Stop Press: Two stories, 'Easily Made' and 'Death Becomes Her', were nominated for a Crime Writers Association Short Story Dagger!

Nothing says Christmas more than a good old fashioned ghost story on a dark winter's night, so sit back and enjoy a little pinch of Yuletide mayhem.

These extraordinary tales, one for each day of Christmas, explore the odd, the peculiar and the downright chilling, from a Strange encounter with an Icelandic Shaman, to a psychic policewoman, lively winged beasts and warnings from the recently departed.

Some of these stories appeared in the ebook The Strange Casebook, 2018.

Christmas is around the corner...so too are all manner of spooky apparitions at the Essex Witch Museum

About the Author

Syd Moore is best known for her Essex Witch Museum Mysteries (Strange Magic, Strange Sight, Strange Fascination, Strange Tombs and Strange Tricks, forthcoming from Oneworld, 2020). Her story collection, The Twelve Strange Days of Christmas (2019), was shortlisted for a prestigious 'dagger award' by the Crime Writers Association in 2019 and 2020. Her debut screenplay, Witch West, has been optioned by Hidden Door Productions (Just Charlie) with director Jane Gull (My Feral Heart) at the helm. Filming for Witch West starts Spring 2020, with release set for Autumn 2021.

In 2019 Moore became a Royal Literary Fund Fellow. She is a UK ambassador for DINNodhjaelp, a Danish charity which helps Nigerian 'witch' children.

Reviews

'A dozen short stories for the shortest of days, bringing together Moore's unique blend of the supernatural with comedy, feminism and, sometimes, cats. Spooky and sassy.'

* Sunday Times Crime Club *

'From a master of the macabre comes a wonderfully weird collection of uncanny tales for the festive season. Channeling classic ghost story writers such as M.R. James but putting her own, unique spin of these mysterious miniatures, Moore crafts the ideal gruesome response to all that Christmas schmaltz and sentiment.'

* Waterstones Bookseller Favourite *

'This is a great collection of seasonal stories just right to be popped into a Christmas stocking. Recommended.'

* Mystery People *

Praise for Syd Moore:

'Strange Magic is that rarest of things: a book which sets out unashamedly to entertain, and does so with wit, style, and erudition. I gleefully submitted to a tale of witchcraft, feminism, mysterious strangers, historical atrocities, plucky heroines and ghastly apparitions - and came away more proud than ever to be an Essex girl.' Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent and Melmoth

'A fun and thrilling read, one hugely impressive element is that Moore uses her light tone and intricate character relationships to address some serious points - ranging from people trafficking through to the derogatory stereotype of the Essex Girl. Lead character Rosie Strange is a woman to be admired with her ballsy, no-nonsense attitude, excellent boots and compelling family history. I can't wait to see more of Rosie, Sam and the Essex Witch museum in the future.' Cathi Unsworth, author of Weirdo

'Dennis Wheatley meets Caitlin Moran.' Starburst

'The Strange novels are a breath of fresh air for fans of supernatural mysteries...all fantastic books...I can't recommend them highly enough' Paranormal Underground

Awards
Short-listed for CWA Dagger Short Story 2020.



Book Information
ISBN 9781786076809
Author Syd Moore
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Point Blank
Publisher Oneworld Publications
Dimensions(mm) 178mm * 111mm * 16mm