The Burning Girls – CJ Tudor

"What kind of man am I?" An unconventional vicar, a scandal, and a sudden move to a small village. It's supposed to be a fresh start for single parent, Rev Jack Brooks, and 14-year old Flo, dragged along against her will. But dark things lurk in Chapel Croft's past. Martyrs, burning girls - celebrated with …

The Hollow Places – T Kingfisher

"Nobody ever believes me when I tell them my uncle Earl owns a museum." Following her divorce, Kara is invited to stay in the spare room of her uncle's business, the Glory to God Museum of Natural Wonders, Curiosities, and Taxidermy. She's made of stronger stuff than me - or at least, grew up around …

Locke and Key (season 1)

When their father is murdered, the three Locke siblings and their mother move back to his childhood home. For some mysterious reason, he'd never taken them to see their ancestral seat, but lost and grieving, the family grab at the chance to learn anything about him. And Keyhouse - the family obviously enjoying a pun …

Dracula (mini series)

There are sooo many adaptations of the Dracula story, different takes on vampires in general. Can the duo behind BBC's excellent Sherlock reimagining do similar with this old myth? Auntie Beeb was more than willing to let them try, giving them a 3-part mini series over New Year's. So, can they do something different? Yes, and …

The Pursuit of William Abbey – Claire North

"The truth-speaker was tall as a stretcher, thin as a rifle." William Abbey is a young doctor working in Africa - a punishment for pursuing the wrong girl, in a very Victorian fashion - when he sees a native boy lynched. Shocked by the sight but unwilling to intervene, William is cursed by the boy's …

Doctor Sleep (2019)

In 1980, Stanley Kubrick adapted Stephen King's novel, The Shining, into one of horror's most famous movies. In the story, Jack Torrance (famously played by Jack Nicholson) goes slowly, murderously mad in the empty Overlook Hotel, endangering his wife and young son, Danny. When asked at a book signing, "What happened to Danny?", Stephen King was …

Dracul – Dacre Stoker

"I am quite convinced that there is no doubt whatever that the events here described really took place, however unbelievable and incomprehensible they might appear at first sight." "The prequel and continuation of the classic work "Dracula" by Bram Stoker written by his descendant Dacre Stoker". What if the classic Dracula (1897) was based on the …

The Halloween Tree – Ray Bradbury

"It was a small town by a small river and a small lake in a small northern part of a Midwest state." One spooky Halloween night, a group of boys find themselves on a fantastic journey through time to learn the origins of the festival. Their guide, Moundshroud, takes them to ancient Egypt, Celtic Britain, …

Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Wojciech Kilar

In 1992, Frances Ford Coppola gave us a new take on the Dracula myth, low on the "I vant to suck your blud" and high on seductive romance and gothic tragedy. It was well received, winning awards, and presenting the viewer with a feast for eyes and ears both. Returning from war to discover his …

The Allingham Minibus – Margery Allingham

"Dornford killed Fellowes somewhere in Australia." I've written before about being a fan of Campion and the period-gentle kind of mystery. Here we have a collection of short stories, some with the famous detective, others a little more random. All in all, a rather good mix! We open with a foreword from Agatha Christie - what …