Figurehead

In this debut collection of stories Carly Holmes peers into every corner of the strange fiction genre: from rural gothic through to traditional ghost stories and the uncanny. Mothers turn into trees when the sun goes down; Russian Dolls mourn their missing sisters in rotting houses; men offer sacrifices to the monsters who embody their inner wildness; and murderous demons protect young girls’ virginity. Ranging from flash fiction to novelette, these stories are in turn chilling, playful, and melancholy. The bonds of family and of community, both in their fracturing and their healing states, the uneasy relationship between living in the present and yearning for the past, are themes that thread their way through Figurehead. Every tale is rich with landscapes haunted by loss and longing.

The British Fantasy Society

“This truly is quality literature of our modern times”

Publisher’s Weekly

“(An) impressive first collection ... skilfully orchestrated”

The Supernatural Tales Blog

“Carly Holmes is one of the most gifted writers I’ve come across in recent years”

Katherine Stansfield

“This is a superb book by a writer to watch.”

Tyler Keevil

“These stories are extraordinary.”

Angela Readman

“To read Carly Holmes is to be enchanted. Luscious, flowing prose that is never afraid to peer into the wild.”

About the Author

Carly Holmes lives and writes on the banks of the river Teifi in west Wales. Her debut novel, The Scrapbook, was shortlisted for the International Rubery Book Award, and her prize-winning short prose has appeared in journals and anthologies such as Ambit, The Ghastling, and Black Static. Carly is an editor and publishing manager with Parthian Books.

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