Six Hills

When English novelist Spencer Bridge is invited to spend Christmas with his two elderly cousins in the small American town of Six Hills, he little suspects that they have an ulterior motive. Six Hills is a town of secrets and dark shadows. A close-knit group of towns-women - The Coterie - may hold the answer to some, or all, of these secrets and maybe Spencer is just the man to unlock the truth. But will a chance meeting with a mysterious woman distract him from his cousins' plan...or is she the key to everything? Extract from the Preface of the FIRST EDITION: "I first conceived this story as part of my book Twelve Tales of Christmas but quickly became aware that this particular tale warranted a larger canvas than a seasonal short story. However, in an attempt to remain true to the original idea, I decided that the best means of telling the story of Six Hills was to first publish a short Christmas-themed novella that introduced some of the characters that would help shape the plot, together with the event that brings about the full novel next year. In keeping with the season, I have written this little tale in a style I believe best compliments the tradition of the Christmas story. However, the novel that follows will be written in a manner much more suited to the dark and sinister themes of the story. Enjoy this little fancy as both a piece of stand-alone fiction and as the appetiser for something larger and more complex in 2016."