Strong and independent Valhalla Montgomery, a heroine straight out of a Henry James novel, abandons her career as a New York journalist to search for her half-brother in Joan Aiken’s gothic novel, Castle Barebane.

Wishing to escape from her pretentious New York fiancé, Valla is happy to have an excuse to travel to England – only to discover upon her arrival that her half-brother and his wife have disappeared from their London home, leaving their two young children behind.

Finding Victorian London a gloomy and sinister place haunted by a series of Ripper-style murders, Valla takes the children up to Scotland, to a bleak family property known as Castle Barebane. In this Gothic ruin, perched on the edge of a cliff, the mystery surrounding her missing brother begins to unravel – only getting darker and more terrifying . . .

This unforgettable tale of love, loss and human nature is brought to life by Joan Aiken’s vivid storytelling and gripping plot. If you love Virginia C. Andrews or Nicola Cornick, Joan Aiken should certainly be your next read.