The Haunted by Bentley Little

The Haunted, Bentley Little, 2012 (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS) My favorite quote: “I was in the room where things grow old.” Most interesting characters: Honestly, the only characters here that really captured my interest were the neighbors who snuck into the basement during a party for a frantic, satanic quickie — a tryst that even involved

What’s The Buzz?

Vampires. Ghosts. Reading, writing, and horror. I talked about all this and more over at What’s the Buzz. Good spooky times were had by all.

The Many Ghosts of the Tower of London

Here it is! Our latest episode from Thorne & Cross: Carnival Macabre (and it’s a creepy one!) From the shadowy phantoms of two dead princes to the headless apparition of Anne Boleyn, Thorne & Cross break down the most famous (and infamous) ghosts that haunt the Tower of London, the historic castle that has inspired

Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi

Floating Staircase, Ronald Malfi, 2011 (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS) My favorite quote: “It’s been said that nature does not know extinction — that once you’ve existed, all parts of you, whether they’re dispersed or remain together, will always be.” Thank you, Ronald Malfi, for sending me down that mental rabbit hole …  Notable characters: Travis Glasgow,

Brimstone by Tamara Thorne

Family Secrets The Brimstone Grand Hotel, owned by reclusive former movie star, Delilah Devine, looms high on Hospital Hill, harboring long-buried family secrets that whisper of unimaginable horrors. Horrors that will echo down through generations. Twisted History When Delilah’s granddaughter, Holly Tremayne, who has seen ghosts for most of her eleven years, first comes to

Books on Sale — The Cliffhouse Haunting

The Cliffhouse Haunting is on Sale in June! The very first Thorne & Cross collaboration, THE CLIFFHOUSE HAUNTING, will be on sale in ebook for just $0.99 June 1st through the 8th. And if you sign up for our free monthly gossip column-style newsletter, The Purple Probe, you’ll get a “Behind the Book” glimpse with

Dream Reaper

Dream Reaper The sale was complete. Stardene looked up at the man. He looked different somehow — suddenly not nearly as handsome as he’d been moments ago.  “Because you’ve been such a pleasure,” he said in a voice that now sounded cracked and dry with age, “I’ll gift you with a glimpse into things as

Slender Man: The Phantom of the Internet

Thorne & Cross explore the myth, history, and roots of the first internet-age boogeyman, a tall faceless specter known as Slender Man. Listen in at Thorne & Cross: Carnival Macabre. Legends and lore, monsters and myths, hauntings and horror … bestselling authors Tamara Thorne and Alistair Cross are digging deep in their research files to bring

The Legend of Walking Sam

Guest Alex Dolan discusses the South Dakota Sioux legend of Walking Sam, the mind-controlling spirit that made local news and the New York Times in 2015 when suicides peaked on the Pine Ridge reservation. Listen in at Thorne & Cross: Carnival Macabre. Legends and lore, monsters and myths, hauntings and horror … bestselling authors Tamara

Ghost Story by Peter Straub

Ghost Story, Peter Straub, 1979 (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS) My favorite quote: “It seemed that if you listened to that snow hissing long enough, you wouldn’t just hear it telling you that it was waiting for you, you’d hear some terrible secret—a secret to turn your life black.” (Thanks, Peter Straub. Now I’m afraid of snow.

Let Your Darkness Out to Play …

“The Crimson Corset” is a good read. There is a colorful cast of characters, a clever plot, and an intricate structure … there are surprises and jumps and starts, sex and death, beauty and gore, something for everyone … if you’re looking for set-up and payoff, this novel will not disappoint.” – HELLNOTES Full Crimson

Spite House is Coming This Summer

Haunt me: alistaircross.com

Today’s the Day!

