Moths (Monster, She Wrote)

By Rosalind Ashe

Book Overview

Dower House, lush and irresistible, draws people to it like moths to a flame. Among those caught in its spell are James and Nemo Boyce, who buy it, and Harry Harris, who becomes possessed by both the house and its mistress.

But disturbing events - the mysterious death of a favorite dog, ghostly music in the woods, fleeting reflections in an old mirror - give warning of another presence. And then, at the Boyces' housewarming party, an uninvited guest makes an appearance: Sarah Moore, dazzling actress, beautiful, lustful, murderous - and dead for 150 years.

As Nemo begins to undergo a series of bizarre changes, Harry, obsessively in love with her, finds himself swept up into an ever-tightening spiral of tragedy ...

One of Valancourt's most exciting rediscoveries in years, Rosalind Ashe's slow-burn Gothic horror tale Moths (1976) was a critical hit on both sides of the Atlantic and earned comparisons to Daphne du Maurier's classic Rebecca.

"A magical novel, passionate, exciting, and beautifully written." - Iris Murdoch

"Could be a young Daphne du Maurier . . . Fans of Rebecca will be moths to the flame." - Publishers Weekly

"A beautifully written and beautifully constructed novel of mounting fear and terror ... Wonderfully scary, wonderfully exotic ... absolutely riveting." - Stephen King (on Rosalind Ashe's Hurricane Wake)

"A first novel of power and imagination . . . the conclusion is genuinely frightening." - The Guardian

"A first novel as well crafted as any classic of its kind." - The Pittsburgh Press

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F47SGCPG
• ISBN13: 9781960241481
• Release Date: May 2025
• Publisher: Valancourt Books
• Length: 196 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A Surprisingly good short novel.

Without knowing what to expect I was pleasantly surprised by this book which tells the tale of a haunted house in England and how it leads to the death of several would be lovers. A dead actress with irrespressible sexual energy lures victims to their doom just so she can have a taste of life again. I like this book as much for what is left out, there is no "wrapping everything up" at the end. It ends abruptly and suddenly and you are left wondering what really happened and what might happen next. A mystery is presented but no mysteries are revealed here. I will look for more Rosalind Ashe thanks to this book.