Who would guess that a simple Advent wreath would light the way to solving a Christmastide mystery in a small English village? Well, when Berdie Elliott—the local vicar's wife and former investigative reporter—gets the scent, anything can happen. Though Berdie's husband often disapproves, her divine gift of sorting truth from lies puts her in the stew. Along with her best friend, Lillie, Berdie unwraps far more than Christmas presents when an Advent gathering at the vicarage goes awry, and murder rocks the village. Lively newcomers, secret identities, a clandestine wedding, and a dissenting constable add to the adventure of unraveling the mystery that Berdie—to the delight of the entire village—finally ties up like a bright Christmas bow. Tea and biscuits anyone? Formerly released as Advent of a Mystery.

“Deliciously macabre and utterly decadent.” —Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper In this dark and twisty feminist historical mystery, a teenage girl starts a new life as a grave robber but quickly becomes entangled in a murderer's plans. Soon after her best friend Kitty mysteriously dies, orphaned seventeen-year-old Molly Green is sent away to live with her "aunt." With no relations that she knows of, Molly assumes she has been sold as a maid for the price of an extra donation in the church orphanage's coffers. Such a thing is not unheard of. There are only so many options for an unmarried girl in 1850s Philadelphia. Only, when Molly arrives, she discovers her aunt is very much real, exceedingly wealthy, and with secrets of her own. Secrets and wealth she intends to share—for a price. Molly's estranged aunt Ava, has built her empire by robbing graves and selling the corpses to medical students who need bodies to practice surgical procedures. And she wants Molly to help her procure the corpses. As Molly learns her aunt's trade in the dead of night and explores the mansion by day, she is both horrified and deeply intrigued by the anatomy lessons held at the old church on her aunt's property. Enigmatic Doctor LaValle's lessons are a heady mixture of knowledge and power and Molly has never wanted anything more than to join his male-only group of students. But the cost of inclusion is steep and with a murderer loose in the city, the pursuit of power and opportunity becomes a deadly dance.

Varla Ventura, Coast to Coast favorite, Weird News blogger on Huffington Post, and author of The Book of the Bizarre and Beyond Bizarre, introduces Weiser Books’ new Collection of forgotten occult classics. Paranormal Parlor is an eerie assemblage of affordable digital editions, curated with Varla’s sixth sense for tales of the weird and unusual. Corpse Candles and Fire Coffins Death portents, evil boring beetles, and flickering ghosts move across the shadowy pages of this ultra-freaky collection from Irish supernaturalist Elliott O'Donnell.

"The Days of Chivalry; Or, The Legend of Croquemitaine" by Quatrelles is divided into three sections. The first section is about Charlemagne's jousts at Fronsack. Section two is all in dream-quests and visions both Charlemagne's and Marsillus of Saragosa as well as Charlemagne's nephew Roland's adventures in Spain. The third section is pure fiction and is about Charlemagne's godchild, little heroine Mitaine, and her errand to find and destroy Fortress of Fear where the Lord of Fear with his children dwell. This book famously inspired The Lord of The Rings, thanks to the fantastical quality of the story and its impact on the world.

A phantom horseman. A murdered abbot. A locked door. Paul Doherty weaves an intricately plotted mystery in Corpse Candle, in which Sir Hugh's powers of deduction are tested by one of his most puzzling cases. Perfect for fans of Susanna Gregory and Michael Jecks. 'Paul Doherty has captured the atmosphere of an enclosed community where there is nowhere to hide from an assassin who appears not to have a motive. Well written... A thumping good read' - South Wales Argus The Brothers of the abbey of St Martin's-in-the-Marsh usually pay little heed to the tales of robber baron Sir Geoffrey Mandeville's ghost galloping through the Lincolnshire fens with a retinue of ghastly horsemen. They may hear the shrill blast of a phantom hunting horn, or see the corpse candles glowing in the dark, but none really accepts the peasants' belief that these flickering lights can forewarn men of their own deaths. The monks are protected by the monastery's high wall and their powerful abbot - a friend of King Edward I - and, although their leaders sometimes argue over the abbey's future, their lives are peaceful and comfortable. But then Abbot Stephen is found murdered in his chamber, with the door and windows locked from the inside, and Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the King's Seal, arrives to investigate. What readers are saying about Corpse Candle: 'This book [has] elegance, history and mystery that will make you scared but wanting to turn the page' 'Intrigue is maintained throughout with interesting twists' 'Another excellent book that just could not be put down!'