Today’s the day! Books 1 – 3 in The Ravencrest Saga are available today as a boxed set for only $9.99!: https://tinyurl.com/yjy36u9h Book 1: THE GHOSTS OF RAVENCREST Ravencrest Manor is the most beautiful thing new governess, Belinda Moorland, has ever seen, but as she learns more about its tangled past of romance and terror,

After Midnight by Richard Laymon

After Midnight, Richard Laymon, 1997 My favorite quote: “My eyes are brown. So are my teeth. Just kidding about the teeth.” Most interesting characters: Alice, who’s real name isn’t Alice; The intruder   Opening scene: Alice, enjoying a quiet night alone while house-sitting for a friend. But let’s be honest: After Midnight IS a Richard Laymon

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry Farrell

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Henry Farrell, 1960 My favorite quote: “She may be your own sister, honey, your own flesh and blood, but you’ve got to face it, deep down inside she hates you like poison and nothing would please her more than to see you get it right in the neck.” Most

Dare to Cross the Threshold …

Coming March 29th (and available for pre-order now at: https://tinyurl.com/yjy36u9h) Books 1 – 3 in The Ravencrest Saga are available as a boxed set for only $9.99 Book 1: THE GHOSTS OF RAVENCREST Ravencrest Manor is the most beautiful thing new governess, Belinda Moorland, has ever seen, but as she learns more about its tangled

Our Valentine’s Day Gift to You …

This Valentine’s Day, The Ghosts of Ravencrest will be on sale for $0.99 Darkness Never Dies … Ravencrest Manor has always been part of the family. The ancestral home of the Mannings, Ravencrest’s walls have been witness to generations of unimaginable scandal, horror, and depravity. Imported stone by stone from England to northern California in

Thorne & Cross: Carnival Macabre

Coming soon … Legends and lore, monster and myths, hauntings and horror ~ straight from the pages of our research …

Christine by Stephen King

Christine, Stephen King, 1983 My favorite quote: “If being a kid is about learning how to live, then being a grown-up is about learning how to die.” Notable characters: Dennis Guilder, a high school jock; Arnie Cunningham, a high school geek … with a killer new car; Christine, the killer new car Most memorable scene:

Red Harvest by Patrick C. Greene

Red Harvest, Patrick C. Greene, 2018 My favorite quote: “‘For, you see, come Halloween, Ember Hollow becomes Haunted Hollow, Halloween Capital of the World.’” That, or, “‘What is this? The Waltons? I thought men were supposed to go all corpsy after sex.’” Notable characters: Stuart Barcroft, an Ember Hollow Junior High School student; Candace Galeens,

Icebound by Dean Koontz

Icebound, Dean Koontz, 1976, 1995 My favorite quote: “Politics was an illusion of service that cloaked the corruption of power. It was lies, deceptions, self-interest, and self-aggrandizement: suitable work only for the mad and the venal and the naïve.” Also, “In the end, no lamb could escape the slaughter.” Notable characters: Harry Carpenter, a scientist;

The Unloved by John Saul

The Unloved, John Saul, 1988 My favorite quote: “He pitched forward, his vision going black as he died. The last thing he saw was the scarlet gash of Marguerite’s mouth, twisted into a vicious parody of a victorious smile.” Notable characters: The Devereaux family, Kevin and Anne, and their children Jeff and Julie; Helena, Kevin’s

My Interview at Masters of Horror

What inspires me? What are my favorite novels? My greatest accomplishment? All this and more at Masters of Horror. I had a good time with this interview. Thank you, David Kempf, for inviting me.

The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K. Hamilton

The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton, 1994 My favorite quote: “People say I’m a feminist, but in truth, I am an equalist. I believe that everyone, male and female, should be free to be whom and what they are. Not to fit into some tight cultural box.” Oh, and also, “Hope is a lying bitch.”

Discover Ravencrest Manor … FREE Now!

From now until December 31st, you’ll get one free ebook copy of our paranormal thriller, The Ghosts of Ravencrest, by subscribing to our free monthly newsletter, The Purple Probe. In The Purple Probe, you’ll get character interviews, behind-the-scenes tell-alls, a gossip column that sheds light on the darkest monsters in the Thorne & Cross Universe,

Guardian by John Saul

Guardian, John Saul, 1993 My favorite quote: “Suddenly MaryAnne Carpenter had an uneasy feeling that there was a dark facet to Joey Wilkenson’s personality that she knew nothing about. A darkness she was just beginning to see.” Notable characters: Joey Wilkenson, a boy with special abilities; MaryAnne Carpenter, Joey’s godmother; Alison and Logan Carpenter, his

