Greetings! In the spirit of Halloween and things that go bump in the night, let’s talk about some classic tales that chilled the spines of Victorians sitting around the hearth on a brisk autumn evening.
The Fall of the House of Usher – Edgar Allan Poe’s 1839 short story is a classic Gothic chiller. Roderick Usher and his sister Madeline suffer harrowing fates in this tale of gloom, despair, premature burial and terror.
The Invisible Man — H. G. Wells published this science fiction novel late in Queen Victoria’s reign. The 1897 novel is a gripping tale of science gone horribly wrong.
Dracula — Bram Stoker’s classic 1897 of gothic horror created one of the most iconic and frightening characters in literature, vampire Count Dracula. Portrayed by a variety of actors in film (including Gerard Butler in Dracula 2000…I do love that movie!), Dracula is by turns seductive and terrifying.
Frankenstein — Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s 1818 gothic novel has been chilling readers for nearly two centuries.
Jane Eyre — Charlotte Bronte’s 1847 novel features a tortured hero, star-crossed love, and a madwoman. Is it any wonder it continues to fascinate readers nearly 170 years after its publication?
Sources:
All photographs and images are in the public domain.
A Little About My New Release, When A Lady Deceives.
I’m thrilled that my Victorian romantic thriller, When A Lady Deceives, is now available. Like Nellie Bly, the heroine of When A Lady Deceives is a crusading investigative journalist. Jennie Quinn, star reporter for a London paper, is a daring woman who will overcome daunting obstacles to get the facts and fight for justice. She anticipates the danger of her investigation into an informant’s murder. But she doesn’t expect to fall in love, especially not with a very dangerous man. Here’s a little about the story:
A woman with a secret and a dangerous man forge an undeniable passion.
In Victorian London, reporter Jennie Quinn employs deception as a weapon. Going undercover to seek justice for a murdered informant, she’s drawn into a powerful criminal’s seductive game of cat and mouse. Enigmatic former lawman Matthew Colton is as dangerous as he is clever, but the passion in his kiss is too tempting to resist. She aches to trust him, but she will not abandon her quest for the truth.
Colton is a man with secrets of his own. Thirsting for vengeance, the disgraced Scotland Yard detective has infiltrated the criminal world he’s vowed to destroy. Jennie intrigues him, even as she breaks down the barriers around his heart. He yearns to uncover her secrets—in and out of his bed. Driven to shield her, he’ll risk everything to protect the woman whose love heals his soul.
To read more about When A Lady Deceives and enjoy an excerpt, please click here.
About The Author:
Award-winning author Tara Kingston writes historical romance laced with intrigue, danger, and adventures of the heart. A Southern belle-out-of-water in a quaint Pennsylvania town, she lives her own love story with her real-life hero in a cozy Victorian. The mother of two sons, Tara's a former librarian whose love of books is evident in her popping-at-the-seams bookcases. It goes without saying that Tara's husband is thankful for the invention of digital books, thereby eliminating the need for yet another set of shelves. When she's not writing, reading, or burning dinner, Tara enjoys cycling, hiking, and cheering on her favorite football team.
Connect with Tara at www.tarakingston.com and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTaraKingston