight that rose to his consciousness, there lay another memory that stood in sharp contrast.

Her frantic terror the day he had become lost at the mall and she along with their parents had spent a hectic half hour searching for him.

Therein lay the key. His secret, his belief.

“Do you believe?” She asked with an urgent voice.

It was then he realized she was waiting for him on the other side of the door, trapped in the ebony grasp  of a ferocious beast that could turn any happiness into an endless despair. A creature that existed only in shadows, avoiding the light of day, of reason, and most importantly, the blinding light of love.

He loved her as she loved him, a love only siblings could truly understand. As he moved down the hall, deeper into the shadows, the gloominess was pushed back by a faint white light that came from everywhere, and nowhere. He was like a shining beacon pushing back the night, exposing those shadowy corners where nightmares held sway over the light of reason.

Those shadowy tendrils of night retreated in the face of his approach, drawing back to the door to vanish into the darkness that outlined its soft white façade. As he was reaching for the knob he realized the light was coming from within him. Filling him with calm as that crashing sound came from the other side of  his sister’s door.

It was waiting for him.

Taking a deep breath he turned the knob and pushed into the room.

She was sitting on the bed, her knees drawn up under her chin, watching him with wide, terror filled eyes.

“They’re out there,” she whispered as he crossed to her.

From the poster on the wall behind her came the sound of some massive beast as it crashed through the forest. Along the edges of the poster faint tendrils of night slithered over and around one another in a primitive dance to a forgotten god.

Billy took her hand and tried to lead her to her door.

“No,” she said as he yanked her hand from his grasp. “Not that way.”

“How?” he asked and she turned her head to look at the poster on the wall behind her. “It’s the only way.”

He recalled how it had felt, his finger vanishing beneath the surface of the poster, the cold chill that had crept the length of his arm, the soft whispers that invaded his thoughts. How could he touch it again?

“I can’t,” he said as he backed away.

“But we have to, we can’t stay here.”

“Why not, it’s where we belong.”

“You don’t understand do you?”

“Understand what?”

“We’re not where you think we are.”

To be continued!

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This week in Horror

A selection of new releases coming this week.

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Synopsis:

Guy de la Moroz is a direct descendant of a Dutch mercenary who had come over with William the Conqueror. As magic often attracts magic, natural evolution has made Guy into the most powerful witch in the country and he had risen to be a Madge. By travelling the world, he had also become a shaman in many cultures including Aboriginal, Hindu, American Indian and Amara, Inca and Nazca from South America.
Guy lives on a seventy-two foot Big Woolwich ex-working narrow boat named The Wizard of Oz. His boat is also magical and often talks to Guy. His brown and white spaniel called Dorothy is his witch’s familiar. Although never married he has two children in the village of Coven, his adopted home. His relationship with the mothers of his two children and various lovers in the village only complicates his life.
Coven is a quiet little village in Shropshire until one day the vicar’s wife is killed on the village green in broad daylight; another murder soon follows which embroils Guy in a merry-go-round of jealousy, madness, revenge and passion as he uses his magical abilities to help solve the case.

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Synopsis:

 How did Roderick Helms' and Geofrey Anteil's journey as members of Fiat Lux begin? We find out this issue as a journey of another sort is underway for Fiat Lux — a race to rescue the Pope himself in Avignon! What knowledge of the zombie plague does the Pope possess? And will he share it with Roderick and his men before it's too late?

Written by the master of violence, gore, and mayhem, Frank Tieri (Marvel vs Capcom, Wolverine, Deadpool), with spectacular art from Disney illustrator, Oleg Okunev, and covers by Eisner Award-nominated artist Tim Bradstreet (The Punisher, Hellblazer)!

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Synopsis:

Delaney Green may have found her way back to the living, but her new body isn't going to last. Without magic, and still separated from Percy, she is forced to rely on the tangled memory of what might be to find a way to reclaim her bones. With the help of an old ally, and the reluctant assistance of new enemies, Del must take the final steps down a long road home.

The Touch Trilogy is a series of Southern Gothic novellas, short novels with a lyrical style and eerie tone, perfect for fans of True Blood or Flannery O'Connor.

 

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Synopsis:

Here it is in its entirety. You have twelve books and well over one million words of zombie goodness.

