Story #12: "The Marquesan Tattoo"

A gothic tale of revenge and psychological horror.

“The evening that he murdered his wife, Rowan Wanamaker made a brief appearance in the R— Club library to fashion an alibi, then retired to his quarters for supper. Word of her death would not reach Pall Mall until morning, giving him ample time to prepare for the pantomime theatre of the constabulary's inquiries.

Wanamaker built a fortune importing teak and exotic hardwoods from French Polynesia, muscling his way to extravagant wealth through both enterprise and marriage. Plantation by plantation and bride by bride – there had now been three – the timber merchant grew to be as respectfully loathed in the R— Club’s smoking rooms as he was in the provincial offices of colonial governors. Club members murmured grimly that Wanamaker accumulated his fortune through “the snatch or the match.” His deceased wife, thirty years his junior, the daughter of a shrewd Merseyside shipbuilder, fell victim to both.”

So begins a tale of Gothic revenge and psychological horror in the fashion of “The Tell-Tale Heart” or “The Picture of Dorian Grey.”

I’m seeking a small, trusted group of early readers for Story #12. This piece is currently being prepared for magazine submissions, so I'm keeping it off public platforms until after potential publication. If you're interested in an early peek and providing “mini-workshop” feedback, message me.