For Alex Lane’s wealthy university friends, the summer break stretches out before them, full of promise and fabulous plans. But for Alex, broke as usual, going home is not an option. So when the university offers him an unusual summer job clearing out a dilapidated Victorian mansion, Solace House, he jumps at the chance.

Alex joins an unlikely crew of students, from stoner Clive to uptight, short-tempered Helen, and the extremely peculiar Adam. Alex is particularly drawn to mercurial, red-headed Ella, and as the students begin sorting through piles of old newspapers and magazines, dusty antiques, and esoteric junk, Alex and Ella become enthralled by the elaborate and eerie journals of the house’s former owner, Edwin Flayne. In these diaries, Flayne details his obsession with his missing mother and his belief in a mysterious realm lying parallel to ours, along with coded instructions on how it might be reached.

As the students gradually uncover the house’s secrets, the rift between those who want to delve further and those who believe they’ve already gone too far grows ever wider.

Praise for Solace House:

“I adored it. The Secret History meets The Haunting of Hill House meets cosmic horror . . . A beautifully crafted book—rich, thoughtful, terrifying. I can’t wait for people to read it.”—Nicholas Binge, author of Dissolution

“Solace House is a sprawling, mind-bending, immersive mansion of a novel. Perfect for fans of David Mitchell and Ruth Ozeki, this is a definite must-read and must re-read.”—Cailean Steed, author of Home

Praise for The Apparition Phase:

Shortlisted for the 2021 McKitterick Prize

“Wonderful . . . A genuinely spine-tingling ghost story—one of my colleagues didn’t sleep for two nights after reading it!—and an unexpected repository of equally spooky tips.”—New York Times

“A wild rural gothic with some slick plotting . . . the perfect novel for our phantom present.”—The Guardian

“Clear your diary, switch off your phone, and get lost in this atmospheric and madly gripping ghost story.”—Daily Mirror

“A gripping commentary on the English obsession with class and how they deal with grief—and a nostalgic delight for those who devoured the popular paperback ghost stories of the 1970s and 80s.”—Irish Independent

“Outstanding . . . ideal for fans of Andrew Michael Hurley.”—Metro