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By Simon Bacon, Katarzyna Bronk-Bacon. 2024
This book is an original and innovative study of how Gothic nostalgia and toxic memory are used to underpin and…
promote the ongoing culture wars and populist politics in contemporary popular culture. The essays collected here cover topics from the spectral to the ecological, deep fakes to toxic ableism, Mary Poppins to John Wick to reveal how the use of an imaginary past to shape the present, creates truly Gothic times that we can never escape. These ‘hungry ghosts’ from the past find resonance with the Gothic which speaks equally of a past that often not only haunts the present but will not let it escape its grasp. This collection will look at the confluence between various kinds of toxic nostalgia and popular culture to suggest the ways in which contemporary populism has resurrected ideological monsters from the grave to gorge on the present and any possibility of change that the future might represent.By Warwick Rodwell; Tim Tatton-Brown. 2015
The British Archaeological Association’s 2013 conference was devoted to the study of Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster. It…
also embraced Westminster School, which was founded at the Reformation in the Abbey precinct. Collectively, these institutions occupy a remarkable assemblage of medieval and later buildings, most of which are well documented. Although the Association had held a conference at Westminster in 1902, this was the first time that the internationally important complex of historic buildings was examined holistically, and the papers published here cover a wide range of subject matter. Westminster came into existence in the later Anglo-Saxon period, and by the mid-11th century, when Edward the Confessor’s great new abbey was built, it was a major royal centre two miles south-west of the City of London. Within a century or so, it had become the principal seat of government in England, and this series of twenty-eight papers covers new research on the topography, buildings, art-history, architecture and archaeology of Westminster’s two great establishments — Abbey and Palace. Part I begins with studies of the topography of the area, an account of its Roman-period finds and an historiographical overview of the archaeology of the Abbey. Edward the Confessor’s enigmatic church plan is discussed and the evidence for later Romanesque structures is assembled for the first time. Five papers examine aspects of Henry III’s vast new Abbey church and its decoration. A further four cover aspects of the later medieval period, coronation, and Sir George Gilbert Scott’s impact as the Abbey’s greatest Surveyor of the Fabric. A pair of papers examines the development of the northern precinct of the Abbey, around St Margaret’s Church, and the remarkable buildings of Westminster School, created within the remains of the monastery in the 17th and 18th centuries. Part II part deals with the Palace of Westminster and its wider topography between the late 11th century and the devastating fire of 1834 that largely destroyed the medieval palace. William Rufus’s enormous hall and its famous roofs are completely reassessed, and comparisons discussed between this structure and the great hall at Caen. Other essays reconsider Henry III’s palace, St Stephen’s chapel, the king’s great chamber (the ‘Painted Chamber’) and the enigmatic Jewel Tower. The final papers examine the meeting places of Parliament and the living accommodation of the MPs who attended it, the topography of the Palace between the Reformation and the fire of 1834, and the building of the New Palace which is better known today as the Houses of Parliament.This book examines how the vampire has always been connected to ideas of infection, pollution and disease—even more so in…
the 21st century where it expresses the horrors of unseen and unstoppable disease and the foreboding and anxiety that accompany viral outbreaks and wider epidemics. Here the vampire gives physical form to the contagion and associated anxieties around the perceived causes and spread of disease, where it can take on many forms from animal to pestilential particulate matter, creeping shadows and even malignant weather systems. If blood is life, it is the body of the vampire that is death. This timely study looks at how and why the vampire continues to fulfil this function and posits that the true patient zero in the 21st century is no longer the dangerous, ancient, outsider from the East but is the undying monster that is Western culture itself.By C. E. McGill. 2023
It is not the monster you must fear, but the monster it makes of men. . .Mary is the great-niece…
