House of Spines by Michael J. Malone

What you see isn’t always real… 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, Ran has inherited Newton Hall, a vast mansion that belonged to his great-uncle, who had been watching from afar as his estranged great-nephew grew up. Entering his new-found home, it seems Great-uncle Alexander 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 a reminder that lust and betrayal can be deadly… `A stark, gripping storyline’ Scots`A deeply satisfying read’ Sunday Times`A fine, page-turning thriller’ Daily Mail`Malone is a massive talent … get on board now so you can brag you were reading his books long before the rest of the world’ Luca Vest`Vivid, visceral and compulsive’ Ian Rankin`A terrific read … I read it in one sitting’ Martina Cole