Because the word ‘ghosts’ appears in the title we know what they are when they turn up but our protagonist doesn’t. How he comes to realise this and cope with it is cleverly done in a creepy tale of persecution, war, loss and love very reminiscent of Susan Hill’s creepy tales. It’s short and atmospheric, a one-sitting read, highly recommended.
France, 1928. It is ten years since the Great War ended, but Freddie Watson is still haunted by the loss of his beloved brother. Driving through the foothills of the Pyrenees, his car spins off the road in a snowstorm. He takes refuge in an isolated village and there meets the captivating Fabrissa. They spend the night talking of love and loss and war. By daybreak, Fabrissa has vanished and Freddie has discovered that he alone holds the key to an ancient mystery, one which leads him deep into the mountains and to a cave that conceals a shocking secret . . .
'A wonderfully haunting winter's tale. Stop the clock and read it in one sitting' She 'A great read . . . Mosse writes movingly about loss and atmospherically about France' Daily Mail 'Beautiful and haunting, this is a great story of love, loss and courage' Woman
WITH READING GROUP NOTES AND AN EXCLUSIVE SHORT STORY
Kate Mosse was our Guest Editor in November 2012 - click here - to see the books that inspired her writing.
Kate Mosse is a number one international bestselling novelist, playwright and non-fiction writer. The author of several novels and short-story collections – including the multimillion-selling Languedoc Trilogy (Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel) and Gothic fiction The Winter Ghosts and The Taxidermist’s Daughter, which she is adapting for the stage – her books have been translated into thirty-seven languages and published in more than forty countries. She has also written four works of non-fiction – including An Extra Pair of Hands (Wellcome Collection, 2021) - four plays, contributed essays and introductions to classic novels and collections. A champion of women's creativity, Kate is the Founder Director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and a regular interviewer for theatre and fiction events. She is the Founder of the global campaign - #WomanInHistory – launched in January 2021 to honour, celebrate and promote women’s achievements throughout history and from every corner of the world. Kate divides her time between Chichester in West Sussex and Carcassonne in south-west France. The first two novels in The Burning Chambers series, The Burning Chambers and The City of Tears, are out now.