of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her great uncle disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the Arctic, but she doesn’t know why or how. . . .The 1850s are a time of discovery, and London is ablaze with the latest scientific theories and debates, especially when a spectacular new exhibition of dinosaur sculptures opens at the Crystal Palace. Mary is keen to make her name in this world of science alongside her geologist husband, Henry—but despite her sharp mind and sharper tongue, without wealth and connections their options are limited.When Mary discovers some old family papers that allude to the shocking truth behind her great-uncle’s past, she thinks she may have found the key to securing her and Henry’s professional and financial future. Their quest takes them to the wilds of Scotland; to Henry’s intriguing but reclusive sister, Maisie; and to a deadly chase with a rival who is out to steal their secret.A queer, feminist masterpiece inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic, Our Hideous Progeny is a sumptuous tale of ambition and obsession, of forbidden love and sabotage and a twisty Gothic adventure that may forever change your view of human nature.By Damien K. Picariello. 2020
The Politics of Horror features contributions from scholars in a variety of fields—political science, English, communication studies, and others—that explore…
the connections between horror and politics. How might resources drawn from the study of politics inform our readings of, and conversations about, horror? In what ways might horror provide a useful lens through which to consider enduring questions in politics and political thought? And what insights might be drawn from horror as we consider contemporary political issues? In turning to horror, the contributors to this volume offer fresh provocations to inform a broad range of discussions of politics.By Nicole Bauer. 2023
This book traces changing attitudes towards secrecy in eighteenth-century France, and explores the cultural origins of ideas surrounding government transparency.…
The idea of keeping secrets, both on the part of individuals and on the part of governments, came to be viewed with more suspicion as the century progressed. By the eve of the French Revolution, writers voicing concerns about corruption saw secrecy as part and parcel of despotism, and this shift went hand in hand with the rise of the idea of transparency. The author argues that the emphasis placed on government transparency, especially the mania for transparency that dominated the French Revolution, resulted from the surprising connections and confluence of changing attitudes towards honour, religious movements, rising nationalism, literature, and police practices. Exploring religious ideas that associated secrecy with darkness and wickedness, and proto-nationalist discourse that equated foreignness with secrecy, this book demonstrates how cultural shifts in eighteenth-century France influenced its politics. Covering the period of intense fear during the French Revolution and the paranoia of the Reign of Terror, the book highlights the complex interplay of culture and politics and provides insights into our attitudes towards secrecy today.By Giacometti, Ravenne. 2019
From multi-million copy bestselling authors Giacometti & Ravenne comes a Nazi spy thriller for fans of Dan Brown, Steve Berry…
and Wilbur Smith."I couldn't put it down ... the authors write like Dan Brown!" -Anthony, 5-Star NetGalley reviewer*** RATED 5 STARS BY REAL READERS *** *** GET BOOK 2, GOOD & EVIL, NOW: https://amz.run/3tyl ****** PREORDER BOOK 3, HELLBOUND, NEXT: https://amz.run/3tyk ***A secret Nazi organisation.Four swastikas with occult powers.A spy.What readers think:"I can't wait to read the next book in the series!" -Sens Critique"A spellbinding read from start to finish." -5-Star Amazon Review"There are twists aplenty" -5-Star Netgalley Review"A real page turner." -Art Six Mic"If you like books with lots of action and cliff hangers, this is for you." -5-Star Netgalley Review"The authors' best book so far." -5-Star Amazon Review"A book full of action and mystery." -Au Detour d'un LivreIn a Europe on the verge of collapse, the Nazi organisation Ahnenerbe is pillaging sacred landmarks across the world. Their aim is to collect treasures with occult powers, which will help them establish the Third Reich. The organisation's head, Himmler, has sent SS officers to search a forgotten sanctuary in the Himalayas, whilst he tries to track down a mysterious painting. Which ancient power do the Nazis believe they hold the key to?Meanwhile, in London, Churchill has discovered that the war against Germany will also be a spiritual one: their light must fight the occult if they are to win . . .(P) 2020 Hodder & Stoughton LtdBy Alice Alfonsi. 2001
Harmony, New England, harbors a centuries-old witch with a grudge. Tabitha knows all of the inhabitants' secrets--mistresses, illegitimate babies, blackmail,…
and substance abuse. She creates even more trouble by casting spells of her own. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. Bestseller. 2001'The sweetest, most romantic, most heartwarming book!' MARIAN KEYES'An absolute dream of a book, I couldn't love it more' LINDSEY…
