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What Darkness Lay Within
As Liam, faces the loss of his beloved aunt, he must now step into familiarity of his childhood home, only to find secrets, mystery and intrigue, awaiting him there. The experiences that he is faced with will mold his future in ways he did not expect. With his life as it has been wafting along in a slow but comfortable pattern. Now however the pattern will be broken, as he ventures into frightening unprecedented phenomena.
274 pages, Paperback
First published July 24, 2012
1 person want to read
About the author
T. Wrage
6 books2 followersT.Wrage was born on Long Island N.Y. She writes journals and short humorous stories on going. In 2010 her life drastically changed, causing her to reevaluate her writing, and it was at that time the book writing commenced.
She now writes various articles for both newspapers and blogs. She is foremost an author, who through her writing enjoys delving into the strange and unusual. As a child she could often be found devouring the comic books, ‘Tales from the Crypt’.
Her taste for the macabre has never rung more true than in her Beyond series. In them, she demonstrates her abilities to bring the reader to experience incomprehensible happenings. Her use of subtle obscure humor allows the reader to relish, even her darkest tales.
T.Wrage also has a passion for cooking. Her use and love of all things food related is reflected in her novels as in her book, ‘The Bed and Breakfast’, the owner of the Inn is a renowned chef from New York City. And his flair for creating the perfect dinner or cocktail party, is a draw for the many guests who stay at his Inn. His fine reputation for creating an environment for his guest’s pleasure, through food and his charms, brings guests flocking to his Inn.
T.Wrage thinks of herself more as a story teller than a novelist. She longed to share that part of herself which was now ready to be heard.
T.Wrage expounds in her own words; "It seemed to come from somewhere deep within, and it demonstrated itself with ease, through the expression of an avant-garde style". Which she clarifies, she had no idea she was capable of.
Her style of writing about the odd and unusual, takes the reader on a journey of depth, into the unknown. It is her hope they might explore possibilities beyond that first glance, which she believes, so many begin and end with.
T.Wrage lives in the woods, where she finds solace and beauty. Having grown up on Long Island where she was surrounded by the forest. Her writing reflects her connection to both the ocean and the trees.
Some of T.Wrage’s tales are oddly set with interesting creatures that she enjoys having her characters interact with, and sometimes learn from.
She also has a passion for coffee, and this can be found in her writings. You might ask why a beverage is so important, her answer would be; “If you have to ask, you simply are not capable of fully appreciating it.”
She believes this rings true about her work in the Beyond series as well. And I quote, in her words;
“I do not think it is for everyone to get, or understand, or perhaps even enjoy. But for those that do get it, and understand it, and perhaps enjoy it, they may be the few. But they are also the unusual and unconventional few. These are the ones I strive to connect with.”
She now writes various articles for both newspapers and blogs. She is foremost an author, who through her writing enjoys delving into the strange and unusual. As a child she could often be found devouring the comic books, ‘Tales from the Crypt’.
Her taste for the macabre has never rung more true than in her Beyond series. In them, she demonstrates her abilities to bring the reader to experience incomprehensible happenings. Her use of subtle obscure humor allows the reader to relish, even her darkest tales.
T.Wrage also has a passion for cooking. Her use and love of all things food related is reflected in her novels as in her book, ‘The Bed and Breakfast’, the owner of the Inn is a renowned chef from New York City. And his flair for creating the perfect dinner or cocktail party, is a draw for the many guests who stay at his Inn. His fine reputation for creating an environment for his guest’s pleasure, through food and his charms, brings guests flocking to his Inn.
T.Wrage thinks of herself more as a story teller than a novelist. She longed to share that part of herself which was now ready to be heard.
T.Wrage expounds in her own words; "It seemed to come from somewhere deep within, and it demonstrated itself with ease, through the expression of an avant-garde style". Which she clarifies, she had no idea she was capable of.
Her style of writing about the odd and unusual, takes the reader on a journey of depth, into the unknown. It is her hope they might explore possibilities beyond that first glance, which she believes, so many begin and end with.
T.Wrage lives in the woods, where she finds solace and beauty. Having grown up on Long Island where she was surrounded by the forest. Her writing reflects her connection to both the ocean and the trees.
