In the fourth installment in the Adam Fletcher Adventure Series, a gypsy family sets up camp on the edge of town peddling tinctures, potions, magic, and fortunetelling. And like a moth to a flame, Adam Fletcher is drawn there. He decides to pay the mysterious Madame Endora a visit, just for fun — or so he thinks. Soon after, a series of worrisome circumstances begin to unfold, one after the other, sending the sleepy port town of Beaufort into a hysterical frenzy. Is there really a curse, or is something more sinister to blame?
In the first story of this absorbing collection, Margarita—sixteen and married to a soldier who has gone off to fight in the first great war—meets and falls in love with Federico Garcia Lorca. He calls her “Margarita Petita,” and then turns her name into a poem. When he refuses to marry the widowed gypsy girl after a tryst at the river leaves her pregnant, her mother curses both Lorca and his offspring: “May they all die before they see the light of day.” And so Lorca is killed by fascists and his child dies in Margarita’s womb, where it remains—petrified—for 80 years. Mysteries and furtive desires pervade the enthralling stories in this group of ten the author calls a “deconstructed novel.” Rich in imagery and language, they chronicle the gypsy’s life, including banishment from Andalusia by her mother, marriage to a famous Mexican bull fighter and the lives of numerous descendants who ultimately leave Mexico for El Paso, Texas. In one of the final stories, “Calaveras in the Closet,” the gypsy’s extensive family comes together for her funeral, where several long-guarded secrets will suddenly come to light. Also included in this volume is a historical novella, Liberata Wilgefortis: The True and Tragic Story of the Bearded Female Saint, a mystical retelling of an ancient legend about the first bearded female saint of the Catholic Church whose cult was removed by Vatican II in 1969. Expertly weaving poetry, historical events, myth and legend into intriguing short fiction, Alicia Gaspar de Alba confirms her place as one of the leading contemporary Latinx voices.
Fans of the Lady Julia Grey Mysteries will love these Georgian historical mysteries. Finally home in Kent after her recent adventures in Yorkshire and Cornwall, Lady Anne Addison is shocked to spy her erstwhile suitor, the Marquess of Darkefell, skulking around the gypsy camps near her property. Outraged that he has followed her there, she writes a scathing letter to him and his family, which brings Darkefell—and his denials that it was he—to Kent. Despite Darkefell’s arrival, Anne is preoccupied with the troubles that plague her family and loved ones. Is it the old gypsy woman’s curse that is making her friends ill, or something far more sinister? One by one, Anne and Darkefell must unravel the troubling mysteries, and then travel back to Yorkshire, where their love story began, to finally solve the murder that threatens the very heart of his family . . . This book was originally published under the name Donna Lea Simpson. Praise for the Lady Anne Addison Mysteries: “If you are looking for a historical mystery with romance, suspense, and a suggestion of paranormal, then read Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark.” —Fallen Angel Reviews “[Hamilton] excels at imbuing her realistic characters with subtle depths . . .” —American Library Association “[The author] has set up a well-drawn Gothic horror setting here, so the atmosphere is fantastic, what with it being chilling, mysterious, and menacing all at once.” —Mrs. Giggles
Gypsy Curses, the sixth installment of The Beadle Files, begins in Buffalo where LC Beadle is investigating the mysterious disappearance of Bernadette Millier, a cabaret singer climbing the rungs of success. During the course of his digging and inquires, he discovers a bombshell secret about her manager Alfonso Kosteas, which the pair had conspired to keep hidden. The narrative weaves its way around organized crime circles populated by gangsters, including Stefano Galleo, an authoritative kingpin who is somewhat obsessed with Bernadette Millier. His fixation results in him pulling strings and manipulating events on her behalf. In Durango, Tatiyana Baglio, proprietor of Jewel’s Tea and Spice Emporium, is kept busy by those seeking an advantage in receiving a glimpse of the future, including Jack Whistler and a pair of veteran mobsters, Hacksaw Maddox and Jimmy Pachino. Josiah Grassley, along with Cynthia Sue Hopple and Megan Kitner, are on an urgent quest to recover a treasure entrusted to Josiah then stolen by a pair of ne’er-do-well flimflammers. The travelers form a bond and experience misadventures whilst being enlightened or entertained by a neverending commentary from Cynthia Sue telling longwinded stories gleaned from her past.
