Blight

A brilliantly atmospheric horror novel about people disappearing in a small, claustrophobic village and whispers of a terrifying local legend called the tall man. Perfect for fans of The Loney and Devil's Day. 1897. James Harringley is summoned home from London to his rambling family mansion in the north of England. His father is sick, deranged, and James must return, confronting the horrors he tried to forget: the labyrinthine house, the madness and secrets which poison their bloodline and, most frightening of all, the spectre of the tall man - an eerie visage who promises to whisk children away and make them royalty in the land of Faery. James returns to the house and finds his father and brother at war, and the nebulous substance of his childhood brought into unbearable relief. He remembers the whispers about the tall man. But can he trust his own memories? Then the groundskeeper Janey has had her baby kidnapped, one of many child disappearances connected with the house and the nearby village. There are those who blame the tall man, while others believe a more earthly culprit is responsible. James must sift through the ramblings of his father, the scepticism of his power-hungry brother and the uncertain fabric of his own memories to discover the truth.

Tom Carlisle is interested in horror centred on folklore and religious belief. In 2017 he graduated with distinction from Bath Spa's Creative Writing MA, also winning the Bath Spa Writer's Award for outstanding writing. Originally from the north of England, he now lives in Bristol with his family. Blight is his debut novel. He tweets at @tjcarlisle