The Writer (9 page)

“It was all just lies,” I whisper.

Again, Jason glances at me, but he can’t maintain eye contact for more than a few seconds. Instead, he opens one of the hold-alls and starts taking out cases of medical equipment.

“I told you I had writer’s block,” John continues, stepping toward me. “That was true. I couldn’t work out how to end all of this, how to bring your story to a conclusion. And then, finally, it came to me. I mean, I
am
a writer, and a damn good one, so I realized it should all come back to a book. That’s how it should end. With someone holding a book, with someone writing and someone reading.”

“I swear to God,” I tell him, “I will get out of here and I will kill you.”

“No you won’t,” he replies. “You won’t remember any of this. I still have a lot of money left over from the movie rights to some of my books, and I’m going to use it to give you a whole new life. A new name, a new identity, a new family…” A faint smile crosses his lips. “New memories, too. This time I’m going to hire actors to play your parents, and maybe a husband, another child… I’ve already arranged the basic details, and you’re going to spend the next year in a kind of advanced therapy, forcing you to accept the new memories and believe that your new life is real. By the end of it, you won’t remember any of this. You won’t remember David and Hannah, you won’t remember Jacqui, you won’t remember me, you won’t even remember the name Beth.”

I shake my head.

“I’ll still be writing your life, though,” he continues. “I’m not sure what kind of story it’ll be this time, but that’s the part I enjoy most. Coming up with ideas.”

“I’m ready,” Jason says as he finishes emptying the second hold-all.

“You won’t remember a single part of this,” John continues, “and you’ll be convinced that your new life is real. You’ll have false memories of a whole other life, and they’ll be so convincing, so complete, that you’ll never doubt them. The actors playing your new family and your new friends… They’ll be perfect. And yet…”

I watch in horror as Jason pours some kind of clear liquid into a bottle, as if he’s preparing for a medical procedure.

“I’m going to turn all of this into a book,” John tells me. “I think it’ll be a fairly short novel, maybe a novella, and I think I’ll write it in the first person, from your perspective. It’ll just tell the story of the past few days, of your slow realization of the truth. I’ll call it…
The Puppet Master
. Or… No, that’s too dramatic, I’ll call it
The Writer
. That’s a nice simple title. It’ll be a book that sets out exactly what happened to you, although no-one will ever believe it could be true, they’ll think there’s no way I could ever accomplish all of this. But it
will
be true, every word of it. I’ll write it under one of my pen-names and it’ll be like a confession, except that no-one will realize that it’s anything more than a short psychological horror story.”

“No,” I whisper, watching as Jason fills a syringe with the clear liquid and turns to me.

“And the best part?” John continues. “One day, I’ll make sure that a copy of
The Writer
ends up in your hands. Maybe in paperback, maybe as an ebook, whatever… I’ll make sure you end up reading it. And when you do, you’ll think it’s outlandish, that nothing like this story could ever have actually happened to anyone. Even when you read this ending, which explains it all, you’ll be unable to accept that this is what happened to a human being, let alone that it actually happened to you. All the false memories of your new family, your new life, will seem so real, you won’t be able to believe that you were once someone else. And when you finish the book and put it down, maybe you’ll briefly wonder… what if? What if you were the character in the book you just read? And then you’ll tell yourself that it can’t be true, that it’s impossible, and you’ll go on with the false life I’ve created for you. After that, I’m not sure where I’ll take your new story, but I’ll still be in your life somewhere, plotting a new horror story for you.”

“No!” I shout, trying desperately to get free as he moves around behind me and holds the chair down. I watch as Jason comes closer with the syringe, and finally the needle slides into the side of my neck. “No!” I scream again and again, struggling violently until I feel myself starting to sink it a pit of darkness.

The last thing I feel is John kissing the top of my head as the needle delivers its load directly into my jugular, and the last thing I hear is his voice.

“There,” he whispers. “It’s okay. Trust me. When you wake up, you won’t remember any of this. You’ll read about it one day, though, and you’ll never realize it all really happened to you.”

13 NIGHTS OF HORROR:

Five years ago, 22-year-old Rose Higgins vanished from the small town where she lived with her family. The police searched everywhere for her, but no trace was ever found, and eventually the case was left open.

At least, that’s the official version…

Following a late-night break-in at his office, Sheriff Jonathan Gray realizes that someone or something is determined to uncover the truth behind Rose’s disappearance. The town of Vanquish has long been proud of its reputation as a place where no crime has ever been committed, but that reputation is set to be blown apart following the revelation of a horrific deal that was put in place when Sophie first went missing.

What really happened to Rose Higgins five years ago? Who stole the evidence from Sheriff Gray’s office? And what are they planning to do with the world’s most horrific video-tape?

