House of Spines

When a young man inherits a vast mansion from an estranged great-uncle, his apparent good fortune sours when unsettling things begin to happen … A terrifying psychological thriller cum gothic ghost story from the bestselling author of A Suitable Lie. ‘A beautifully written tale, original, engrossing and scary. It’s a wonderful mixture, a psychological thriller with a touch of a ghost story (sort of), a dollop of the supernatural (but not really) and murder (perhaps), told through the vision of a druggie poet who hasn’t taken his medicine and is therefore an unreliable witness (or is he?) … a dark joy’ The Times  ‘A deeply satisfying read’ Sunday Times ‘A fine, page-turning thriller’ Daily Mail _________________ What you see isn’t always real…  Ran McGhie’s world has been turned upside down. A young, lonely and frustrated writer, and suffering from mental-health problems, he discovers that his long-dead mother was related to one of Glasgow’s oldest merchant families. Not only that, Ran has inherited Newton Hall, a vast mansion that belonged to his great-uncle, who had been watching from afar as his estranged great-nephew grew up. Entering his new-found home, it seems Great-uncle Alexander has turned it into a temple to the written word – the perfect place for poet Ran. But everything is not as it seems. As he explores the Hall’s endless corridors, Ran’s grasp on reality appears to be loosening. And then he comes across an ancient lift; and in that lift a mirror. And in the mirror … the reflection of a woman. A terrifying psychological thriller with more than a hint of the gothic, House of Spines is a love letter to the power of books, and a reminder that lust and betrayal can be deadly… _________________ Praise for Michael J. Malone: ‘House of Spines is a gothic ghost story and psychological thriller all rolled into one. Brilliantly creepy, with a dash of Glasgow humour, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. A spine-tingling treat’ Lisa Gray, Daily Record ‘From the stunning opening chapter, I was hooked. House of Spines is an intriguing tale with a haunting, gothic quality that compels you to keep reading till the end’ Howard Linskey ‘At first it seems like a poet’s paradise, but something sinister lurks...