✦ Fleeing from her home after escaping the murder of her mother, inexperienced and petrified by reality with her horse as her only companion - Charlotte is met by the most notorious serial killer of the nation. His dark past and her dark future collide, in a world filled with dangers far greater than him. Set in the rugged Victorian west at the end of the 19th century with a myriad of complex characters, all intertwined in a brutal environment that examines the conflicting nature and morality of humanity. Charlotte may be innocent at heart, but the world she lives in is not. Filled with dangers from gangs to cults and a mysterious horror element that persists throughout - the overarching gothic love story fills this thrilling, dark adventure up until the haunting end...leaving the reader with an existential dread so deep that it must be read to be understood, yet craving for more. This novel is definitely for an adult audience, as the content is very heavy and challenging. It will appeal to those interested in a gothic romance with undertones of psychological horror. Most importantly, this book is a form of literary fiction; as character development is the most crucial factor in telling this story and it does not follow the typical tropes of a genre book. Subtle hints to the dark machinations behind the scenes, and interweaving characters who gradually change and grow over time, all work together to create a living world - filled with the unexpected - in which to lose yourself within. If you want something to read on autopilot, and wish for the plot to follow a certain expected pattern, this is not the book for you. This experience will challenge you; a gripping story that will invade you, heart and mind, long after reading.