Ghostkin

by Ellen Mellor

Rachel Cantrell isn't a very nice person. She is a Ghostkin – the daughter of a living woman and her ghost husband, able to allow her spirit to roam independently. She is also transgender. And an expert thief.



Things seem to be going well for her when she starts working for Fred Mott, the local human crimelord. She even meets and falls in love with a beautiful woman.



But her life starts to crumble when she gets caught up in a gang war between Fred Mott and his vampiric opposition, George Bailey. Things get even worse when Bailey enslaves her and forces her to his will. Especially as he wants to take over the city of Newcastle and turn it into his own personal kingdom.



Rachel will need to use all her strength, courage and guile - not to mention her friends - to escape from Bailey's grasp and stop his plans from coming to fruition. Especially when she knows that going anywhere near him could mean her enslavement once again.

315 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2018

About the author

I've written four books and I'm working on two more at the moment.

'The Long Sleep' is a science fiction, detective novel.

'Down Among the Yla' is a fantasy novel set in a world of strange, underworld living beings.

'Ghostkin' is a contemporary, urban thriller set in Newcastle with a transgender woman as the protagonist. It was published by the now defunct Double Dragon Press and will be available once again - this time through bricks and mortar bookshops - from the beginning of October.

'Stories From the Corner of the Room'" is my first short story collection. I've also had a short story called 'Freeing the Bitch' published in 'Maiden, Mother, and Crone: Fantastical Trans Femmes'.

I'm currently working on a memoir, entitled 'Tea, Comics and Gender: Yet Another F***ing Trans Memoir" and a second short story collection - 'All The Books Of Earth'.

My Twitter account is @Samarcand and my Facebook page is SamarcandBooks

Reviews

[Webbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing and dialogue are delightfully British, the story is compelling and rewards the patient reader that might have questions throughout. I'm left wanting more from the characters or world... When did this universe break from ours? I hope to read more. 'Brava' to the author.

[Stefan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book! Excellent characters, strong and surprising story line. I would love a sequel to this book.

[Eleanor Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ghostkin" works from a premise that will be instantly familiar to fans of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer": an inextricable collision between the otherworld and the mundane world has forced history (since the 20th century) down an alternative route in which humans have been forced to coexist with fay, demons, spirits, and various undead horrors. However, while Ellen Mellor's book derives its tropes from fantasy and mythology, from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" to Bram Stoker and Norse legends, in tone it owes a good deal more to the likes of "Get Carter". At heart, what we have here is a supernatural British gangster thriller that de-romanticises its fantasy tropes in a fashion Terry Pratchett would have approved of (One suspects the author may be a "Discworld' fan). For the various fantasy creatures have all managed to find their niche within human society, while proving themselves just as corrupt and sordid as any humans. The faery - cruel and arrogant beings who delight in spinning glamours and illusions (again, very Pratchett-y, but also drawing on the darker roots of fantasy) - have become drug dealers. Zombies are cheap, exploitable labour (though still partial to blood frenzies and brain-eating, alas, so they need careful handling). Vampires, power-obsessed, domineering, and predatory, are the hardcore gangsters and extortionists, intent on parasitising every aspect of society. The author's presentation of these particular villains is a strong point: denuded of all "Twilight"-esque glamour or even the "bad boy" Byronic appeal of a Christopher Lee, they are much more akin to the classic "Nosferatu"; verminous and ugly beings, occasionally pitiable but mostly repulsive, and extremely dangerous and amoral. Then there are the ghostkins, but to say too much on them would be a spoiler, suffice it to say that the book's main character is a strikingly original fantasy creation, whose nature is explored both through plot development and flashbacks. She is also a trans character, but thankfully this is incidental - as a trans writer, I mean this passionately. It is good to see a story about a trans character that does not centre around the fact of them being trans. It communicates the sense that this has only been part of her complex life struggle, and not the be-all and end-all of who she is.

Having said that, Rachel falls firmly within the anti-hero category: not quite as ruthless and unsavoury as Jack Carter, but not so very far above that low level, and her actions and attitudes often make her a hero only by default (as the de facto villain of the book is a complete moral monster). Whether or not she learns from her experiences is debatable: the novel eschews a happy ending with firm closure, appropriately enough, true to its noirish roots. One source of evil is defeated, but in a world so corrupt, what difference can that really make? Potential readers should note that for all its deadpan, Pratchett-esque humour and quirky fantasy tropes, this is very much a dark and adult novel, with themes of drug abuse, mental abuse, human trafficking, torture, and graphic violence. Prepare to spend a lot of time in the heads of characters with unsavoury outlooks and attitudes ... If you are up for a gritty, cynical take on the dark fantasy genre, however, "Ghostkin" is a compelling read that will pull you along to a thrilling and original (though well set-up) climax, albeit followed by a troubling ending. Perhaps a sequel is not out of the question?

[Joanne Mountford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was recommended I read this book written by Author Ellen Mellor from a friend. It was weirdly captivating. At first I was unsure what certain things meant. Like what actually was a ghostkin? And then realising that although people had passed, died, supposed to be gone. They weren’t actually gone, they were still here or rather there and could speak and do things. Okay, so we call them ghosts, but it wasn’t like that. They were dead but not gone.‘Eat your heart out’, Supernatural. They need to watch, Sam and Dean Winchester don’t catch up to them.

This story is about a young woman who has so far led a very colourful life. Her first love is now a Reverend. A member of the clergy as Rachel so kindly puts it. Sometimes Rachel’s character comes across as mean, but there is definitely more to her than the persona she likes others to see. Rachel is a transgender, a person whose gender identity or expression does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. She’s also a thief. A very good one by all accounts. Most importantly Rachel is a ghostkin.

This story is set in the North East. Can’t say I would ever have imagined Newcastle Upon Tyne to be filled with all kinds of paranormal beings. This Author certainly has a very vivid imagination.
In all honesty this isn’t a book I would usually read, but I am pleased I did. It may take me sometime to let it all sink in. Vampires, and other-worldly things, have spiked my interest of late.

To conclude my review, I think if you like reading all things paranormal or you're not afraid to try something new. Then you should definitely try a sample of this story today.

[Fay Babette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a hilarious book and what a brilliant idea!
MUST READ

[Mx Afon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved ghostkin, I haven't read a story like it. A love to hate protagonist and trans visibility done right. READ THIS BOOK.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this the second time I read it, glad I gave it another go 😊 9/10