Unknown Quantities: Eleven tales of the slightly weird

Eleven stories in a darker mood from Hugh Ashton, the acclaimed author of the Deed Box and Dispatch-box of Sherlock Holmes adventures. Here he explores the theme of the unknown that lurks behind our everyday world, waiting for its chance to escape and wreak havoc. The settings range from a 16th-century Italian galley, through a 19th-century country house, to the author’s home city of Lichfield. Contains strong language and adult themes. Bee-bee - a rag doll who helps her owner cope with life's ups and downs What you find in a skip - it can be surprising Babysitter - something nasty in the Coopers' woodshed Time thieves - they steal time and dreams and energy Ships in the night - “as night turned to day, he started to understand the truth” Carnacki at Bunscombe Abbey - a sincere tribute to William Hope Hodgson's classic ghost-finder The story that wrote itself - sometimes an author gets help from an unexpected source Gianni Two-Pricks - be careful what you take from others – even when they're dead Lady of the Dance - movement as message Me and my Shadow - or is it really my shadow? What Happens Afterwards? – when you die on the operating table, what's next?

From the Inside Flap

"Despite being aware of Hugh Ashton's many tales of Sherlock Holmes, and his Untime work, it was his superb collection Tales of Old Japanese that first alerted me to Hugh's real range, and his ability to capturecharacter and mood far outside of Victorian settings. This present book, with its intriguing selection of short stories and vignettes, provides a further stylish glimpse into that range - from disturbing psychological musings, through witty horror, to what might be called modern weirdfiction. Something for all tastes, with wry observation, an economy ofwords - and occasionally a lingering chill..."John Linwood Grant, author of The Assassin's Coin, A Persistence of Geraniums, editor of Hell's Empire, the Occult Detective Quarterly, and creator of Mr Bubbles. Discover more about these and others at greydogtales.com

From the Back Cover

"...an intriguing and curious collection of curios, served up by an inventive master. ... Ashton delivers a goodie bag of sketch-like supernatural oddities that are affecting and disquieting." (Andy Boerger, author/artist based in Tokyo)

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