A Still and Awful Red by Michael Howarth ISBN B095PMPXBL instant download

A Still and Awful Red by Michael Howarth ISBN B095PMPXBL instant download

Hungary, 1609
Maria, a young peasant girl, is an accomplished seamstress who dreams of a more prosperous life, away from the constant threat of war, famine and disease. Then an old woman arrives at her cottage, and informs Maria that she has been chosen by Countess Elizabeth Báthory to sew a series of elaborate gowns.
 
Entranced by the nobility, Maria dreams of receiving lavish attention and being invited into Countess Báthory’s inner circle. But upon arriving at the castle, she suspects she is in terrible danger. Servants are beaten and then disappear, the Countess herself is prone to fits of rage, and there are screams in the middle of the night.
 
As Maria explores the castle and unravels its inner secrets, she finds herself a prisoner, as well as an unwilling pawn in Countess Báthory’s murderous plot to retain both her power and beauty.
“A Still and Awful Red is a haunting, visceral novel filled with horror, wonder, and unspeakable acts. This gothic tale is told with lyricism, authority, and dread, echoing Poe, Jackson, Shelley, and Stoker. A powerful story.” —Richard Thomas, Thriller Award-nominated author of Disintegration and Breaker (Thriller Award nominee)
“Evil historical women and lush decadent settings are weaknesses of mine in fiction, and A Still and Awful Red delivers with aplomb on both counts. In this novel, Howarth has written a page-turning, nail-biting account of Countess Elizabeth Bathory's purported crimes, hitting all the aspects that make this story so chilling and gripping in the first place—seductive villains! Vampirism! Creepy castles!—while introducing modern, urgent themes around social class.” —Emily Cataneo, author of Speaking with Skull Kings