The Servants of Twilight by Dean Koontz

The Servants of Twilight, Dean Koontz, 1984 My favorite quote: “It began in sunshine, not on a dark and stormy night.” (Best opening line ever, IMO) Notable characters: Chrsitine Scavello, the single mom; Joey, her son; Charlie Harrison, the PI; Grace Spivey, the leader of the religious cult for which the book is named; Kyle

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

The Turn of the Screw, Henry James, 1898 My favorite quote: “I seemed to float not into clearness, but into a darker obscure, and within a minute there had come to me out of my very pity the appalling alarm of his perhaps being innocent. It was for the instant confounding and bottomless, for if

The Throwaway Girls of Olympia by Ian Totten

The Throwaway Girls of Olympia, Ian Totten, 2020 My favorite quote: “In the last month, two young women, both brunettes, have been tossed to the side of the road in Olympia, both dead from apparent strangulation.” Notable characters: Alan O’Tool, the haunted small-town sheriff; Darcy, his not-very-likable ex-wife; James, his son; Amy, his deceased daughter

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson, 1886 My favorite quote: “With every day, and from both sides of my intelligence, the moral and the intellectual, I thus drew steadily nearer to the truth, by whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is

The Bad Seed by William March

The Bad Seed, William March, 1954 My favorite quote: “She will destroy us all. I did not escape, either. She will destroy us all, in time.” Notable characters: Rhoda Penrose, the bad seed herself; Christine Penmark, her long-suffering mother; Leroy Jessup, the warped maintenance man who recognizes (and relates to) the evil that dwells in

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Lock Every Door, Riley Sager, 2019 My favorite quote: “Never take anything you haven’t earned, my father used to say. You always end up paying for it one way or another.” Notable characters: Jules Larsen, the apartment-sitter; Nick, another resident Most memorable scene: The fire. That’s all I’ll say about that for now Greatest strengths:

Horror Classics with Thorne & Cross: A Christmas Carol

Tamara Thorne and I are honored to be part of new series called Horror Classics with Thorne & Cross where we introduce and give our thoughts on various horror stories through history. We’re starting off in time for the holidays with Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Here, along with the classic tale itself, we talk about

Craven Manor by Darcy Coates

Craven Manor, Darcy Coates, 2017 My favorite quote: “For the few brief days he’d worked at Craven Manor he felt as if he’d escaped into a better life. His work mattered … even if it was just to a ghost and a man made of shadows.” Notable characters: Daniel, the new caretaker; Bran, his not-quite-normal

Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King

Dolores Claiborne, Stephen King, 1992 (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS) My favorite quote: “An accident is sometimes an unhappy woman’s best friend.” (hint, hint, nudge, nudge, Dolores) Notable characters: Dolores Claiborne, a housekeeper who’s had enough and ain’t taking no more; Joe St. George, her husband, with whom she’s had enough and ain’t taking no more; Vera

Shattered by Dean Koontz

Shattered, Dean Koontz, 1973 (originally published under the pseudonym K.R. Dwyer — which is just one of several pen names Dean Koontz used in the early days) My favorite quote: “The things we regret most in life are the things we don’t do.” Notable characters: Alex Doyle, the new groom; Courtney, his bride; Colin, her

The Rats by James Herbert

The Rats, James Herbert, 1974 My favorite quote: “Harris smiled thinly at him. ‘Are there any safe places around here anymore?’” (There aren’t in this book, you guys, I’ll tell you that much) Notable characters: Harris, an art teacher; Mr. Foskins, the Minister of Health; Stephen Howard, a researcher; Ferris, an exterminator Most memorable scene:

Darkness by John Saul

Darkness, John Saul, 1991 My favorite quote: “Tonight, she was certain, she was finally going to find out who she was, and why she had always known she was different from anyone else.” Notable characters: Kelly Anderson, a teenage outcast in a new town; Michael Sheffield, her new friend; Amelie Coulton, a swamp dweller; The

The Howling by Gary Brandner

The Howling, Gary Brandner, 1977 My favorite quote: “A few minutes later he was very glad that she was asleep. Because in sleep she could not hear what he heard off somewhere in the night. The howling.” Notable characters: Karyn and Roy Beatty, a young couple looking for a new start; Chris Halloran, Roy’s BFF;

Prepare to be Probed …

The October issue is out now!

