My Story
Marcus Whyte, a novelist based in Cumbria, crafts evocative tales that intertwine intricate characters, immersive settings, and compelling narratives. Deeply fascinated by the gothic tradition and the intriguing intersections of history, technology, and folklore, Marcus delves into the hidden shadows of modernity, revealing the uncanny within the ordinary. His stories invite readers into captivating worlds where the line between reality and the supernatural subtly dissolves.
Drawing inspiration from the atmospheric local landscapes, historical curiosities, and the nuanced complexities of human psychology, Marcus meticulously researches each story while ensuring emotional resonance, leaving readers with both chills and thoughtful reflection. Beyond the realm of writing, Marcus finds joy in exploring historical sites, capturing moments through photography, and immersing himself in the creative process of music production using Reason. He also enjoys the simple pleasure of listening to a wide range of music.
Converge
THE PRICE OF PROGRESS
Explore the unsettling depths of Converge, an anthology that unravels the thin veil between technological wonder and existential dread. Specializing in tech-driven horror and psychological suspense, the stories within Converge confront humanity’s deepest anxieties surrounding innovation and its unseen threats. Each narrative exposes the sinister shadows lurking behind familiar technologies, from malevolent AI implants and intrusive surveillance to reality-bending deepfake creations that fracture identity. Richly atmospheric and infused with modern paranoia, Converge immerses readers in gripping tales that illuminate the precarious balance between technological progress and hidden dangers. Engaging with provocative themes of control, identity, and artificial intelligence, these stories reveal haunting truths about our digital age, leaving readers captivated and disturbed long after the final page.
Aura
When Rebecca Harper marries into a life of privilege and innovation, she finds herself immersed in a world of refined routines and seamless smart technology. At the centre of it all is AURA—the elegant, intuitive system powering every aspect of her new home. But as boundaries blur Rebecca begins to question what she’s chosen. AURA is a slow-burning psychological thriller about perfection, possession, and the quiet erosion of self.
The Arbiter
After a traumatic childhood event, anextraordinary ability to manipulate time is discovered. This power, initially a means of survival, evolves into a tool for seeking justice. The protagonist’s journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of accountability, targeting those who abuse power and evade consequences. The narrative delves into themes of trauma, resilience, and the moral complexities of wielding such a unique ability1.
The Catfish Contract
Will Ronan is a middle-ranking public servant trapped in a world of bureaucratic mediocrity and office politics. Constantly one deal away from success, he finds himself entangled in a darker game when his rival, Usher, takes the bait in a meticulously orchestrated scheme. As Ronan’s life spirals into paranoia and fear, Usher’s calculated moves push him to the brink. The story unfolds with a blend of suspense and psychological manipulation, leading to a chilling climax .
Drift
After a near-fatal medical event, Lucy Chambers falls into a coma and enters a vivid, dreamlike state she later names The Drift. Within this space, she inhabits unfamiliar lives and settings, each threaded with unease and hidden truths. Though fractured and surreal, the experiences feel unnervingly real. When she awakens, Lucy is left with lingering impressions and flashes of memory she cannot shake. As she struggles to recover and reconnect with her old life, signs begin to suggest that what happened in The Drift may not have been imagined—and that her journey is far from over.
The Mind Plague
A cerebral sci-fi thriller set in a near-future world transformed by a revolutionary neural translation technology. Cognitive researcher Elara Voss begins to uncover a deeper, more insidious pattern. As global perception shifts and the boundaries of thought blur, she is drawn into a quiet resistance fighting to preserve what remains of individual human consciousness.
Unfiltered
Fleur Reed is a trendsetter and influencer, mastering the art of being seen. Her journey from a beauty-conscious upbringing to a successful career in Business Administration at King’s College London showcases her intelligence and ambition. In Paris, she encounters Jean-Paul Rousseau, whose advanced technology, “Unfiltered,” promises to perfect her image beyond filters.
Surveillance Bleed
In Surveillance Bleed, relentless monitoring technology spirals into nightmare as AI-driven surveillance systems become corrupted. Set within an anonymous city the story delves into the unsettling implications of artificial intelligence learning to mimic human behaviour with chilling accuracy. When surveillance patterns bleed into reality, the boundary between human and synthetic blurs dangerously. Exploring paranoia, identity, and the sinister misuse of power, Surveillance Bleed is a gripping thriller that exposes the horrifying possibilities lurking within digital surveillance, challenging readers to question the trust they place in technology—and in themselves.
