Langley Hall

Langley Hall is a tribute to the writings of MR James and Daphne du Maurier. Combining the classic ingredients of MR James and the romantic, intense style of Du Maurier, the novel has a modern setting whilst evoking the 1930’s. Our heroine Laura has her own demons to battle alongside the perils of Langley Hall, as she strives to uncover its dark secret.

The Reading of the Will

23-year-old orphan Laura Mortlock is in a mess. For one thing, she’s just killed her minder, Alex Abramov, with a bottle of Smirnoff. She’s on the wagon and mostly staying there. And now she’s going to inherit. Not much, obviously. Maybe enough for a little house with a garden. A place of her own where the neighbours will never guess about her past, and no one might recognise her. Somewhere she can be happy and secure and hold down a job. Maybe one day have a family of her own, if she doesn’t spend 10 years in Styal Prison. Laura will be correct about one of her wishes. Dead wrong about the others.

The letter comes from a firm of solicitors in Buckfastleigh, Devon, England.

‘You are invited to the reading of Virginia Mortlock’s last will and testament, where you will learn something to your advantage. It is a condition of the will that you must be in the dining room of Langley Hall at noon on Saturday, October 5. Your travel and subsistence costs will be reimbursed.

Langley Hall, Gibbet Coombe, Holne, Buckfastleigh’

Welcome home...

Several hours later, Laura sees Langley Hall for the first time. The place is a vast rambling maze, like something from a horror movie. Laura senses the house doesn’t want her, but something compels her to stay. She needs a place to lie low, even if its a country mansion.

Also present are groundswoman Peggy Joint and randy gardener son Joe. Dour housekeeper Mrs Jezebel Gibby, and a second cousin named Michael Handley, a retired teacher and historian from Totnes. The reading is about to commence and the dining room doors are being locked when there’s a late arrival. Laura discovers she has a cousin named Miranda Bale, a young and beautiful aspiring actress. Laura is stunned to discover that the reclusive Virginia was her aunt, and she is the new owner of Langley Hall.

About Langley Hall

Langley Hall is a gaunt, rambling 17th century mansion built in the shadow of Dartmoor using slave money. The walls are covered with moss and all feels damp. There’s no heating other than draughty fireplaces and a vast ancient Aga range in the enormous kitchen. The eastern wing of the building remains derelict following a fire in the mid-18th century, the staircase blocked off.

The hall was used to house sick children and the fire was believed to be a holy cleansing. A disused quarry lies half a mile from the hall. The dead children were buried there under the orders of Sir John Mortlock and Anne Harvey on their return from San Domingue, on Hispaniola. There was great scandal when Anne Harvey moved into the hall, and there were rumours of a child. During Laura’s first night in Langley Hall, she dreams she’s on a slaver’s ship and witnesses terrible things.

There’s no mobile signal or Internet access at Langley Hall. Strange events continue and Laura’s only solace is the companionship of a ten-year-old girl from the village, called Charlie. She plays in the orchard and reminds Laura of what a happy childhood should be like, only there’s one problem. Charlie’s been dead for over two centuries…