House of Spines

Ran McGhie's world has been turned upside down. A young, lonely and frustrated writer, and suffering from mental-health problems, he discovers that his long-dead mother was related to one of Glasgow's oldest merchant families. Not only that, but Ran has inherited Newton Hall, a vast mansion that belonged to his great-uncle, who it seems has been watching from afar as his estranged great-nephew has grown up. Entering his new-found home, it seems Great-Uncle Fitzpatrick has turned it into a temple to the written word - the perfect place for poet Ran. But everything is not as it seems. As he explores the Hall's endless corridors, Ran's grasp on reality appears to be loosening. And then he comes across an ancient lift; and in that lift a mirror. And in the mirror ... the reflection of a woman... A terrifying psychological thriller with more than a hint of the Gothic, HOUSE OF SPINES is a love letter to the power of books, and an exploration of how lust and betrayal can be deadly...

“"Vivid, visceral and compulsive." --Ian Rankin on A Suitable Lie”

'Disturbing but compulsive' Martina Cole; Vivid, visceral and compulsive' Ian Rankin; 'Malone's effortless writing style confirms him as a sharp new voice in crime fiction' Anya Lipska; 'Malone just gets better and better' SJI Holliday; 'A deliciously dark tale about the things that haunt us, House of Spines is unexpected and beautiful, and has all the gothic elements of classics like Rebecca, and all the poetry and page-turning trickery you'd expect from Michael Malone. Wonderful' Louise Beech; In a creepy gothic mansion in Glasgow, Malone weaves his magic and creates a chillingly unnerving tale. There is a real sense of foreboding and ghostly goings on, but it's the books and the sense of a world that exists on the margins of our imaginations that got every hair on the back of my neck standing on end. House of Spines is disturbingly delightful, although you might never look at mirrors, lifts and old houses in the same way again!' The Book Trail;House of Spines is spine-chillingly brilliant, filled with depth and emotion, and certainly kept me guessing' Off-the-Shelf Books; `House of Spines is a satisfyingly, chillingly haunting and delightfully disturbing read, don't miss it!' Chapterinmylife

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns' country, just a stone's throw from the great man's cottage in Ayr. Well, a stone thrown by a catapult. BLOOD TEARS, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. His psychological thriller, A SUITABLE LIE, was a number one bestseller. Michael is a regular reviewer for the hugely popular crime fiction website

Ran McGhie's world has been turned upside down. A young, lonely and frustrated writer, and suffering from mental-health problems, he discovers that his long-dead mother was related to one of Glasgow's oldest merchant families. Not only that, but Ran has inherited Newton Hall, a vast mansion that belonged to his great-uncle, who it seems has been watching from afar as his estranged great-nephew has grown up. Entering his new-found home, it seems Great-Uncle Fitzpatrick has turned it into a temple to the written word - the perfect place for poet Ran. But everything is not as it seems. As he explores the Hall's endless corridors, Ran's grasp on reality appears to be loosening. And then he comes across an ancient lift; and in that lift a mirror. And in the mirror ... the reflection of a woman... A terrifying psychological thriller with more than a hint of the Gothic, HOUSE OF SPINES is a love letter to the power of books, and an exploration of how lust and betrayal can be deadly...

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