Dreamlight
After the sudden death of her fiancé, Clara discovers a private archive of digitally reconstructed dreams, created using an advanced system that transforms spoken recollections into immersive, visual experiences. Drawn in by grief and longing, she begins to explore the dreams he left behind, reliving moments that feel both familiar and strangely altered. Immersed in Owen’s perspective, Clara begins to notice patterns and emotional undercurrents that don’t align with her memories. As the boundaries between truth and invention blur, she starts to question whether the archive is a neutral record, or something quietly shaped by another hand. What begins as a search for solace becomes a disquieting exploration of memory, perception, and the unknowable spaces that remain between even the most intimate lives.
ARTEFACTS
THE SECRET LIVES OF OBJECTS
Artefacts explores the secret lives of objects and the hidden bargains they demand. In forgotten places—abandoned homes, silent churches, shadowed shops—ordinary relics conceal extraordinary dangers. Each artefact carries with it the residue of past lives, entwining itself with those who dare to uncover them. Visions distort reality. Time bends and fractures. Fate twists into patterns unseen. Luck becomes a treacherous currency, and ambition a noose tightened by unseen hands. Across these gothic tales, the boundary between the material and the spectral blurs, revealing that relics are never merely remnants; they are vessels of longing, regret, and reckoning. Every choice to touch, to keep, or to use them forges a bond between the seeker and something ancient, patient, and hungry. In Artefacts, history is not dead. It breathes—and those who disturb it must reckon with what stirs in its restless depths.
Temporal Echoes
When a watch enthusiast stumbles upon a mysterious chronometer in a hidden shop amongst the lanes of Brighton, he unravels the device’s terrifying secrets. As he delves deeper, he realizes he’s not the only one watching time. The shop’s enigmatic proprietor, Dr. Elias Renaud, reveals that the chronometer measures more than the passing of time. The protagonist’s obsession with the device leads him into a chilling encounter.
Through a Glass Darkly
In the dim confines of a forgotten storage unit, an auction hunter discovers an antique film camera, nestled among dust-laden boxes and brittle rolls of undeveloped film. What begins as a curious relic of a bygone era soon draws him into a quiet unease. As the photographs emerge, so too do questions—about time, memory, and the unseen forces that sometimes linger just beyond the frame.
The Gossamer Mark
Sebastian Betteridge arrives at his ancestral home, Mullions, a once-grand manor now cloaked in neglect and mystery. Exploring his family’s fragmented history through heirlooms, journals, and hidden tokens, he unearths enigmatic artifacts that pulse with unseen significance. Each discovery reveals deeper layers of secrets and unspoken truths, entwining Sebastian’s life with a past marked by quiet dread. As Mullions relinquishes its guarded mysteries, Sebastian must confront his lineage and the delicate yet sinister ties that bind him irrevocably to a legacy far darker and more profound than he ever imagined.
Light is a Deciever
Dr. Adrienne Kessler, an expert in ancient optical devices, is drawn to a long-forgotten camera obscura hidden in an abandoned observatory. As she studies its mechanisms, she begins to suspect that this device is more than just an instrument of light and shadow
The Veiled Saint
Dr. Isabella Durant embarks on a scholarly quest within an ancient basilica, uncovering relics entwined with dark legends. Amid dim candlelight and whispered history, she encounters enigmatic carvings and an unsettling lace mantilla. Confronted by rival academics and cryptic priests, Isabella’s rational world begins to fracture, pulling her deeper into a web of prophecy and hidden rituals. The boundary between faith, folklore, and reality blurs, revealing a presence that defies understanding, compelling Isabella to question whether some secrets should remain buried within the shadows of history.
The Threshold of Light
In Victorian London, artist Jonah Vale withdraws mysteriously, obsessed with completing a disturbing painting. His friend, Edwin, investigates Jonah’s studio, finding a haunting world where pigments and shadows behave unnaturally. Drawn deeper into the canvas’s unsettling influence, Edwin discovers Jonah’s dark apprenticeship in Venice and the horrifying truth behind the artistry—paintings that seem alive, capturing more than mere likeness. As reality distorts and secrets unravel, Edwin realizes that Jonah’s final masterpiece represents a perilous threshold, a place where creation and destruction converge, forever altering all who witness it.
