The tale of a widow's harrowing journey through grief and peril into the cold remnants of a dead world.
Damon Sharpe had in part found victory, he believed, in his battle to unearth a truth obscured by time. By autumn, he was dead, leaving to his wife Anne a house of unfulfilled wishes, remnants, and the key to the enigma of his obsession, the Mourner’s Cradle.
A journey through grief and peril delivers Anne Sharpe from her home in St. Charles to the faraway skeletons of a long-dead civilization where she will find the desperate answers she seeks…or die trying.
This horror novel is perfect for fans of…
- The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz
- The Fisherman by John Langan
- The Grieving Stones by Gary McMahon
- Daphne du Maurier
- Thomas Ligotti
- Shirley Jackson
- Dan Simmons
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
Interview with the author:
So what makes this horror novella so special?
It’s a story of inner darkness and shattered remnants. Not everyone is comfortable confronting tragedy and loss, yet it’s something most of us must eventually face. If the things we love are stripped away, what will remain? The Mourner’s Cradle is the story of a widow, Anne Sharpe, and her battle to make sense of her husband’s death, which places her on a dark and perilous path.
Tell us more about your lead character.
The invisible woman reveals herself. Her name is Anne Sharpe. People hardly noticed her before her husband’s death. Not everyone understands her. Her grief has brought out a dark fury in her, though perhaps it has been there for some time and her husband’s death was the catalyst for its liberation.
Why should readers give this book a try?
For a glimpse into the human abyss and a cold journey to long-forsaken pinnacles. So be careful, dear readers. You dance with skeletons.
Do you have other books featuring these characters?
The Mourner’s Cradle shares its setting of St. Charles with my debut horror novella, Poisonous. Some readers will find some familiarity in this, though The Mourner’s Cradle is its own story and a different tale of a different time.
Industry Reviews
"This book is non-stop action. It grabs your attention at the beginning and does not let go. This is a character-driven story. Whether it is the protagonist or antagonist, both jump out from the page, right into your mind." - PopHorror.com
"A strong heroine is always to be desired, and in THE MOURNER'S CRADLE author Tommy B. Smith offers us one of the strongest. Newly widowed Anne Sharpe, wife of an unfortunately discredited historical/archaeological researcher, is nearly indefatigable. Not a superman (in the Nietzschean meaning), but an individual who withstands far more than most in contemporary pampered culture could tolerate. I think she's become one of my idols. Like the Timex watch of the 1950's, she "takes a licking and keeps on ticking." And as long as she keeps her purpose in mind, she's unstoppable.
From the US to the Peruvian Andes, on the trail of what might be one of the most startling and powerful archaeological discoveries of our time, Anne Sharpe, heroine extraordinaire, keeps her purpose in her mind and perseveres, despite the odds arrayed against her. Anne Sharpe rocks." - Into the Abyss