From the author of Lost Souls, Drawing Blood, and Wormwood comes a thrilling and chilling novel that bestselling author Peter Straub says serves as a “guidebook to hell.” To serial slayer Andrew Compton, murder is an art, the most intimate art. After feigning his own death to escape from prison, Compton makes his way to the United States with the sole ambition of bringing his “art” to new heights. Tortured by his own perverse desires, and drawn to possess and destroy young boys, Compton inadvertently joins forces with Jay Byrne, a dissolute playboy who has pushed his “art” to limits even Compton hadn’t previously imagined. Together, Compton and Byrne set their sights on an exquisite young Vietnamese-American runaway, Tran, whom they deem to be the perfect victim. Swiftly moving from the grimy streets of London’s Piccadilly Circus to the decadence of the New Orleans French Quarter, Poppy Z. Brite dissects the landscape of torture and invites us into the mind of a killer. Exquisite Corpse confirms Brite as a writer who defies categorization. It is a novel for those who dare trespass where the sacred and profane become one.

Secrets won't stay buried... Only now, twelve years after the mysterious disappearance of a teenage girl, will Mitchell & Markby begin to unravel the mystery in Candle for a Corpse, Ann Granger's eighth cosy Cotwolds crime novel in the Mitchell & Markby series. The perfect read for fans of Hamish McBeth, Agatha Christie and ITV's Midsomer Murders. 'Enjoyable crime featuring credible characters in a recognisably real world' - Belfast Telegraph On an unseasonably chilly summer's day a macabre discovery is made in Bamford's ancient churchyard. A body, dead some twelve years, is unearthed in the Gresham family plot, too shallowly buried to be a legitimate interment, too recent to be the last Gresham officially laid to rest. Superintendent Alan Markby cannot resist the challenge to solve this twelve-year-old crime and suddenly his long-planned canal-barge holiday with Meredith Mitchell is in serious jeopardy. When the remains are identified as those of a local teenager, Kimberley Oates, reported missing at the time of the mysterious burial, his mind is made up. Her holiday postponed, to her secret relief, Meredith finds herself with more time than usual for village chat - and for a dinner party with the local MP that reveals more than either he or his formidable mother would like about his connection with the dead girl... What readers are saying about Candle for a Corpse: 'If you like low key crime with plenty of humour and interesting characters and plot then you will enjoy this series!' 'Brilliant writer and a brilliant book' 'I feel like I know the heroine personally'

A macabre discovery in the All Saints' parish graveyard leads Superintendent Alan Markby and his friend, foreign office official Meredith Mitchell, to the dark secret behind the mysterious disappearance of a teenage girl twelve years earlier. The vicar of Bamford, Maurice Appleton, knew he was a dying man. When he discovered traces of a strange, unauthorized ritual in his church, he pleaded with parishioners to say nothing about the black-swathed candle and the flowers anonymously placed on the altar. For twelve years, the incident was forgotten. Then, one unseasonably chilly summer's day, a corpse is unearthed in the Gresham family plot. The remains are too shallowly buried to have been legitimately interred and too recent to be those of the last Gresham laid to rest. For Superintendent Markby, newly returned to his old haunts, the challenge of the unsolved crime proves irresistible. Suddenly, his plans for a long-awaited holiday with Meredith are in jeopardy. When the body is identified as that of a local teenager, Kimberley Oates, who was reported missing at the time of the mysterious burial, Markby's mind is made up. To Meredith's secret relief, the holiday is canceled. She finds herself with more time than usual for village chat - and for a dinner party with the local MP that reveals more than either he or his formidable mother would like about his connection to the dead girl.

Madame Pamita's Ultimate Guide to Candle Magic Success Featuring authentic candle magic that anyone can do, this joyous book encourages you to dance in the moonlight and rekindle your spark of magic with a little wick, wax, and flame. Renowned practitioner Madame Pamita guides you every step of the way as you perform spells and gain the confidence to create your own. The Book of Candle Magic empowers you to manifest more happiness, love, prosperity, and fulfillment. Learn to make candles from scratch, do candle readings, start your personal grimoire, add some pizzazz to your rituals, and much more. It's time to reclaim your birthright of using fire to reach your magical goals—this irresistible book shows you how. Includes a foreword by Judika Illes, author of Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells