Lancaster author’s dark short story features in top anthology of UK horror
Bloody Hell: An Anthology of UK Horror (published by Mark of the Witch Press) was published on August 1 and sailed to the number 1 spot in horror short story new releases.
Amongst the list of top UK authors featured, the anthology includes a story by Lancaster author MJ Mars.
Set at Lancaster Priory and the castle, The Syn-Eater of Lancaster explores the factual historic practice of sin eating, where paupers who couldn’t afford a priest would hire a practitioner to ‘eat their sins’ prior to death.
The anthology showcases specific locations around the UK, giving MJ the opportunity to highlight Lancaster’s historic landmarks.
MJ Mars said: “When I was invited to participate in Bloody Hell, I knew I wanted to include Lancaster in my story as I love living in the city and reading about its fascinating and dark history. I hope readers from all over the UK enjoy learning more about the castle and priory and consider visiting Lancaster as a result.”
This isn’t the first time MJ has written about Lancaster. Her debut horror novel, The Suffering, features a ghost with a terrifying backstory linked to St George’s Quay.
The book was published by Wicked House on February 24 2023 and has achieved huge success in the US, being voted into the Books of Horror Indie brawl competition in 2023 and topping the charts in British Horror, Horror Suspense, and Occult Horror categories.
MJ has recently returned from Chicago where she was invited to attend the Books and Brews event as a guest author.
MJ’s latest book, We’ve Already Gone Too Far, 8 Nasty Little Tales, is out now. Her second novel, The Fovea Experiments, will be published by Wicked House in June 2025.