James Darke – Witches #3: The Torture

James Darke – Witches #3: The Torture (Sphere, 1983)

THE TRAIL OF TERROR

With the memory of a brave friend’s lynching and the destruction of another of his fiendish pursuers seared into his fear-crazed brain, John Ferris continues his gruesome pursuit of the father of darkness. For the reign of Robert Monk, torturer and despoiler of the innocent, is not yet over: in the guise of a witchfinder he blights the land with a plague of fire and lust – and with him rides John Ferris’ beloved, the sweet-faced Mary Villers.

John Ferris has sworn to reclaim Mary from the witchfinder’s hell-rabble. To save her he has followed the horrific trail of gibbets, burnings and maiming. But did she go of her own accord or was she forced by Monk? With the devil cornered at last, John must know the truth.

More disco dollies are admitted to the dungeon in:

The Witches #4: The Escape (Sphere, 1984)
The Witches #5: The Meeting (Sphere, 1985) :
The Witches #6: The Killing (Sphere, 1985)
The Witches #7: The Feud (Sphere, 1986)
The Witches #8: The Plague (Sphere, 1986)

James Darke – Witches #2: The Trial

James Darke – Witches #2: The Trial (Sphere, 1983)

THE HANDS OF HELL

As the Civil War raged on fear rode abroad on a nag with eyes of fire and teeth of flame. Every man lived in terror of his neighbour, and betrayal lurked in the shadow of every penny ale-house. It was a time of horror and desperation, a time for sons of darkness like Robert Monk to flourish.

With the murderous gypsy brothers Daniel and Abraham Mendoza and the raddled whore Liza Hall, Monk pursues his profitable trade in torture and terror. As the trail of mutilated corpses grows, so does his fortune. John Ferris has sworn to hunt Monk to the death. But now he has fallen into the hands of the witchfinder himself and only the giant Negro Brutus York can save him.

James Darke – The Witches #1: The Prisoner

James Darke – The Witches #1: The Prisoner (Sphere, 1983)

It was a time of fear. The great Civil War which had split the country from top to bottom still raged. The King was rumoured to have fled but robber bands of his troops still lurked in the mist, marauding gangs of deadly spectres waiting for the innocent. In the absence of King and Parliament, terror ruled with mistrust and murder close behind. But there was no greater terror than the Witchfinders.
Living on torture, bribery and lust they took rich pickings as they scoured each parish and hamlet for victims. John Ferris has sworn to fight their rule of bloody atrocities – to take revenge for his father’s death and his lover’s abduction – to fight the storm of darkness with the sword.

Don’t miss
The Trial * The Torture
also in this chilling new series

The Witches series was notable fot its close attention to authentic period detail as this atmospheric cover attests. Hard to believe it was actually published in 1983!