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'A small Gothic masterpiece... I have read it many times, and with every re-read I marvel again at its many qualities - its darkness, its strangeness, its humour, its sadness, its startling images and twists of phrase' - Sarah Waters.

Growing up in Edwardian south London, Alice Rowlands longs for romance and excitement, for a release from a life that is dreary and lonely. Her father, a vet, is harsh and oppressive; his new girlfriend, brash and lascivious.

Alice seeks refuge in fantasy, in her rapturous longing for Nicholas, a handsome young sailor, and in the blossoming of what she perceives as her occult powers.

Harrowing and haunting, this Gothic tale is a strange cross between Daphne du Maurier and Stephen King, but will also intrigue readers of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Diane Setterfield.

Born and raised in England, Barbara Comyns (1909-1992) was a writer and artist who juggled various creative and entrepreneurial endeavors throughout her colorful life, leaving behind a rich literary legacy.