A Gypsy curse that must be broken. A dangerous secret that cannot be revealed… Clara’s a shape-shifter who’s cursed. The curse is making life impossible and she wants rid of it - even though she’s been told it can’t be done. Luke’s a Gypsy whose clan is camped at Clara’s town. He spends his days exploring the area while carefully avoiding the ‘townies’ that live there. Then Clara and Luke’s worlds collide and an opportunity arises that Clara simply can’t resist - the Gypsies may know how to break the curse. Can Clara infiltrate the mysterious and distrustful Gypsy clan? Will she be able to uncover their secrets – at the risk of revealing her own? A Litpick Top Choice Award winner, ‘A Gypsy Curse’ is the second book in the Full Moon series. If you enjoy a rollercoaster ride of action and suspense, then this book is a must read.
I was totally inspired by RL Stine's One Day in Horrorland. I loved the idea of a scary amusement park for kids. I also liked the idea of someone being cursed Thinner style. Bobby Blaine thinks his visit to an amusement park will be fun. Well, he's cursed and it's going to get terrifying.
"Gypsies are justly famed for their psychic powers and the ability to curse or bring good luck to those that cross their path." A sparkling compilation of secrets passed down from one generation to the next, Gypsy Magic offers readers simple techniques for harnessing "zee energy" to bring about good luck, health, wealth, happiness, and love. Author Patrinella Cooper draws upon her Romany heritage and tells readers "how the Gypsy tradition helped me to develop my own power, which in turn enables me to help other people, through magic and fortune-telling." Perfect for anyone interested in the interplay between nature and divination, this introduction to the gypsy traditions shows how to unlock the power of palmistry, tarot, dreams, tea leaves, and, of course, crystal balls. In addition to sharing time-tested natural remedies and healing herbs, Cooper shares her traveler's insight into reading nature's signs and omens, from stars and seasons to birds and plants. Gypsy Magic also reveals how to attract good luck with charms, protect against curses, harness the power of the planets, and weave simple spells.
When Jack Edmunds, a reporter for the Daily Tribune visits the quiet backwater village of Ellsworth, North Yorkshire he gets a little more than he bargained for. Witness to the casting of an ancient gypsy curse following allegations of corruption by the authorities- Jack along with Suzie Brown, his accomplice, are drawn into an ever increasing maelstrom of events and strange happenings beyond belief. Cut off from the outside world the village of Ellsworth rapidly descends into a bizarre blood-bath of demonic possession as friend turns against friend in a frenzie of unstoppable carnage. Can the realms of superstition be as tangible as they seem or are they merely a form of self-imposed psycho-babble that preys upon the mind? Either way their journey won't be easy as they confront an ever increasing maelstrom of sinister events, exposing them to the darker side of human nature at its worst.
A Gemstone Book (TRADE PAPERBACK) - 349 pages *** To escape a life of abuse, fifteen-year-old Evan Adamson sacrifices the love of his childhood sweetheart only to find himself caught up in the ill-begotten adventures of three Gypsy outcasts who ultimately teach him the ways of the heart and the soul, and most importantly that, ..".there will always be that in this world which goes beyond understanding and speaks to the heart in a more meaningful way." When Evan finds himself torn between the dark girl of his dreams and a promise he made to his mother years before, he sees in a single moment the reflection of his own true nature and the capacity for a love that transcends all else. By the very enigma of riddles, he comes to discover himself. And those discoveries are heartbreaking and wise, as complex as they are devastating-for in heaven and in our dreams, love is simple and glorious, but it is something quite different in the world of flesh.