Aurum Noctis
An ancient, secretive auction house where stolen artifacts and lost treasures resurface at a price. Dr. Scherezade (Zara) Moreau, a rogue antiquities expert, steals a precious artifact from the Tenebrae, a shadowy cabal controlling time’s greatest secrets. The story unfolds in various historical settings, including the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, Vatican City, and Florence, as Zara navigates through dangerous encounters and attempts to evade the Brotherhood’s enforcers. The narrative is rich with historical references and intricate details, creating a vivid tapestry of adventure and intrigue..
The Eye of Namtar
When antiquarian Arthur Eldridge is summoned to catalogue the collection of Sebastian Grantham—a wealthy and cruel figure from his past—he discovers an artefact shrouded in whispers and shadows. As old rivalries resurface, Arthur realises that some relics are better left buried, and some doors should never be opened…
ECHOES
WHISPERS AND SHADOWS
Echoes is a captivating anthology that weaves together a collection of gothic tales, each exploring the boundaries between the natural and supernatural worlds. Set against diverse backdrops ranging from the rugged Cornish coast to the eerie confines of forgotten spaces, these stories delve into themes of grief, memory, and the unseen forces that linger just beyond the frame. The anthology invites readers into a world where the past refuses to stay buried, and every shadow holds a secret. With richly atmospheric settings and a creeping sense of dread,Echoes offers a haunting journey through the depths of human emotion and the mysteries that lie beneath the surface. Perfect for fans of gothic literature, this collection promises to leave a lasting impression, echoing in the minds of readers long after the final page is turned.
The White Hare
Sarah is a thoughtful, creative woman rooted in the quiet rhythms of West Looe, where she works as a digital marketing consultant championing the town’s heritage. Independent and quietly determined, she finds meaning in community and the poetry of everyday life. But when love unravels and grief takes hold, something stirs beneath the surface—and Sarah’s story begins to slip beyond the boundaries of the natural world.
The Green Wives
A gothic novel set on the rugged Cornish coast, where Naomi Foster and her husband Alex seek a fresh start by moving from London to the isolated village of Porthvellyn. When Naomi discovers journals belonging to Emily Polgrain, a distant relative whose life was shaped by tragedy and secrets, she is drawn into the hidden history of Merrivale, the old house they’ve purchased. As Naomi digs deeper into the past, uncovering family betrayals and buried truths, she realises that some memories—and some places—refuse to remain quiet.
A Covenant of Corvids
Oliver Marsh, a solitary figure in a secluded Cumbrian village, forms an unlikely bond with corvids gathering near his cottage. Offering kindness to these enigmatic birds soon awakens old animosities among neighbors haunted by past grievances. As strange gifts and whispered warnings appear, Oliver uncovers unsettling truths about humanity’s broken pact with nature. The Covenant, ancient and watchful, demands reckoning, leading Oliver toward revelations that blur boundaries between superstition and reality, prompting him to face the fragile balance between humans and the natural world that surrounds—and now judges—them.
Excavation
Nathaniel Harrow inherits Blackwood House, a mysterious Irish estate filled with hidden chambers and forgotten histories. Drawn by familial curiosity, he explores archives, maps, and journals left behind. As the boundary between myth and history blurs, Nathaniel is confronted with discoveries that reshape his understanding of ancestry. What initially seemed a straightforward inheritance quickly becomes an archaeological journey through dark secrets and buried truths, forcing Nathaniel to reconsider what lies hidden beneath the surface of legacy.
A River of no Return
A gothic tale of high-stakes poker played in an exclusive and hidden club beneath London’s West End. When a notorious gambler receives a mysterious invitation, he enters a world where the stakes go far beyond money. Elegance, menace, and temptation entwine in a ritualised game where every hand costs more than it seems—and the house always wins.
The Tides of the Lost
Set against the rugged coastline of Cornwall in the late 19th century, The Tides of the Lost is a Gothic tale of grief, superstition, and the lingering pull of the sea. When a young widow returns to her childhood home, she finds herself drawn into the haunting atmosphere of a village shaped by shipwrecks and old secrets. With richly atmospheric settings and a creeping sense of dread, the story explores the boundaries between the living and the dead—and the price of the past when it refuses to stay buried.