Bad Things by Tamara Thorne

Bad Things, Tamara Thorne, 1994 My favorite quote: “Icky Ricky, icky Ricky, come out and play.” (I hear that in my sleep sometimes …) Notable characters: Rick Piper, a single father looking to rebuild his life; Robin Piper, Rick’s abbreviated (and very creepy) little brother; Jade Ewebean, their wonderfully nasty aunt; Dakota O’Keefe, Rick’s good

The Purple Probe is Coming!

The Purple Probe is on it’s way … and here’s what you can expect to find: Greenjacks. Tis the season! Signs and symptoms that you have a greenjack infestation, and what they’ll do to you on Halloween night if you let them! Scandal at Ravencrest Manor! Rumors are flying and Purple Probe reporter Regina Von

The Damnation Game by Clive Barker

The Damnation Game, Clive Barker, 1985 My favorite quote: “Hell is reimagined by each generation. Its terrain is surveyed for absurdities and remade in a fresher mold; its terrors are scrutinized and, if necessary, reinvented to suit the current climate of atrocity; its architecture is redesigned to appall the eye of the modern damned.” Notable

The Shadow Man by Stephen Gresham

The Shadow Man, Stephen Gresham, 1986 My favorite quote: “She haunted herself from within like an old house.” (I think I’ve met this woman) Notable characters: Joey Stuart; Jeb “The Dixie Strangler” Stuart, Joey’s father; CAP, Joey’s Computer*Assisted*Playmate; Sharina Marie, Joey’s stepmother; Mr. Zeeker, a former engineering professor; The Shadow Man, an evil entity whose

Bend Over …

The Purple Probe is coming … What’s the Purple Probe, you ask? In short, it’s the Thorne and Cross newsletter … with a facelift. Starting with it’s first edition this October, the Purple Probe will including interviews with our characters, inside information on what’s coming up next, behind-the-scenes tell-alls, and a gossip column written by

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty, 1971 My favorite quote: “Head propped against a pillow while eyes bulging wide in their hollow sockets shone with mad cunning and burning intelligence, with interest and with spite as they fixed upon his, as they watched him intently, seething in a face shaped into a skeletal, hideous mask of

BEND OVER and Pick Up Your Copy Today!

What’s the Purple Probe, you ask? In short, it’s the Thorne and Cross newsletter … with a facelift. Starting with its first edition this October, the Purple Probe will include interviews with our characters, inside information on what’s coming up next, behind-the-scenes tell-alls, and a gossip column written by none other than Jojo McFerrell (from

Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin

Rosemary’s Baby, Ira Levin, 1967 My favorite quote: “She opened her eyes and looked into yellow furnace-eyes, smelled sulphur and tannis root, felt wet breath on her mouth, heard lust-grunts and the breathing of onlookers.”  Notable characters: Rosemary Woodhouse, the mother; Guy Woodhouse, her husband; Minnie and Roman Castavet, their strange, flamboyant neighbors Most memorable

Second Child by John Saul

Second Child, John Saul, 1990 My favorite quote: “But though her lips smiled warmly as she accepted the embrace, her eyes — had anyone noticed — betrayed an emotionless chill.” Notable characters: Melissa Holloway, a shy young girl; Teri MacIver, her older half-sister; D’Arcy, Melissa’s not-so-imaginary friend; Phyllis Holloway, the horrible mother; Charles, the excruciatingly

The Sentinel by Jeffrey Konvitz

The Sentinel, Jeffrey Konvitz, 1974 My favorite quote: “My dear Miss Parker, aside from the old priest, and now you, no one has lived in that building for three years!” Notable characters: Alison Parker, the new tenant; Michael, her jackass boyfriend; Charles Chazen, her strange little neighbor (whom I personally adore); Gatz, the detective; Miss