THE DEAD WALK!

Welcome to the world of TW Brown's DEAD saga. This raw, violent, and brutal world isn't populated with military supermen and women, or preppers that have been waiting for the human extinction event to arrive. This is a world of normal people...some good, some bad...and some pure evil.

This is a global look at the end of the world. Follow Steve and his group as you see the apocalypse unfold through a single person's eyes. With The Geeks, you meet four young men who thought a zombie apocalypse would be cool...and quickly discover that it really isn't.

In the Vignettes, you will get short glimpses of the state the world has fallen into. Some will only be a single offering. Others might stick around for a while, but rest assured...NOBODY IS SAFE.

Welcome to TW Brown's DEAD world.

 

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Synopsis:

Emily Sparrow takes a job at a run-down guest house in the strange and mysterious Tramman Court. There’s something wrong with the house and its owner, Mr Thresher, is hiding something. Why does Emily come across a seemingly abandoned battered brown suitcase as she cleans and tidies and what is the dark secret that the house holds? But Emily has secrets of her own and is running from something. When the her past and Thresher’s dark heritage collide, something terrible is bound to happen. Another short story based in the world of author Edwin Torr's Dead Means Dead series.

 

HHAC 2016 Angela L Lindseth

Angela L. Lindseth grew up in South Dakota on the family homestead. She has a geological engineering degree and a journeyman electrician license; however, thanks to her beautiful sister, Angela is writing full time.
She's completed her first book, Tower of Earth, a young adult fantasy adventure, the first in the Towers of Rejaque series. She writes a wide variety of flash fiction, including speculative, horror, and retrospective, some of which make her question her sanity. For a taste of her work visit Panopoly, Five 2 One, and her Facebook author page.
Angela has two handsome boys, a cat named Rex, and a beagle named River, who is the love of her life. 

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Synopsis:

Sanity’s Threshold is not for the faint of heart. It tiptoes along the extreme and delves into the paranormal, the horror, the dark, and the weird. It harnesses your imagination and leaves you questioning the slivers of your twisted mind.
This short fiction/short story collection is for the lovers of dark realism, suspense, and the scary. Kids Come First details a woman's nurture for the alien creatures growing in her belly. Supernova speculates the demise of our planet. Mind Rot speaks of the disasters of chemical experimentation. Enjoy nearly thirty additional enthralling and stimulating pieces.
Flash fiction, dribbles, drabbles, and sudden fiction have been gaining popularity and requires concise story telling and extreme brevity.

HHAC 2016 Patrick Kill

Patrick Kill specializes in writing the most absurd, iconoclastic humorous dark fiction around. At 6'1'', he is the tallest midget on earth. He is a competitive eater…of children. He prefers footie pajamas with someone else's feet in them. He fishes for dead bodies in drainage ditches during the day and traps for yeti at night. He is the most ridiculous man in the world. His favorite saying is: "I don't always eat humans, but when I do, it's dos Mexicanos. Stay evil, my friends." Until they invent the first anti-social network, you will be unable to connect with him in any manner except by leaving a nasty review where his work appears. Which he will, in turn, not even bother to read. 

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Synopsis:

Patrick Kill's short fiction has garnered a cult following over the years. He continually writes within a world where there are no morals, but in a reality close to our own, but not quite. Not yet.

His stories combine dark (sometimes pitch-black) humor with horror elements and a brand of bizarre fiction that is uniquely his own.

There is nothing mainstream about these tales. At the surface, they may offend, repulse or even shock you, but if you look deeper, you'll find a strange sense of meaning, a bizarre written art form made of grotesque thoughts, demented characters and just plain weird situations.

In his fiction, you will find a shattered mirror which ultimately reflects back on the gritty soul of humanity.

HHAC 2016 Mouse Diver-Dudfield

Sci Fi, horror, and mystery author living in the deep dark south of New Zealand. Originally a non-fiction author of early New Zealand history specializing in Southland and Otago, behind it all, Mouse had a driving passion to write compelling and spooky NZ fiction. 

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Synopsis:

1874 – In search of an Incan city, renowned British explorer Rupert Mendenhall unwittingly releases a long dormant zombie plague on the unsuspecting occupants of the Cotahuasi Valley, Peru.