Release date: November 2014

13 NIGHTS OF HORROR:

He’s the most famous man in the world, a hugely successful actor with a string of critical and commercial hits. Wherever he goes, he’s photographed by the world’s press. Every aspect of his life is documented in gossip magazines. Yet he harbors one of the darkest secrets imaginable…

When he checks into the penthouse suite of one of the world’s most luxurious hotels, Joe Marshall just wants to get away from the spotlight. His glamorous wife is thousands of miles away making her new film, and Joe – tired after a day of interviews for his latest movie – is ready to relax. Something from his past, however, has other ideas.

What happened to Joe in a Tokyo hotel many years ago? What horrific act did the world’s press manage to miss, even though it occurred right under their noses? And what is causing the strange scratching sound in the lift shaft?

Release date: December 2014

The Dead and the Dying: A Joanna Mason Novel

Twelve years ago, rookie cop Joanna Mason was nearly killed by serial killer Sam Gazade. Now, just as Gazade is about to be executed for his crimes, a copycat emerges, replicating each grizzly murder in excruciating detail. Now a thirtysomething police veteran, Mason has a reputation for making brilliant, instinctive deductions during investigations. However, her skills have been dulled by the cocktail of drugs she’s taking as part of her chemotherapy program. Stricken by cancer, Mason must make a choice: either she continues with her treatment and lets her mind become fuzzy, or she stops taking the drugs and tries to track down the copycat killer before more people die.

Darper Danver: The Complete First Series

Five years ago, three friends went to a remote cabin in the woods and tried to contact the spirit of a long-dead soldier. They thought they could control whatever happened next. They were wrong… Newly released from prison, Cassie Briggs returns to Fort Powell, determined to get her life back on track. Soon, however, she begins to suspect that an ancient evil still lurks in the nearby cabin. Was the mysterious Darper Danver really destroyed all those years ago, or does her spirit still linger, waiting for a chance to return?

Asylum: The Complete Series

After killing her younger brother, Annie Radford is sent to Lakehurst Psychiatric Hospital. But Lakehurst hides some dark secrets. Patients are regularly subjected to ‘special treatment’ in the basement, while the cruel Nurse Winter rules the hospital with an iron fist. As Annie struggles to retain her sense of identity, she finds herself being drawn deeper and deeper into the mysteries of Lakehurst. Suffering under the horrific conditions imposed on her at Lakehurst, Annie starts to doubt her own sanity, especially when she once again starts to hear the voices that plagued her when she was younger. Who is the strange old man in the attic? What does Jerry keep in a jar in the basement, and why is he so keen to continue with his macabre and vicious experiments? Where did the husks come from? And how is this all linked to mysterious radio signals being monitored in a forest hundreds of miles away? Out now for just $2.99!

Dark Season: The Complete First Series (All 8 Books)

When Sophie Hart is rescued from a mugging by a mysterious, silent vampire, she discovers that she is part of a dark prophecy. Patrick is the last vampire on Earth, having killed the rest of his species at the end of a bloody war, and he has plans for Sophie. But will she survive? This volume collects together the first 8 Dark Season books, covering the entire first series. Along the way, Sophie encounters not only a vampire but also werewolves, ghosts, evil maids with sharp teeth, crazed psychiatrists and dream-sucking Tenderlings. She travels to Gothos, the ancestral home of the vampires. She discovers a secret hidden inside the body of an old woman, and later she finds another dark secret hidden inside her own body. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!

Dark Season: The Complete Second Series (All 8 Books)

Picking up where the first series left off, the second series of Dark Season follows Sophie’s attempt to discover what has happened to Abigail. Meanwhile, the mysterious Nimrod has arrived in town and he’s determined to gain his revenge on Patrick. This volume collects together the 8 books of the second series of Dark Season, plus the prequel book 20th Century Vampire. As Sophie tries to find Abigail, she comes up against Nimrod’s blood-lust. From old country houses to the sewers of Dedston, and from the bottom of a haunted well to an underground hall filled with spiders, the second series of Dark Season takes Sophie to the brink of death and puts her faith in Patrick to the ultimate test. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!

Dark Season: The Complete Third Series (All 8 Books)

The third and final series of Dark Season tells the story of Patrick and Sophie’s daughter Abigail, and her journey to discover the truth about her own identity. Having been raised as a normal human, Abigail is suddenly thrown into a dangerous new world as she discovers that she possesses unique vampire DNA. With Sophie dead and Patrick having apparently vanished, Abigail quickly falls under the wing of the mysterious Benjamin and his organization, the Watchers, and soon she finds herself trapped in a desperate fight for her own soul. This volume collects together the 8 books of the third series of Dark Season. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!

