Welcome to the chilling, hair-raising world of Sarah Rayne, the master of British contemporary gothic horror with this standalone modern horror novel – perfect for fans of eerie and skin-crawling reads with supernatural elements!

“Rayne spins eerie yarns within yarns like a latter-day Isak Dinesen or Wilkie Collins” KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Equal parts Daphne du Maurier, Josephine Tey and Ruth Rendell . . . Rayne possesses superb story-telling skills” US MYSTERY GUILD

“Highly enjoyable mainstream horror fare from a genre veteran” BOOKLIST

“Rayne writes with panache and imagination” KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Rayne is a fine writer, a sure-handed plotter and skillful character builder” BOOKLIST

“Colorful characters and a mastery of slow-burning suspense” KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Rayne perfects the craft of deftly chosen details, simmering suspense and chilling surprises” KIRKUS REVIEWS
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A young woman is drawn back to her roots – and her terrifying heritage as a descendant of the notorious Blood Countess, Elizabeth Báthory – in this spellbinding vampire novel, as vicious as the Dracula myth.

The descendants of Elizabeth Báthory, a bloodthirsty Hungarian countess who terrorized the Carpathian countryside in the 16th century and murdered hundreds of women, are determined that her line shall not die. Only Catherine, a paternal descendant, has tried to escape the horrible legacy that she has grown up fearing and detesting.

Eventually, Catherine enters a convent, hoping to find the peace she has long desired. But when she meets journalist Michael Devlin, she is drawn back to the ancient castle in the Carpathian Mountains.

For Michael, who is haunted by the last thing he saw before losing his sight, is determined to discover the truth about the line of the infamous Elizabeth Báthory – the lady that history named the Blood Countess.

Fans of BRAM STOKER’s Dracula, ANNE RICE’s Interview with the Vampire and SHERIDAN LE FANU’s Carmilla will want to dive into the dark and creepy world of Sarah Rayne’s Blood Ritual.

READERS ARE HOOKED ON BLOOD RITUAL:

“A superior example of the vampire genre . . . A pleasure from start to finish” Time Out

“King and Koontz have nothing on this writer – She is AWESOME!” L.C. Russell, 5* Amazon review

“Sarah Rayne is a great storyteller” P. Wilber, 5* Amazon review

MORE STUNNING SARAH RAYNE HORROR STANDALONES:
1. The Devil’s Piper
2. The Burning Altar
3. Thorn
4. Changeling
5. Wildwood