History Literature / TheGhostsOfSleath

* DaylightHorror:
** Eighteen-year-old Ruth Cauldwell, walking home by the woods, is followed by boyfriend Danny Marsh, who makes clumsy advances. Traumatised by childhood molestation, she flees, and sees, amidst a breeze-blown swirl of leaves, the castrated ghost of Munce, her molester.
** Ralph Cauldwell then takes his daughter's frightened babble to mean Danny's attempted rape. With a mallet, Ralph bloodily batters the youth nearly to death - all on a bright summer's day.

* MinionWithAnFInEvil: [[spoiler: Reverend Lockwood]], heir to the depraved mysticism of the Lockwoods, managed to [[spoiler: spare young Grace from sacrificial murder, and sent her away from the village for protection]].

A 1994 novel by Creator/JamesHerbert. Three years after a nervous breakdown induced by the events of ''Literature/{{Haunted|1988}}'', parapsychologist [[RecurringCharacter David Ash]] remains dedicated to exposing hoaxes, but has been [[SkepticNoLonger irresistibly convinced]] of the actuality of ghosts.

* CorruptHick: [[AvertedTrope Nope]], Sleath is a friendly place, apart from some of its tormented ghosts.

A 1994 novel by Creator/JamesHerbert. Three years after a nervous breakdown induced by the events of ''Literature/{{Haunted|1988}}'', parapsychologist [[RecurringCharacter David Ash]] remains dedicated to exposing hoaxes, but has been [[SkepticNoLonger irresistibly convinced]] of the actuality of ghosts. Called to the secluded village of Sleath to investigate appearances to bereaved mother Ellen Preddle by the ghost of her recently deceased son Simon, Ash learns of a recent influx of ghostly encounters throughout the village. Disembodied children's voices are heard singing from a disused and empty school, the haystack fire which incinerated George Preddle is seen to burn again, and the ghost of George has apparently returned to further molest the ghost of his son. Insight from the vicar's daughter Grace Lockwood and maverick psychic Seamus Phelan hint at a sinister connection between the hauntings...

* TraumaInducedAmnesia: When their thoughts merge, Ash perceives Grace's memory to be blocked by a murky blank spot. When she was a child, [[spoiler: her father, member of a centuries-old occult society which preyed on the spiritual vitality of children, reluctantly took her to such rites at Lockwood Hall, where narrowly managed to avert her ritual murder]].

* {{Sadist}}: Eighteenth century squarson Sebastian Lockwood, for such crimes as unlicensed trade, kept enthusiastic record of such punishment of fatally lashing the miller to his own millwheel.

** With the inn parlour beset by lethal [[{{Poltergeist}} poltergeist]] activity, Rosemary runs for it - [[spoiler: leaving husband Tom fatally impaled by shards of glass]].

* CorruptHick: [[AvertedTrope Nope]], Sleath is a friendly place, [[spoiler: apart from some of its tormented ghosts.]]

* FlayedAlive: [[spoiler: The last Lockwood descendants, Carl Beardsmore and Grace Lockwood, are FlayedAlive and torn apart by the ghostly victims of the Lockwood rituals.]]
* {{Gorn}}: Some.

A 1994 novel by Creator/JamesHerbert. Three years after a nervous breakdown induced by the events of ''Literature/{{Haunted|1988}}'', parapsychologist [[RecurringCharacter David Ash]] remains dedicated to exposing hoaxes, but has been [[SkepticNoLonger irresistibly convinced]] of the actuality of ghosts. Called to the secluded village of Sleath to investigate appearances to bereaved mother Ellen Preddle by the ghost of her recently deceased son Simon, Ash learns of a recent influx of ghostly encounters throughout the village. Disembodied children's voices are heard singing from a disused and empty school, the haystack fire which incinerated George Preddle is seen to burn again, and the ghost of George has apparently returned to further torment the ghost of his son. Insight from the vicar's daughter Grace Lockwood and maverick psychic Seamus Phelan hint at a sinister connection between the hauntings...

* AbusiveParents: Violent drunkard George Preddle.
** [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]].

* HumanSacrifice: A large part of the Lockwood dynasty's RitualMagic. The church records reveal [[SinisterMinister Robert Guy Lockwood]], under pretence of religious penance, to have [[spoiler: overseen the drowning in the village pond numerous mentally and bodily ill children.]]

* MagneticMedium: While Sleath's spiritual turbulence has heightened to general revelation of ghosts, Ash and Grace's psychic buoyancy aids the arrival of [[spoiler: a frenzied spectral mob of murder victims]].

* MentalFusion: In a sudden, sensual embrace, Grace and Ash suddenly sense each other's memories.
* PsychicSex: During lovemaking, Ash and Grace's thoughts once more merge; this time in emulation of their current bodily exchange.

** The historical Lockwoods.

* SadClown: Seamus Phelan, outwardly genial and flamboyant, is inwardly burdened by the horrors anticipated by his sixth sense.
* {{Sadist}} Several of the Lockwood line.

* {{Sadist}}: Eighteenth century squarson Sebastian Lockwood, for such crimes as unlicensed trade, kept enthusiastic record of such punishment of fatally lashing the miller to his own millwheel.

* {{Sadist}}: Several of the Lockwood line, with their BlackMagic ritual.

* SadClown: Seamus Phelan, outwardly genial and flamboyant, in inwardly burdened by the horrors anticipated by his sixth sense.

* NothingIsScarier: Seamus Phelan, on exiting the empty church, isn't ''quite'' sure whether someone is following him...* OccultDetective: Ash might be considered one. Having predicted various disasters with minimal success in their aversion, psychic Seamus Phelan has come to investigate Sleath.

* WouldHurtAChild: The historical Lockwoods, as well as Munce the child molester.

** With the inn parlour beset by lethal {{Poltergeist}} poltergeist]] activity, Rosemary runs for it - [[spoiler: leaving husband Tom fatally impaled by shards of glass]].

** With the inn parlour beset by lethal {{Poltergeist poltergeist]] activity, Rosemary runs for it - [[spoiler: leaving husband Tom fatally impaled by shards of glass]].

* OccultDetective: Ash might be considered one. Having predicted various disasters with minimal success in their aversion, psychic Seamus Phelan has come to investigate Sleath.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Following the crisis, [[spoiler: a devastated Ash just wants to get away from Sleath.]]

* MergerOfSouls: Numerous victims of the Lockwood rituals manifest as an amorphous haze.
* MentalFusion: In a sudden, sensual embrace, Grace and Ash suddenly sense each other's memories.
* PsychicSex: During lovemaking, Ash and Grace's thoughts once more merge; this time in emulation of their current bodily exchange.
* NothingIsScarier: Seamus Phelan, on exiting the empty church, isn't ''quite'' sure whether someone is following him...

* TownWithADarkSecret: A very dark one indeed.

* YourHeadAsplode: [[spoiler: The Reverend Lockwood takes a shotgun blast to the head in [[HeroicSacrifice shielding Grace]].]]