The Night Girl: The Complete Series (All 8 Books)

When she starts her new job as a night shift assistant, Juliet Collier has no idea that she’s about to meet a mysterious entity that lurks in an abandoned part of the building. Soon, Juliet finds herself granted a gift that means she can kill indiscriminately, and apparently without consequences. Meanwhile, eleven years earlier, a young Juliet makes a terrible mistake that sets her on a dark course. This is the story of a girl whose decisions lead her to a devastating end-point, as she struggles to reconcile the voices in her head with the reality in front of her eyes. This volume collects all 8 books in the series.

Devil’s Briar: The Complete Series (All 8 Books)

In the remote wilderness of Colorado, Bill and Paula Mitchell discover an entire lost town. Devil’s Briar was abandoned many years ago, and has fallen into disrepair. But it soon becomes clear that the town contains some special and highly unusual qualities, and that elements of the past are seeping through into the present. As she tries to get to the bottom of the mystery, Paula finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into the bizarre time loop that keeps the entire town trapped in eternity. Soon it becomes clear that nothing in Devil’s Briar will ever be the same again, and that two time periods are merging with horrific consequences. This volume contains all 8 books in the Devil’s Briar series.

Broken Blue: The Complete Series (All 8 Books)

Returning home for her father’s funeral, Elly Bradshaw soon finds herself drawn into the dangerous world of billionaire Mark Douglas. Although she finds Mark irresistible, Elly learns he hides a dark secret. She’s quickly pulled deep into a dark sexual game that threatens to change the way she views the world forever. Meanwhile, back in the late nineteenth century, another set of players are caught up in the same game. Tortured by his role as Mr. Blue, Edgar Lockhart sets out to end the game forever. His failure, however, results in the arrival of Jonathan Pope onto the scene. Cynical and only interested in a payday, Pope begins to investigate the shadowy trio of players who keep the game alive. This volume contains all 8 books in the Broken Blue series.

Lupine Howl: The Complete First Series (All 8 Books)

Arriving in London, penniless and alone, Jess finds herself forced to live on the streets. She soon encounters Duncan, a mysterious man who seems to be caught up with some very dangerous people. Duncan is a werewolf, forced to scavenge on the streets of the city and unable to break free from his master, a vicious, cruel man named Thomas Lumic. But there’s a war coming. Humanity is no longer prepared to tolerate the existence of the werewolves. Along the way, Jess encounters some truly hideous and bizarre creatures, including the haunting Flesh Weavers, the vicious Loom People, the mysterious Wormwood, the hideous Golvs, and a flesh-sucking little boy who rules a circus of fear. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!

Lupine Howl: The Complete Second Series (All 8 books)

The second series of Lupine Howl begins with Duncan and Jess being recruited for a dangerous mission, and ends with them fighting for their lives against one of the most evil creatures that has ever lived. From the moment he receives a message from Black Annis, Duncan is convinced that someone or something is manipulating things behind the scenes. His suspicions are heightened as he and Jess find themselves facing a series of unusual creatures, until finally the truth becomes clear: Thomas Lumic is still alive, and is determined to gain his revenge over Duncan. Meanwhile, Jess discovers the truth about Anna, the girl who once traveled with Duncan and whose death has haunted him down the years. Out now - 180,000 words for just $2.99!

Lupine Howl: The Complete Third Series (All 8 books)

Having abandoned Duncan, Jess makes her way to India, where she makes a fateful decision that could affect the future of werewolf society forever. The time has come. After centuries of calm, the killing fields of Sangreth are about to be disturbed. Although he’s terrified of the journey, Duncan finally accepts that he and Jess must head to Sangreth and prevent Jonathan Neale from uncovering the true secret of the werewolves. But Sangreth is more than just a place: it’s a living nightmare, where every werewolf must face the ultimate truth, and where a powerful force waits to be resurrected. For both Duncan and Jess, past wounds are about to burst open and spill fresh blood. Out now from Amazon and other sites for just $2.99!

Ghosts: The Complete Series (All 8 Books)

Having been brutally murdered by her own father, Beth Keneally wakes up and discovers she’s now a ghost. Determined to protect her little sister Elise from becoming her father’s next victim, Beth finds herself forming an alliance with an unlikely group of other ghosts who have all found themselves trapped on Earth. Meanwhile, an angel named Kal has arrived in town to hunt down God and Satan, who have made a bet with each other that they can wipe their memories and live as humans for an entire lifetime. This volume collects together all eight books in the Ghosts series, which includes encounters with creatures such as the mysterious Red Man and a living plague. Out now - 160,000 words for just $2.99!