In the summer of 1887 my grandfather stole a clock.
It was six feet high
and the shape of a coffin.
1888. A little girl called Mirror and her shape-shifting guardian Goliath Honeyflower are washed up on the shores of Victorian England. Something has been wrong with Mirror since the day her grandfather locked her inside a mysterious clock that was painted all over with ladybirds. Mirror does not know what she is, but she knows she is no longer human.
John Loveheart, meanwhile, was not born wicked. But after the sinister death of his parents, he was taken by Mr Fingers, the demon lord of the underworld. Some say he is mad. John would be inclined to agree.
Now Mr Fingers is determined to find the little girl called Mirror, whose flesh he intends to eat, and whose soul is the key to his eternal reign. And John Loveheart has been called by his otherworldly father to help him track Mirror down…
"An enthralling multi-layered whimsical fantasy with a deep dark heart lurking beneath the surface." Jim McLeod, Ginger Nuts of Horror
“Quite the fantastic read in all ways. Riveting characters that share their own singular voice and world building that takes you to unexpected places. This series will bind you with expectations.” Koeur’s Book Reviews
“This will probably be ranking as one of my favorite books of the year, but I can’t tell you a thing about it! I loved every minute of it.” From My Bookshelf
"Just like the peculiar title, the novel itself is a ritorous splash of many a familiar fairy tale liberally wrangled with a dash of macabre horror, set during the fag-end of the Victorian Era." Sachin Dev, Smorgasbord Fantasia
"Beautiful and dark, haunting and mesmerizing. The prose is beautiful, the atmosphere creepy and delicious." Angela Oliver, Goodreads Review
“This short, dark tale is a treat. It is a fun blend of historical and urban fantasy, and succeeds in keeping our interest throughout the story. I recommend it, and will be reading other stories by Ishbelle Bee.” Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Corner
“This book certainly captivated me and is a rollercoaster of colour and imagination. I just devoured the text, letting myself be swallowed up into the world that the author has created, I would love to enter the mind of Ishbelle Bee, to have a little rummage around, check out her fertile imagination, perhaps steal a few drops of inspiration along the way.” Emma Bee, Black Tea and Milk
"This book is as singular as the title might suggest. It is unbelievably strange and deliciously weird." Elaine Aldred, Goodreads Review