Belle Vue by C.S. Alleyne

Jealousy. Betrayal. Murder. And a hunger for vengeance that spans the centuries...

History student Alex Palmer is thrilled when his girlfriend, Claire Ryan, buys an apartment in Belle Vue Manor, formerly a Victorian lunatic asylum.

But as Alex begins to discover the dark truth about the asylum’s past, he, Claire, and their friend Marianne find themselves on a nightmarish journey. Each will face the deadly consequences of the evil that began with the construction of the first Belle Vue Manor by an aristocratic French émigré in 1789, as well as the cruelty and satanic practices that continued when it became an asylum for the insane.

As the two strands—past and present—unfold, Alex uncovers a supernatural mystery where revenge is paramount and innocence irrelevant—without being aware of the price he, and those around him, will pay.

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

Interview with the author:

What makes this Historical Thriller so special?
Belle Vue is a suspenseful tale of dark fantasy. It is written with two story lines – set in the Victorian times when Belle Vue is a lunatic asylum and in the current day when it has been turned into luxury apartments. That seems straight forward so far but that’s not the way this novel works. The action in both stories reveal shocking linkages between the two with unexpected and unsettling twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. As one Goodreads reviewer who gave it 5 stars said, it is a ‘page turner’ and ‘a book I won’t soon forget’.

Tell us more about your lead character.
Alex Palmer is a mid-20s good looking guy – he lives with two mates, likes a beer and the odd joint who also happens to be a history buff and is searching for a more interesting topic for his final year university dissertation.  When he accompanies his girlfriend Claire Ryan to view an apartment at the newly redeveloped Belle Vue Manor set in St. Albans in leafy Hertfordshire, he discovers an intriguing building whose past ‘gave it a terrible beauty, stunning yet repugnant at the same time’ and one which he wastes no time in learning more about its history.

Alex would say he is a decent and straight up type of guy but when Claire moves into Belle Vue, he finds life and their relationship gets confusing in ways he never imagined. His research into the asylum’s history reveals a tale of abuse and murder as well as rumours of a satanic cult led by an aristocratic doctor.

As unsettling events occur, he veers from thinking he knows what’s going on with rational explanations, or he’s bewildered by what’s happening and to other times where just doesn’t think at all!  He finds himself on a nightmare journey with unexpected twists and turns that tests everything he thought he knew about life and himself.

Why should readers give this book or your work a try?
Because you won’t know what to expect. If you like a roller coaster of dark suspense with malevolent characters and macabre, shocking plot twists then Belle Vue is for you. The Midwest Book Review calls it 'an epic horror thriller' that is 'filled with surprising, satisfyingly creepy twists' and is 'highly recommended for audiences who eschew the usual formula production in favor of a work that is more multifaceted and satisfying on emotional, historical, and philosophical levels alike.'

C. S. Alleyne’s inspiration includes the historical paranormal Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon to the works of Stephen King, Preston & Child, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, James Herbert and Peter James.