Eve: A Christmas Ghost Story (Psychic Surveys)

"Shani Struthers is my Queen of Horror."***** "This is a 'can't put down' book!"***** "A beautiful and atmospheric book."***** "A sad haunting of epic proportions."***** "The must read prequel to the brilliant Psychic Surveys series."***** "One of the best Christmas Ghost Stories I have read."***** "Frights aplenty but also very moving."What do you do when a whole town is haunted?In 1899, in the North Yorkshire market town of Thorpe Morton, something terrible happened: 59 people died at the market hall whilst celebrating Christmas Eve, many of them children. One hundred years on and the spirits of the deceased are restless still, refusing to be forgotten.In 1999, psychic investigators Theo Lawson and Ness Patterson are called in to help the depressed town, sensing immediately how heavy the atmosphere is. There's no safe haven anywhere; the past taints everything.Hurtling towards the anniversary of the tragedy as well as a new millennium, their aim is to move the spirits on, so that everyone - the living and the dead - can start again. But the spirits are too ingrained in horror and soon Theo and Ness are caught up in a battle, fighting against something that knows their deepest fears and gleefully twists them.They'll need all their courage to succeed and the help of a little girl too - a spirit who didn't die at the hall, who shouldn't even be there...~~~ Download today or READ FOR FREE in KU: Psychic Surveys Series:Psychic Surveys Book One: The Haunting of Highdown HallPsychic Surveys Book Two: Rise to MePsychic Surveys Book Three: 44 Gilmore StreetPsychic Surveys Book Four: Old Cross CottagePsychic Surveys Book Five: DescensionPsychic Surveys Book Six: LegionPsychic Surveys Book Seven: Promises to KeepPsychic Surveys Book Eight: The Weight of the SoulPsychic Surveys Book Nine: The Devil's Liar Psychic Surveys Book Ten: Field of FlowersPsychic Surveys Companion Novels: Eve: A Psychic Surveys PrequelBlakemort (Corinna's story)Thirteen (Ness's story)Rosamund (Rosamund Davis - Ruby's great-grandmother's story)Jed (the story of one of Psychic Surveys most loved and mysterious characters)This Haunted World Series: This Haunted World Book One: The VenetianThis Haunted World Book Two: The Eleventh FloorThis Haunted World Book Three: HighgateThis Haunted World Book Four: RohaiseThis Haunted World Book Five: ResistanceReach for the Dead Series: Reach for the Dead Book One: MandyReach for the Dead Book Two: Cades Home FarmReach for the Dead Book Three: Walker Reach for the Dead Book Four: The Spook RoadJessamine Series: JessamineComraich Summer of Grace - A Standalone Mystery Thriller Christmas Ghost StoriesCarfax House The Damned SeasonWildacreAlice Beulah

From the Inside Flap

As Theo turned round to face the double doors, she had afeeling that someone - something -was rushing at her, as fleetingly as whatever had been in Adelaide's house.Refusing to let fear get a stranglehold, she turned back, her aim to confrontit. A black wisp of a shape, like wood smoke, sideswiped her, before fadinginto nothing. Staring after it, wondering what it was, something else caughther attention. At the far end of the second room was something more substantial:a little girl, staring at her.Theo's eyes widened. "Oh darling, darling," shewhispered. She took a step forwards, tried to remember the names of thechildren on the list from earlier: Alice, Helen, Bessie, Adelaide's ancestor,Ellen Corsby perhaps. Which one was she? She inched closer still. "Darling, your name, tell mewhat it is."The little girl's arms moved upwards, she stretchedthem out, her manner beseeching although she remained mute. Theo tried again,told the child her own name. "It's short for Theodora. I bet you're called somethingpretty."The girl had a dress on; long, brownish, a coursematerial - linen perhaps? Nothing special but if it was her party dress thenmaybe it was special to her. Her boots were brown too - lace ups, sturdylooking. She was around eight or nine but it was hard to tell. She could havebeen older just small for her age. Her hair was brown and tangled; she had amane of it. Everything about her seemed to be brown or sepia, maybe sepia was theright word, as though she'd stepped out of an old photograph."I'm here now, sweetheart, I've come to help. You'vebeen here for such a long time. Too long. You need to go to the light, go home,rest awhile."Up closer, Theo could read her eyes. The longing inthem stirred her pity. "Let me help you," Theo persisted, her voice catchingin her throat. As glorious as the other side might be, she still felt it unfairto be felled at such a young age. Often this was a good existence too and it deservedto be experienced fully. She was close now, so close and still her arms wereoutstretched. Harriet - the name presented itself whole in her mind."Your name's Harriet. Is that correct? It's lovely, itsuits you."Was that a smile on the child's lips, the beginnings oftrust? Soon she'd be able to reach out and touch her. What would she feel like?Cold? Ethereal? "Darling, I'm here," she repeated, no more than a footbetween them. "I'm here."Joy surged - one spirit had come forward - it was anencouraging start.Just before their hands touched everything changed. Hopeand joy were replaced with confusion as something sour - fetid almost - roseup, making her feel nauseous. "Don't be afraid," Theo implored. Yet there was nothingbut fear in her eyes now. No, not fear, that was too tame a word - terror. "I'm not here to harm you," she continued. "I'm here tohelp."As the words left her mouth, other hands appearedbehind the child, a whole sea of them - disembodied hands that clawed at her, forcingher backwards. "No!" Theo shouted. "Stop it. Leave her alone!" But it was no use. Her words faded as the girl did. She'dbeen torn away, recaptured; the one who'd dared to step forward. Theo couldfeel sweat break out on her forehead, her hands were clammy. She clutched ather chest, her breathing difficult suddenly, laboured. Her heart had been problematicof late, a result of the pounds she'd piled on. She must go to the doctor to getsome medication. Struggling to gain control, it took a few moments, perhaps afull minute, before her heart stopped hammering. And when it did, sheremembered something else. The girl's eyes - her sweet, brown, trusting eyes -when the expression changed in them they hadn't been looking at her, they'd beenlooking beyond her. Was it at thething that sideswiped her? Theo couldn't be certain. She wasn't certain eitherif that 'thing' was a spirit or much less than that - something with no soul,but with an appetite, an extreme appetite: a craving. Something, she feared, was insatiable.

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