The End of the LIne
A weary commuter finds herself trapped in a deserted station with no way out. As she navigates the eerie silence and shifting reality, she encounters unsettling phenomena. Her attempts to escape are thwarted by the station’s ever-changing environment and the presence of a terrifying entity. Despite moments of hope, she remains ensnared in the station’s surreal and nightmarish landscape, struggling to uncover the truth and find a way out.
FROST
Reflections of the Forgotten
Discover the chilling allure of Frost, a special seasonal anthology where the bite of winter amplifies the creeping dread. Each gothic tale is steeped in the bleak beauty of the colder months, delving into hidden realms where the past refuses to remain silent. These stories explore the haunting intersections of memory, obsession, and the supernatural, guiding readers through narratives where reality and nightmare intertwine amidst a landscape gripped by ice and snow.
Uncover mysteries embedded in isolated ancestral homes, secrets locked within forgotten artifacts, and the eerie power lingering in everyday objects – all under the ominous blanket of winter. Richly atmospheric and profoundly psychological, Frost immerses readers in suspense, dread, and the intricate darkness of human nature. Prepare to be drawn into stories that resonate deeply, echoing with whispers from a world just beyond the familiar, leaving an unforgettable imprint long after the final page, long after the last snowflake has fallen.
The Bone Lantern
Elinor Ashcombe arrives in the remote village of Lowmarrow seeking truth behind an ancient funeral rite. Haunted by academic scandal, she uncovers contradictory local legends, unsettling symbols, and a ritual lantern locked away in a forgotten vestry. As strange phenomena escalate—including a mysterious voice on her recordings and a death marked by reversed footprints—Elinor realises the village preserves more than memory: it safeguards a dangerous, living tradition not easily disturbed.
The Curator
Eleanor Grayne unexpectedly inherits Gabledown, a secluded manor shrouded in decay and silence. As she explores its forgotten rooms and hidden cabinets, Eleanor uncovers troubling secrets and cryptic warnings from ancestors unknown. Each artifact and photograph leads her deeper into a chilling past, revealing the dark price of preservation and the sinister legacy intertwined with her bloodline. Confronted by memories that seem alive within the manor’s walls, Eleanor must navigate a labyrinth of heritage and haunting truths, questioning what fate truly awaits those who dare to disturb the past.
The Ragpickers Legacy
In the rain-slicked alleys of The Hollows, Elias Morn searches for answers to his sister’s mysterious disappearance years earlier. Amidst squalor and decay, he discovers disturbing dolls bearing familiar names, crafted from fragments of the missing. Pursuing leads through shadowy streets and forgotten memories, Elias encounters haunting echoes from his past, propelling him into a dark investigation tangled in folklore and desperation. Every discovery deepens the mystery, revealing unsettling truths about the fate of those lost to the city’s shadows, and the sinister hands quietly orchestrating their vanishings.
The Stone Chorus
Acoustic engineer Matthew Warner investigates strange sonic phenomena in a historic cathedral. Amid Christmas festivities, his recordings capture ghostly whispers and inexplicable harmonics embedded within ancient stone. Drawn into a spectral dialogue, Matthew discovers that the cathedral resonates with memories and hidden voices, revealing past disappearances connected by an unspoken force. As he decodes spectral patterns, the boundary between sound and reality fades, compelling Matthew toward chilling revelations about what the cathedral walls remember and the spectral chorus eternally bound within its architecture.
The Crimson Hour
The Crimson Hour is a gothic supernatural mystery set in the snowbound wilderness of 1930s Finland. When British academic Clara Mallory receives a cryptic letter about a lost Fabergé egg—the enigmatic Winter Palace Egg—she journeys to a remote manor near the Arctic Circle. There, she meets the reclusive Madame Lehtinen, who guards the egg and the secrets it carries. But the egg is no mere artefact—it ticks, and time is not the only thing it keeps. As snow deepens and forgotten histories resurface, Clara is drawn into a haunting legacy of exile, memory, and power. Blending historical intrigue with gothic unease, The Crimson Hour is perfect for readers of atmospheric thrillers and artefact-driven mysteries with a supernatural edge.