Some of T.Wrage’s tales are oddly set with interesting creatures that she enjoys having her characters interact with, and sometimes learn from.
She also has a passion for coffee, and this can be found in her writings. You might ask why a beverage is so important, her answer would be; “If you have to ask, you simply are not capable of fully appreciating it.”
She believes this rings true about her work in the Beyond series as well. And I quote, in her words;
“I do not think it is for everyone to get, or understand, or perhaps even enjoy. But for those that do get it, and understand it, and perhaps enjoy it, they may be the few. But they are also the unusual and unconventional few. These are the ones I strive to connect with.”
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 30, 2014
Our lady of the strange houses
Long Island, New York author T. Wrage fulfills her passion for writing with this, her debut well constructed novel WHAT DARKNESS LIES WITHIN - a very fine introduction to the subsequent novels this very fine tale weaver has placed before the reading public. Wrage describes it as a fiction suspense thriller and the seeds she place from her fertile mind have been very well nurtured as those who have had the pleasure of reading THE BED AND BREAKFAST, for instance, can attest.
Wrage seems to have an affinity for old homes as she allows settings of her novels to involve old houses to become characters or important aspects to the range of her story. Opening this tense tale with an abrupt wakeup call from a doorbell sound is another indicator that we are in for an edge of the seat story. Our main character Liam, with a background of a rather flatline life, abruptly finds changes thrust into his world when is favorite aunt dies and he is thrust into the home of his childhood only to discover the many mysteries of which he was totally unaware. There is an added surreal aspect of the experiences he is undergoing that suggest paranormal activity - all pointing to aspects of his family's life and his own life that recasts his inconspicuous manner of living into alterations that he would have never even imaging. Liam has inherited his aunt's house on the condition that he must live in it, cars, and belongs - each of which adds an additional step of mystery to his new existence. And it is here that the house takes on the role of a primary character - with secrets galore!
There is a mystery afoot that involves the spirits and that is the driving force that makes T. Wrage's novel takes flight. She manages to invite the reader into the atmosphere she has so carefully described and holds the reader's attention until the final page. This is a solid little book, not in the class with the Great American Novel, but on that will most assuredly provide the reader with an enthralling adventure for those quiet nights of curling up with a good book. Grady Harp, June 14
Long Island, New York author T. Wrage fulfills her passion for writing with this, her debut well constructed novel WHAT DARKNESS LIES WITHIN - a very fine introduction to the subsequent novels this very fine tale weaver has placed before the reading public. Wrage describes it as a fiction suspense thriller and the seeds she place from her fertile mind have been very well nurtured as those who have had the pleasure of reading THE BED AND BREAKFAST, for instance, can attest.
Wrage seems to have an affinity for old homes as she allows settings of her novels to involve old houses to become characters or important aspects to the range of her story. Opening this tense tale with an abrupt wakeup call from a doorbell sound is another indicator that we are in for an edge of the seat story. Our main character Liam, with a background of a rather flatline life, abruptly finds changes thrust into his world when is favorite aunt dies and he is thrust into the home of his childhood only to discover the many mysteries of which he was totally unaware. There is an added surreal aspect of the experiences he is undergoing that suggest paranormal activity - all pointing to aspects of his family's life and his own life that recasts his inconspicuous manner of living into alterations that he would have never even imaging. Liam has inherited his aunt's house on the condition that he must live in it, cars, and belongs - each of which adds an additional step of mystery to his new existence. And it is here that the house takes on the role of a primary character - with secrets galore!
There is a mystery afoot that involves the spirits and that is the driving force that makes T. Wrage's novel takes flight. She manages to invite the reader into the atmosphere she has so carefully described and holds the reader's attention until the final page. This is a solid little book, not in the class with the Great American Novel, but on that will most assuredly provide the reader with an enthralling adventure for those quiet nights of curling up with a good book. Grady Harp, June 14
July 11, 2014
What Darkness Lay Within was an entertaining read. A touch of a paranormal Agatha Christie meets Doctor Who’s Hide episode (7.9) meets Clue. A bit of whimsy. A touch of romance. And a whole lot of mystery. I found the overall style and tone to the story to be charming and entertaining. I love that the main character is a writer and his introduction to the cast is great. The pace was controlled well by the actions of the characters and despite every effort, both the drama and the tension kept mounting like a giant upward spiral and instead of taking you over the edge, leaves you at the top spinning around in circles.
