Novella

 

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When young Lucian Miller visits the house of a friend it is everything he had long fantasised about; decay and grandeur, lofty rooms, dark red shadows and dust. The evening, however, is a disaster, and Lucian finds himself apparently alone with the sophisticated but troubled Miranda Honeyman. They shut all of the doors in an attempt to keep their problems out, but it soon becomes apparent that someone else may have access to the house. On the threshold of adulthood, in a heightening atmosphere of sexual uncertainty and violence, Lucian tries to make sense of what is happening around him.

 

Bloody Baudelaire handles its themes deftly, with a rare insight into human character in extremis. An absolutely stunning new novella from an upcoming master of the fantastic!

 

Bloody Baudelaire is now available as a paperback from Tartarus Press.

 

Bloody Baudelaire has been filmed under the title Backgammon:

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IMDB entry

 

 

Reviews

 

'Russell ... mixes menace, mystery and romance in a plot that keeps the reader teasingly off-balance and guessing how matters will resolve themselves until the tale’s final twist ending.' Publishers Weekly

 

'Russell is a master of subtlety, enfolding the reader in a smart net of elegant prose and ambiguous facts. A mainstream piece or a gothic novella..? It's up to you to decide.' Mario Guslandi at The Zone

 

'...timeless elegance ... the book maintains a rich aura of mystery and intrigue ... an excellent study on human characters, flaws and all.' Highlander's Book Reviews

 

'...a first rate weird tale wrapped in multiple layers of tension that Mr. Russell expertly stokes and manipulates.' Speculative Fiction Junkie

 

'...a jittery, intelligent conundrum that leaves the shadowy questions raised by Cliffe House and its inhabitants with readers well after the book has been placed back on the shelf.' The Grim Blogger.

 

'...it is something seriously decadent and Dorian Gray and Stephen Poliakoff and pre-Raphaelite ... with Elizabeth-Bowen-esque nihilism of a fractured soul. The Tabula Rasa of love ... and a rite of torture that unfolds so slowly in such a quick book, one is driven along by it. This whole force of onward fiction has a very clever ending. I believed every word.' Des Lewis, Weirdmonger

 

'This book defies categorization, as most good books do. It is equal parts gothic horror, mystery, romance, strange tale, and more. Bloody Baudelaire is a memorizing tale that deserves to be read slowly as one sips on a glass of aged wine, enjoying each sensation it brings with adoration and awe. I would recommend this novella to anyone who enjoys strange tales, dark fiction, or well written stories with great characterization.' Sarah L. Covert, She Never Slept

 

'Gripping.' Reggie Oliver