Cursed: A Ghosts of Thores-Cross Short Story (Large Print - Hardback)

Name: Cursed: A Ghosts of Thores-Cross Short Story (Large Print - Hardback)
Price: 23.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781912842025

✍️ Karen Perkins

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$23.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A large print hardback short story about a witch awakened by a dug-up skeleton in Thruscross.

Perkins explores the consequences of disturbing the dead in rural England. The story centers on Old Ma Ramsgill and her family as they confront the return of Jennet, an eighteenth-century witch. The narrative weaves together themes of ancestral guilt and environmental change. The flooding of the valley serves as a backdrop for the supernatural conflict, highlighting the tension between preserving history and forcing progress. Readers will find a concentrated dose of gothic horror that relies on atmosphere rather than extensive plot twists.

Key Themes

witchcraft ancestral curses rural dread

Literary Context

This short story sits within the tradition of English village ghost tales, specifically drawing on eighteenth-century witchcraft lore. It is part of the Ghosts of Thores-Cross series by Karen Perkins, published by Lionheart Publishing House in 2018.

Difficulty

● Easy

Recommended For Fans Of

M.R. James · Daphne du Maurier · Susan Hill · Peter Straub

👻

Ghost Stories

🏛 Lionheart Publishing House 📅 2018 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781912842025

📝 Description: Cursed: A Ghosts of Thores-Cross Short Story (Large Print - Hardback)

Karen Perkins presents a ghost story set in the village of Thruscross within her Cursed series. The narrative begins when workers excavate a skeleton at the crossing of the ways on Hanging Moor. This discovery awakens Jennet, an eighteenth-century witch, and brings dread to Old Ma Ramsgill, the elderly matriarch of the community. Perkins qualifies this work as part of the Ghosts of Thores-Cross series, offering readers a focused supernatural tale rather than a full novel. The plot intensifies when a vicious black dog begins killing residents, validating Jennet’s warnings about impending danger. The community, particularly Ramsgill’s family, faces severe threats that require drastic measures to contain the witch’s influence. A significant complication arises from the imminent flooding of the valley to create a new reservoir. This environmental change adds urgency to the characters' struggle against the curse. This large print hardback edition suits readers who enjoy localized gothic horror and supernatural fiction rooted in specific historical periods. It appeals to those interested in tales involving witches, ancestral curses, and rural community dynamics. The book may not suit readers seeking extensive world-building or fast-paced action, as it focuses on atmospheric dread and character reactions to supernatural events. Perkins draws on traditions of English folklore and ghost stories, grounding the horror in the tangible threat of both the past and the encroaching modernization represented by the reservoir project.

💎 Our verdict on Cursed: A Ghosts of Thores-Cross Short Story (Large Print - Hardback)

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Karen Perkins delivers a potent short story that excels in building an oppressive sense of place within the village of Thruscross. The narrative effectively utilizes the excavation of a skeleton to trigger supernatural consequences, weaving themes of ancestral guilt with the tangible threat of environmental change via valley flooding. While it lacks extensive plot twists or fast-paced action, its strength lies in its atmospheric dread and exploration of rural community dynamics under duress. This edition is best suited for readers who prefer character-driven horror over spectacle. It serves as a compelling entry point for those interested in English folklore and the specific subgenre of localized gothic tales where the land itself holds memory and malice.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking a concentrated dose of atmospheric gothic horror will find this large print hardback particularly rewarding. It is ideal for those who appreciate supernatural fiction rooted in specific historical periods and localized settings rather than expansive world-building. The narrative appeals to fans of tales involving witches, ancestral curses, and the tension between preserving history and forcing progress. Those interested in rural community dynamics and environmental change as a backdrop for supernatural conflict will also engage deeply with this text. It offers a focused tale that relies on mood and character reaction over fast-paced action, making it suitable for readers who enjoy slow-burn dread and folklore-based horror.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Karen Perkins delivers a potent short story that excels in building an oppressive sense of place within the village of Thruscross. The narrative effectively utilizes the excavation of a skeleton to trigger supernatural consequences, weaving themes of ancestral guilt with the tangible threat of environmental change via valley flooding. While it lacks extensive plot twists or fast-paced action, its strength lies in its atmospheric dread and exploration of rural community dynamics under duress. This edition is best suited for readers who prefer character-driven horror over spectacle. It serves as a compelling entry point for those interested in English folklore and the specific subgenre of localized gothic tales where the land itself holds memory and malice.