There is very little that I didn’t like about the story. I thought that the number of pages Liam managed to crank out in a day seemed a bit on the low side given the number of hours he worked and the comments about losing track of time. And the possession of Drake and when it happened was a bit confusing to me. That one slid under my radar. I liked the way everyone worked together either in small teams or as a whole group. How each person’s expertise was brought to the forefront in times of crisis. The development of the two romances was well-done and the touches of magick were subtle, at times, and kept the story moving. If you are looking for a good story to take on vacation and enjoy a good paranormal mystery that’s easy to read, then definitely pick up a copy.
There is very little that I didn’t like about the story. I thought that the number of pages Liam managed to crank out in a day seemed a bit on the low side given the number of hours he worked and the comments about losing track of time. And the possession of Drake and when it happened was a bit confusing to me. That one slid under my radar. I liked the way everyone worked together either in small teams or as a whole group. How each person’s expertise was brought to the forefront in times of crisis. The development of the two romances was well-done and the touches of magick were subtle, at times, and kept the story moving. If you are looking for a good story to take on vacation and enjoy a good paranormal mystery that’s easy to read, then definitely pick up a copy.
July 26, 2014
The title (What Darkness Lay Within) and the cover picture raised an expectation of a story about horror and gore. I did not read the blurb and so based my expectations on the title and cover picture. The first 4 chapters of this story felt more like an Architect Digest as the author, through the main character -Liam, kept marvelling and rhapsodizing about the build of the house, its layout and history. It was a lot of detail that I thought should be minimized as it acted as a very slow build up to the real story.
Eventually the action of this story picked up to give good reading pleasure. It's all about witches and family secrets and history and a healthy dose of seeking revenge. You're treated to a small course of understanding the spirit world while getting caught up in the dynamics of a group of very diversified people.
At times I felt the dialogue was too scholastic and almost unnatural but the pace and the intrigue will cause you to overlook it. There is also a love story that evidently is based on "love at first sight" which acted as a bit of reality counter to all the spiritual activities.
August 2, 2014
This book was a very entertaining Gothic horror that will shock and surprise the reader from the first page to the last. Writing in an old-world style (very formal and a bit stilted) and utilizing an old mansion with scary basement and heavy, ornately-carved furniture, author T. Wrage wraps the reader in an atmosphere that will elicit terror at every turn. I literally didn't want to put the book down until I was completely done with it. So much activity and drama, mixed in with a wild goose chase, and fantastic food kept me rapidly turning the pages. The cast of characters was well-developed also. Both present and past heroes and villains have intriguing stories. Wrage gets a bit sly as he makes the reader guess who is the hero and who is the villain. Not a book to read when you are home alone!
August 13, 2014
This was a great story. I loved how Liam was basically forced to live in the home. When his Aunt died he was really sad. The plus to the story is that he became an instant millionaire. The only downfall was that in order to become one he would have to live in house. It didn’t seem like a bad deal At least, not at first. This meant he write for fun. He didn’t have to write for the money. What he didn’t know is that there was something strange going on in that house. What could it be?
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I was glued to my seat. I am going to watch out for this author. I cant wait to see more.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I was glued to my seat. I am going to watch out for this author. I cant wait to see more.
July 10, 2014
A recurring theme with T. Wrage is old houses. They seem to take on a life of their own in the pages of her books. While yes, I do believe that in old homes there are echoes of the past I am truly grateful that nothing as odd as this ever happens to me in them.
Liam has led a typical boring life and all of this changes when his aunt dies and leaves him the family home. The only catch is that he cannot sell it he has to live in it first. There is much mystery to be had in those pages and it is positively delicious. Add it to your summer reading list.
Liam has led a typical boring life and all of this changes when his aunt dies and leaves him the family home. The only catch is that he cannot sell it he has to live in it first. There is much mystery to be had in those pages and it is positively delicious. Add it to your summer reading list.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews