Fragments

by Catriona Mowat

London, 1774.
Charlotte is a renowned London actress who has the world at her feet. Until one day she disappears, never to be seen again.

London, Present Day.
Hazel has the job she has always dreamed writing plays in an iconic theatre in London. But when a secret room is discovered, and a ghostly presence begins to haunt the theatre, she finds herself drawn into the centuries-old mystery. Piecing together the clues from fragments of memory and madness, Hazel must find out the truth or be driven mad by it...

A gothic novella of tragedy, loss, and ghosts on the London stage.

Genres: Horror, Supernatural

139 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 6, 2025

About the author

Specialising in historical, gothic horror, Catriona is influenced by classic horror like Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley, as well as modern classics like The Woman in Black by Susan Hill.

Living in Swindon, UK, Catriona loves museums and exploring the local area, and can often be found wandering through woodlands and exploring the Cotswolds. She sings and enjoys the theatre as well as being a book and movie nerd.

Catriona has previously had poetry published in 8 anthologies and magazines from Forward Press, Aberdeen University Press and The Illustrated Ape art magazine, although she has only been writing prose and publishing full works since Jan 2025. She is one to watch in the indie horror scene

Reviews

[Alexandra Nisneru · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fragments by Catriona Mowat is an entertaining story, with good and strong bones. While, in my opinion it's not scary at all, but tragic and heartbreaking, it doesn't make it less good. It will keep you enthralled in the story looking forward to find out more about the fate of the characters. The weaving of past and present to form the whole picture, makes it even more entertaining. A good and cozy gothic horror perfect for a relaxing evening.

[Lia's Haunted Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great novella and a genuinely satisfying ghost story.

Hazel is a playwright in England who lands a new position at a famous theatre. She begins seeing images and apparitions tied to a tragedy that befell one of the theatre's actresses nearly three hundred years earlier.

What makes this work is the structure. Mowat writes it with the pacing and curiosity of a whodunit while keeping the atmosphere firmly in ghost story territory. You're piecing together a centuries old mystery alongside Hazel, and the momentum never lets up. Theatres are perfect settings for this kind of haunting anyway, all those layers of history stacked in one building, and Mowat uses that beautifully.

[Steph's_Creepy _Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a stunning little novella.
I loved the atmosphere that was built throughout the book, the build up to the ending, the twist. It's just an easy to read gothic who done it.

[Brianna Raine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Car Mowat is new to the Indie author scene, but it definitely does not show.
This is her 2nd book and I adored it.
Charlotte is an actress in 1774 who is sort after by many, including a member of the Royal family, even though she is happily married, yet has to keep her husband hush hush to keep her position and keep her boss happy, until she goes missing.

In present day, Hazel starts work at the very same theatre where Charlotte had worked many many years before.
Revealing a secret room, strange things begin to happen when a presence is released and starts Haunting the property.
Hazel tries to piece together the mystery as she believes the ghost to be that of Charlotte and wants to help her.
Yet by helping Charlotte, Hazel releases something evil that's out for everyone.

I loved this story and the way it was told. Well written and love the characters. A beautiful and cosy ghost story. Can't wait to read whatever Catriona brings out next.

[Dystopian Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story and thought the premise was interesting, but I felt like it was too short to properly explore everything it was trying to do. As a novella, it skips over quite a few important plot points and character developments that I think would have benefited from being given more space in a full-length book.

I also didn't find it particularly scary, so despite being marketed as horror, it didn't really feel like a horror book to me. There was an interesting supernatural element, but I was expecting more tension, atmosphere and a genuine sense of fear.

One thing that particularly stood out to me was how quickly the people working in the theatre seemed to dismiss the main character’s experiences with ghosts. They don't appear to believe in ghosts but mostly just humour the main character, which felt a little too convenient. There are also quite a few offhand comments about the main character needing psychiatric help, but then nothing is really done with them, which left me wondering why they were included.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and there was definitely potential here, but I think it would have benefited from being a full-length book. More room for the plot and characters to develop, along with a stronger horror element, could have made this a much more satisfying read.

[Ang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fragments by Catriona Mowat is a beautifully written novella which I read in one sitting.

A tragic ghost story which spans two timelines in London during 1774 and 2025. The author's attention to detail is superb and from the prologue to the last page of the epilogue I was totally drawn into the story, almost felt like I was living/seeing through the eyes of the main character, Hazel.

I love dual timelines and the historical hauntings in a book fascinate me. The horror side of this novella was fairly minimal, which worked really well.

Thank you for the ARC, I highly recommend this novella. Perfect for dark nights and autumn reading.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review 🥀 : “Fragment’s” by Catrinoa Mowat

Fragment’s is a phenomenal story written by Catriona Mowat. You will not want to put this book down, I know that I couldn’t. I really enjoyed this book and I did not see the final plot twist coming.

The story goes back and fourth between Charlotte and Hazel. Charlotte being a huge star of a historic London theater from the 1770’s and Hazel, a playwright who lands a job at the very same theater to only have vision’s and memories that belong to someone else. That person being Charlotte. Hazel want’s to help Charlotte tell her story, but will she? How far will Hazel go to make sure that Charlotte’s story is told? What secret’s will Hazel discover?

I would highly recommend this story if you love mysteries, ghost stories and gothic literature. I truly felt myself becoming absorbed in this story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- Five Star Rating.

“Fragment’s” will be released on September 6th, so in just one more day here. Please go support Catriona Mowat. Thank you Catriona as I really enjoyed this book. 💕

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into Catriona Mowat's Fragments blind, not knowing too much about it, and honestly, it didn't disappoint. It's a short, eerie read that blends the past and present into a hauntingly good mystery. Such a fun and cozy gothic horror that you can easily finish in one sitting.

[Andrea Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I utterly loved this book! For a relatively new author, Cat has managed to write a book that skillfully combines the modern world with the past. A hauntingly good mystery. Superb

[Jim Ody · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is tremendous skill to be able to execute traditional gothic horror. It's not just the ability to write a unique spooky tale that grabs hold of you, but to use turn-of-the-century language, and ideologies, prove that research and histiric knowledge is incredibly important.

After the compendium of scares that was Beyond The Smoke And Shadow (her collection of short-stories), here we have her debut novella. It's a duel timeline tale set partly in 1774, and also in present day.

Hazel has the job she'd always dreamed of, writing plays in a refurbished London theatre; the same one that many years ago, Charlotte, a famous actress, suddenly vanished without a trace!

Whispered tales float throughout the building, but it's when a secret room is discovered that things suddenly ramp up! Something is free and looking to uncover a truth that had been buried for a long time. And nothing will get in it's way.

This is a modern day Phantom Of The Opera, wonderfully written with sweeping prose, and descriptive attention to detail like nobody else. Catriona writes with the experience of an old soul, one who understands history and blends in the contemporary seamlessly. This is really hard to do, and shouldn't be overlooked. I loved this story and flew through it one day. It's fast-paced like a thriller and keeps you full engaged throughout.

Catriona's skills lie in historical fiction. Her fastidious, determination to consider every small detail is inspiring, and her storytelling is incredibly underrated. She is the future, mark my words. This is quite simply great.

[Jen Ramsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella bridges the past and present to show the stories of the two main characters, Charlotte and Hazel. As Hazel finds herself haunted by fragments of Charlotte's memories, she must piece together the truth of Charlotte's disappearance before she is driven mad by it. Catriona weaves the two stories together perfectly, and in true gothic style leads you through the supernatural and the isolating terror as the story reaches its dramatic conclusion. I loved this story, with its interesting places, the focus on Shakespeare, and the classic types of characters- tragic heroes, the darkness of the villains, the questions of what's going to happen next. Once again, Catriona has proven her talent and ability to create gothic wonder, and I can't wait to see what she does next.

[BookSplatterBritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The paranormal world is crazy! All the events leading up to the end is insane. Poor Hazel! She was just trying to help. To be honest, if I saw a woman in the top balcony and then was gone I probably would have left and never went back. She just had to find that secret room. Wish Hazel did the same. Charlotte though? Oof

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Fragments" is a beautifully written, atmospheric Gothic horror story, with ghosts, murder, deceit, and the high cost of salvation - especially when the truth is far more complicated and bleaker than expected. The tale takes place mostly on the actual stage: Hazel, a playwright, starts her new job in the theater world, in no way anticipating that the London theater she's going to work for is haunted by the spirit of Charlotte, an actress who vanished 250 years ago after performing on the same stage Hazel is now standing on. Poor Hazel begins having visions - fragments of Charlotte's memories. Soon, she's trying to uncover the truth about Charlotte's disappearance, inadvertedly provoking the ire of an evil spectre which has ensured that Charlotte's spirit would never be free from her centuries long imprisonment. Hazel decides to sort everything out, with the help of a few new friends and people who can handle the supernatural. Things are darker than they seem, though, and almost immediately Hazel has to balance work and her paranormal investigation, with Charlotte keeping asking to free her, and the shadowy menace sabotaging her best efforts.

I loved the way Mowat portrays theatre, with a nice attention to detail and a sharp eye for the characters populating this demanding world. I liked the references to Shakespeare and his plays. And I definitely appreciated the surprising, rather un-Gothic ending! The novella should be praised for approaching the familiar ghost story with a strong sense of the ambiguities surrounding a spirit's situation: what does it mean for a soul to stay isolated for centuries, seeking justice, craving freedom? Do they suffer? Do they change? Can they even change?

Although the horror elements are subtle and kept rather backstage (pun intended!), this story will certainly satisfy the itch for a good ghost tale, with interesting characters and an unexpected ending. Recommended!

P.S. I want to read that Jim Ody book too! Hope it comes out soon. Wonder what Ralph made of it!

[Andrew Wilkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 1770's, Charlotte Robinson was a huge star of a historic London Theatre. She is beloved by her fans, her adoring husband, and cast and crew. But, unfortunately for her, someone very dangerous, and powerful also has eyes for her, and he will do what he can to possess her. In 2025, Hazel Wilkins, a playwright, gets her dream job at the Theatre only to, shortly after, begin to have visions and memories that aren't her own. Hazel sees, and experiences the sad and traumatic life of Charlotte Robinson. Upon realizing, through the visions that she went missing, Hazel begins to obsess over uncovering the truth of what happened. Hearing voices, along the way, both what she associates as good, and some definitely bad. She wants to help the spirit of Charlotte be free. How far will Hazel go? What can she possibly do? All she knows is, that she won't rest until she discovers the secrets behind this mystery, that has plagued the old theatre for centuries. I enjoyed this! Admittedly, it took me longer to read than most titles I've read, as I'm not the biggest fan of paranormal mysteries. That being said, I really loved the writing style, the storytelling was amazing, and it really hit the mark for being what fans of those particular books look for! The twist near the end was stellar! It was so good, though, that I would read it, again. And, I definitely recommend it to people who love a good ghost story of a battle between good and evil spirits, with a few twists and turns! 4⭐/5⭐

[Rhiannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that brings two characters together. One from the 1700s, the other from the present day. Hazel becomes haunted by the memories of past theatre actress Charlotte and is consumed by finding out the truth, of which tragedy unfolds, bringing a dramatic and unbelievable ending. An ending that had my mouth agape!

This has been sitting waiting for me for 2 and a half weeks, and boy, was it worth the wait!

I loved how, although quite different to Beyond the Smoke and Shadow, Fragments is still full of the gothic prose that Cat is known for and what I adore. The background story of Charlotte is hauntingly beautiful, full of heartbreak, tragedy, and cynicism, yet it brings revenge in the most unexpected way. It entwined perfectly with the modern-day story where Hazel brought Charlotte back to life. Everything matched in the most stunning, effortless way.

I'll say it again like I did with Beyond the Smoke and Shadow - Cat, you've smashed it. I can not believe how effortlessly you draw me into your stories. It honestly feels like you've been writing for years. You have such natural talent, and I will forever be a lover of your writing. Give me more!! I loved this so much. I read it twice in a row, and then a 3rd time this morning just because I could 😅 I drank in every word. It was beautiful. Also, I loved the nod to Jim! 5 haunting stars ☆

[Jessie Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

London 1774. Charlotte was an actress with adoring fans, a happy life and an amazing husband. However, when a man with power sets his sights on her, no one else is allowed to have her, including her own husband.
Now in 2025, Hazel has just landed a job writing plays at a theatre. However when she starts her job, she starts seeing things and having flashbacks that aren’t hers to see. Will she continue and see her play until the end? Or will someone stop her from achieving what she sets out to do?

From the opening we are thrown into the deep end with Charlottes demise. Already from this point I wanted to know what happened. When Hazel got introduced and she started to see things to do with Charlotte, a little bubble of excitement filled me as I knew I would find out what happened! Hazel finally finding a topic to write her screen play about and goes ahead with it to try free a spirit that was stuck in the theatre. However many things get in the way of her achieving this. Including people not believing her, multiple unexpected injuries or death and a botched attempt to trap an evil spirit. This had me hooked until the end. I woke up before my children were even awake to make sure I could get in some more reading time 😂 the ending blew me away. I did not expect Hazel to end up where she did in the end and the twist left me with my mouth hanging open. Brilliant overall story!

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh okay so I loved the last book of Cat’s I read, it was fabulous and I loved the cover, this one was no different.


We start out with a bit of a mystery, which let me say, I love and dont get nearly enough of, murder and horror are great but give me some mystery!!

So Charlotte a famous actress disappears one day with no trace…

Hazel, much much later on writes play and just so happens that a secret room gets opened and guess what, ghost stuff.

Hazel, is absolutely an odd detective and is trying to solve the mystery while keeping her dream job and trying to stay sane.
I can’t even do two of those at a time, and our girl is over here multi-tasking with the greats.

I loved this in a way I can’t explain so much, but I will try, it reminded me of all the UK mysteries I used to read as a kid, there was always something so different and cool about how the mystery would unfold and really ruined typical mysteries for me, this book though, had that special spark and I could not put it down.

The dark horror that unfolds as we saw those fragments of Charlottes life through Hazels visions had me on edge, I ate them up and needed more, just a little more so I could figure out what was going on, who did this to Charlotte way back then.

This was an absolutely well built atmosphere of a story that had its dark fingers laced into my brain before I even realized it, and I was hooked.

Cat has a kind of writing I haven’t seen in a long time and did I ever miss it.

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

1775 - Charlotte is the darling of the Theatre Royal, adored for her portrayal of Ophelia she is now lauded for her Desdemona. But, she is reported missing, never found and the theatre burns to the ground.

2025 - Hazel is the new playwright at the Royal, rebuilt in the 1800’s and a beacon of excellence but she is haunted by a voice who begs her for help and a dark force lurks in the corners of the building.

This is a gorgeously gothic feast that oozes with darkness and pain. The tale plays out across two timelines as the ghost of Charlotte seeks help by showing Hazel fragments of her story in vivid historical flashbacks. Here lies adoration, love and beauty but also obsession, betrayal and madness.

The prose is exquisite and flows with such grace even amidst the true horrors depicted here. There is such sadness, such pathos, such cruelty all wrapped up in a fabulous story that gives all the gothic vibes. Historical figures and events woven into a fictional murder mystery spanning centuries, wonderful.

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my biggest dreams is to time travel but only as a visitor. I find myself wondering what different time periods would be like. Since I cannot time travel; reading helps with this dream. This book was like setting foot into a time capsule and being transported to the past times in theatre. The story written described how some women must have felt before women had any autonomy. Charlotte just wanted to be an amazing actress and give people joy. Because of her beauty and skill, she caught the attention of a man of wealth and stature, he thought he could force her to become his property. When she refused, her choice brought about tragedy to her life. The interesting fact about this story was how the end came about as a twist I did not expect. I am sure Hazel had second thoughts about being able to see and communicate with spirits.

[K D Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hazel realises her life ambition when she takes on the role of playwright at the Theatre Royal in London.

Renovations are ongoing in the basement below the theatre. A secret store is found in the basement housing a painting. So lifelike, Hazel imagined the image of a woman breathing through the canvas. Hazel feels like she’s seen the woman in the painting before… in the theatre but surely that can’t be. She played Desdemona in 1774.

Charlotte aka Desdomona captures the hearts of her audience. Though she hates the publics assumed ownership of her. Hazel realises that by looking at the portrait she was seeing Charlottes memories.

What ensues is a dark tale of fragmented memories, haunting and possession. Portrayed over a dual timeline narrative. I enjoyed this one!

[Cassandra Joy Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fragments

Fragments
Catriona Mowat
☆☆☆☆☆
Indie Tron 2026

Fragments is a fantastic Gothic horror that travels between 1774 and 2025
Secrets are buried within the theatre that Hazel's current script will be performed at .
A ghostly figure and events taking place has Hazel researching the theatre past .
This story had me invested . Under 150 pages, I read in one sitting . The show must go on, and I had to know who it was lurking in the shadows .
This is a must-read for sure.
First from this author, and I loved it.

[Sukhdave Takhar · Rating 4 out of 5]

*i got a copy of this book from the indie-tron event so i was able to read it for my honest review. 3.5 stars rounded to 4. This is usually not my type of book but i did give it a read because i did like it but it isnt something i would read again. Nothing to do with the author or book but not my genre of horror. I would see why some would love it.

[Jordi Morri Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review as part of indie Tron. 4.5 stars rounded up.

This is a really good gothic spooky novella, set in a London theatre.

A good ghosty murder mystery, though I do think the twists and turns could have been slightly more foreshadowed.

Overall, I really enjoyed this, and the characters of Hazel, Charlotte and Marianne.

[Tony splatterpunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent ghost story about Hazel who gets a job in a top theatre in a London as a playwright and start to see visions from a murder that happened back in 1774, But it’s not only a ghost she see there is a evil spirit lurking in the theatre and Hazel is determined to find the truth and rid the theatre of the evil presence.

[Rebecca Bectoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic ghost story. I loved how it went back and fourth to 1700s then back today. The story was so gripping and the writing style was fantastic. Catriona knows how to do some twists and turns in her stories honestly kept me wondering all the way through and I never saw the ending coming 😱

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte is a renowned actress from days gone by and she disappeared and there has been no clues at all as to what happened.
Hazel got a job in the refurbished theatre that Charlotte was working in.
As more work is carried out a secret room is found. Has it disturbed the past and will secrets come out.
A ghostly presence is felt and will this continue.
A gothic tale with modern and past mixed so well.
Really good read.

[CoryReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this spooky gothic novella. It had me captivated, a good little twist at the end. I look forward to reading more of this author!

[Elizabeth Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, especially as it’s not normally the kind of genre I would choose. I was completely drawn into the story and found the characters captivating, with plenty of twists and moments that kept me wanting to read on. The writing made it easy to get lost in the world of the book, and I found myself page turning to get to the next chapter! A great reminder that sometimes stepping outside your usual genre can lead to a really enjoyable surprise!

[Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fragments was a satisfying novella. A haunting historial fiction with a dual timeline. I enjoyed the theatre setting. This story gives you sadness, obsession, murder, and some twists towards the end.

Thank you to the author and Horror Indie Tron 2026 for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 13 of #indietron. Fun book about ghosts in a theater. Always a classic haunt. I did enjoy this book, but wasn't a fan of the characters and how the relationships and interaction with each other always felt rushed and lacking in depth. I did enjoy the story of Charlotte though and liked that little twist at the end.