KELK'I read Eight Perfect Hours in one sitting, I couldn't bear to put it down' JODI PICOULT'A beautiful, intricately woven story, so romantic and so charming' BETH O'LEARYWhat if you fell in love...... and then he disappeared?When Noelle and Sam's lives collide one snowy evening, they spend eight perfect hours stuck side by side believing that they'll never see each other again.But soon their lives become entangled in ways they never expected - and it's going to change everything...Don't miss the latest, hotly anticipated love story from Lia Louis! Perfect for fans of Beth O'Leary, Josie Silver and Cecelia Ahern.Praise for Eight Perfect Hours:'Lia Louis has become a must-buy author for me!' JODI PICOULT'A dream of a modern love story. This feel-good read is sprinkled with magic... romantic perfection' HOLLY MILLER'Every page was a joy to read. So gorgeously written, hilarious and full of warmth' JESSICA RYN'An utterly delightful novel from one of the most charming voices in modern romance. I loved it' LOUISE O'NEILL 'Eight perfect hours of escapist, romantic, life affirming bliss' GILLIAN McALLISTER'Funny, sweet and romantic' DEBBIE JOHNSON'Perfectly poignant and beautifully romantic. I adored it' ALEX BROWN'I adored it! Exactly the sort of love story I was craving' PAIGE TOON'Beautifully observed, intricately plotted perfection, full to the brim with her usual wit and warmth and bursting with that magic that no one else quite manages to conjure up' LAURA PEARSONThis book provides a comprehensive reading of a space/place-based experience from the birth of the American horror genre (nineteenth century…
American Romanticism) to its rise and evolution in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Exploring a series of narratives, this study focuses on the role of space and place as key elements for successful articulation of horror. The analysis, therefore, employs different theoretical premises and concepts belonging to human geography, which, while being part of the larger discipline of geography, predominantly directs its attention towards the presence and activities of humans. By connecting such theoretical readings with the continuously evolving American horror genre, this book offers a unique insight into the academically unexplored trans-disciplinary spatially based reading of the genre.By Sheila O'Flanagan. 2003
Who you meet can change your life for ever...A wonderful collection of short stories from Sheila O'Flanagan, Sunday Times bestselling…
author of THE MISSING WIFE and THE HIDEAWAY. The Moment We Meet was previously published as Destinations. Featuring an exclusive Q&A with Sheila O'Flanagan...Perfect for readers of Catherine Alliott and Marian Keyes. A young PR girl has the night of her life at a glitzy work event and finds more than just her face splashed across the newspapers the next day. Two women listen in on each other's phone calls and learn more about themselves than they ever expected. And a wife faces up to the truth that her husband isn't a man she feels safe with.Everyone aboard this train is on a journey - and they all have a story to tell...Praise for Sheila O'Flanagan's bestselling novels:'Wonderfully escapist...captivating' Daily Express'A beautiful backdrop to the story of a woman finding acceptance and new beginnings' Woman & Home'A hugely enjoyable romance, written with pace and heart' Sunday Mirror'Page-turner' Bella'I read the book in one sitting as it was so enjoyable, full of romance and kept you riveted until the last page' Woman's Way(P)2018 Headline Publishing Group LtdBy J. Kenner. 2014
Perfect for fans of Fifty Shades of Grey and the Crossfire series. The hot, addictive erotic romance series from the…
New York Times bestselling author of the Stark trilogy, of three enigmatic and powerful men, and the striking women who can bring them to their knees, concludes.He promised to take me as far as I could go - and I wanted to go to the edge. My whole life has been a cover, a con, a lie. I was raised on the thrill of playing someone I'm not. As a rule, I never let anyone get too close - until Cole August makes it impossible for me to stay away. Cole is tough, sexy, and intensely loyal, yet his secrets are dark and his scars run deep. Not many women can handle his past, or the truth behind his fierce demands. But something about him beckons me - and our desire is a game I must play. I know he's dangerous, that even his touch is trouble, but what is passion without a little risk?Don't miss the rest of the other explosive titles in the Most Wanted series: Wanted and Heated.Fall in love with J. Kenner's hot and addictive bestselling Stark series charting the romance of Nikki and Damien Stark in Release Me, Claim Me, Complete Me, Take Me, Have Me, Play My Game, Seduce Me and Unwrap Me. And follow the passionate relationship of Sylvia Brooks and Jackson Steele in the Stark International trilogy: Say My Name, On My Knees and Under My Skin.(P)2014 Random House AudioBy Laura Griffin. 2021
With her signature breathless pacing and suspenseful twists and turns, 'Laura Griffin never fails to put me on the edge…
of my seat' (USA TODAY).If you love Karen Rose, Melinda Leigh and Lisa Gardner, you'll be gripped by Laura Griffin!One tenacious local detective can only get the help he needs from a former forensic photographer with a serial killer on the loose in the new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin. The clock is ticking on a serial killer ready to strike... Forensic photographer Miranda Rhoads has decided to put crime scenes behind her when she moves to the seaside town of Lost Beach. But her plans are quickly upended when, one morning, she comes across a couple sleeping in a canoe, entwined in an embrace. Looking closer, she realizes the man and woman aren't asleep - they've been murdered. Detective Joel Breda is out to find answers - not only about the unidentified victims in the marshy death scene, but also about the aloof and beautiful photographer who seems to know more about his investigation than he does. As they begin to unravel the motivation of a merciless serial killer, Miranda and Joel are in a race to make an arrest - before the killer can find them first.Raves for Laura Griffin:'Desperate Girls is a nail-biting read from the very first page to the final, shocking twist. I could not put this book down' Melinda Leigh'Griffin pulls out all the stops in a phenomenal twist ending that will leave readers stunned' Publishers WeeklyBy Sladja Blazan. 2021
This volume is a study of human entanglements with Nature as seen through the mode of haunting. As an interruption…
of the present by the past, haunting can express contemporary anxieties concerning our involvement in the transformation of natural environments and their ecosystems, and our complicity in their collapse. It can also express a much-needed sense of continuity and relationality. The complexity of the question—who and what gets to be called human with respect to the nonhuman—is reflected in these collected chapters, which, in their analysis of cinematic and literary representations of sentient Nature within the traditional gothic trope of haunting, bring together history, race, postcolonialism, and feminism with ecocriticism and media studies. Given the growing demand for narratives expressing our troubled relationship with Nature, it is imperative to analyze this contested ground.'The sweetest, most romantic, most heartwarming book!' MARIAN KEYES'An absolute dream of a book, I couldn't love it more' LINDSEY…
KELK'I read Eight Perfect Hours in one sitting, I couldn't bear to put it down' JODI PICOULT'A beautiful, intricately woven story, so romantic and so charming' BETH O'LEARYWhat if you fell in love...... and then he disappeared?When Noelle and Sam's lives collide one snowy evening, they spend eight perfect hours stuck side by side believing that they'll never see each other again.But soon their lives become entangled in ways they never expected - and it's going to change everything...Don't miss the latest, hotly anticipated love story from Lia Louis! Perfect for fans of Beth O'Leary, Josie Silver and Cecelia Ahern.Praise for Eight Perfect Hours:'Lia Louis has become a must-buy author for me!' JODI PICOULT'A dream of a modern love story. This feel-good read is sprinkled with magic... romantic perfection' HOLLY MILLER'Every page was a joy to read. So gorgeously written, hilarious and full of warmth' JESSICA RYN'An utterly delightful novel from one of the most charming voices in modern romance. I loved it' LOUISE O'NEILL 'Eight perfect hours of escapist, romantic, life affirming bliss' GILLIAN McALLISTER'Funny, sweet and romantic' DEBBIE JOHNSON'Perfectly poignant and beautifully romantic. I adored it' ALEX BROWN'I adored it! Exactly the sort of love story I was craving' PAIGE TOON'Beautifully observed, intricately plotted perfection, full to the brim with her usual wit and warmth and bursting with that magic that no one else quite manages to conjure up' LAURA PEARSONBy Clive Bloom. 2021
This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of research on the Gothic Revival. The Gothic Revival was based on emotion rather…
than reason and when Horace Walpole created Strawberry Hill House, a gleaming white castle on the banks of the Thames, he had to create new words to describe the experience of gothic lifestyle. Nevertheless, Walpole’s house produced nightmares and his book The Castle of Otranto was the first truly gothic novel, with supernatural, sensational and Shakespearean elements challenging the emergent fiction of social relationships. The novel’s themes of violence, tragedy, death, imprisonment, castle battlements, dungeons, fair maidens, secrets, ghosts and prophecies led to a new genre encompassing prose, theatre, poetry and painting, whilst opening up a whole world of imagination for entrepreneurial female writers such as Mary Shelley, Joanna Baillie and Ann Radcliffe, whose immensely popular books led to the intense inner landscapes of the Bronte sisters. Matthew Lewis’s The Monk created a new gothic: atheistic, decadent, perverse, necrophilic and hellish. The social upheaval of the French Revolution and the emergence of the Romantic movement with its more intense (and often) atheistic self-absorption led the gothic into darker corners of human experience with a greater emphasis on the inner life, hallucination, delusion, drug addiction, mental instability, perversion and death and the emerging science of psychology. The intensity of the German experience led to an emphasis on doubles and schizophrenic behaviour, ghosts, spirits, mesmerism, the occult and hell. This volume charts the origins of this major shift in social perceptions and completes a trilogy of Palgrave Handbooks on the Gothic—combined they provide an exhaustive survey of current research in Gothic studies, a go-to for students and researchers alike.Through a contemporary Gothic lens, the book explores theatre theories, processes and practices that explore; the impacts of continuing drought…
and natural disaster, the conflicts concerning resource extraction and mining and current political debates focussed on climate change denial. While these issues can be argued from various political and economic platforms, theatrical investigations as discussed here suggest that scholars and theatre makers are becoming empowered to dramaturgically explore the ecological challenges we face now and may face in the future. In doing so the book proposes that theatre can engage in not only climate change analysis and discussion but can develop climate literacies in a broader socio-cultural context.By Laura Griffin. 2021
With her signature breathless pacing and suspenseful twists and turns, 'Laura Griffin never fails to put me on the edge…
of my seat' (USA TODAY).If you love Karen Rose, Melinda Leigh and Lisa Gardner, you'll be gripped by Laura Griffin!'I love smart, sophisticated, fast-moving romantic thrillers and Laura Griffin writes them brilliantly' Jayne Ann Krentz'A pulse-pounding romantic thriller' Publishers Weekly.............................................................................................A missing victim. A merciless killer.Up-and-coming attorney Leigh Larson fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and online abuse. She's laser-focused on her career and not afraid to go after the sleaziest targets to get payback for her clients. Austin homicide detective Brandon Reynolds is no stranger to midnight callouts, but his investigation of an abandoned car on a desolate road reveals an unusual crime scene. A pool of blood in the nearby woods suggests a brutal homicide. But where is the victim? The vehicle is registered to twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Adams, yet all Brandon finds inside is a smear of blood and a business card for Leigh Larson, attorney-at-law. Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance, but Leigh has no leads on who could have wanted her dead. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance..............................................................................................Raves for Laura Griffin:'Desperate Girls is a nail-biting read from the very first page to the final, shocking twist. I could not put this book down' Melinda Leigh'Griffin pulls out all the stops in a phenomenal twist ending that will leave readers stunned' Publishers WeeklyBy Jane Feather. 2000
New York Times bestselling author Jane Feather sets her Brides trilogy against the turmoil of the English Civil War, and…
tells the tales of three unconventional young women who vow they will never marry - only to be overtaken by destiny. Scholarly Olivia is most certainly The Least Likely Bride.One moment Lady Olivia Granville is strolling along a path, her nose buried in a tome of Greek philosophy; the next she is plunging down a rocky cliff. When she regains consciousness, she is naked and unwittingly trapped on a pirate ship. Her captor, though, is no ordinary pirate. Wickedly handsome, disturbingly mysterious, the grey-eyed master of the Wind Dancer is both a physician and an artist, and admits to making his living from the sea.Most disconcerting of all, when he turns his glittering eyes on her, he sees not the stammering, hopelessly bookish young girl Olivia has always been, but a passionate, beautiful woman who can, if she chooses, embark on the adventure and the love of a lifetime.Don't miss Portia or Phoebe's enchanting stories in The Hostage Bride and The Accidental Bride. For more of Jane Feather's signature romance check out the Blackwater Brides Trilogy and the Cavendish Square Trilogy.By Maire Claremont. 2013
A richly romantic and enthralling novel of beauty, passion and scandalous secrets from the acclaimed author of The Dark Lady.…
Perfect for fans of Grace Burrowes, Tessa Dare, Elizabeth Hoyt and Sarah MacLean.Lady Mary Darrel should be the envy of London. Instead, all society believes her dead. For Mary holds a secret so dangerous, her father chose to keep her locked away...and have a grave made for her near her mother's. Driven to the edge of desperation, Mary manages to escape the asylum, only to find that her fate yet again rests in the hands of a man...Edward Barrons, Duke of Fairleigh, longs for some way to escape the torment of his father's crimes. In Mary's warrior spirit and haunted gaze - which so mirrors his own - he finally sees his path to redemption. He will stop at nothing to keep her safe, even as she seeks revenge. But will the passion they discover in each other be enough to save them from their demons?For more deliciously dark Victorian romance, try all the titles in the Mad Passions series: The Dark Lady, Lady In Red, A Lady Undone and The Dark Affair, and check out Maire's alter-ego Eva Devon for sexy and laugh-out-loud funny Regencies.