If you're looking for a gripping, gruesome holiday read that will have you hooked from start to finish, this dark folk-horror thriller from acclaimed British writer EJ Henry fits the bill.   The-Corpse-Lodging-FCHenry’s captivating psychological thrillers have earned comparisons with John Grisham, and The Corpse Lodging certainly proves that he shares Grisham’s ability to seamlessly blend page-turning storylines with clever plot twists.   Inspired by Manx folklore, horror fans will relish the unsettling backdrop of an isolated Isle of Man fishing village which gives the expression “time standing still” a sinister new meaning.   The book opens during a stormy night in 1818. A young wife and mother named Mona loses her fisherman husband Euan to a storm at sea, and his body is never recovered.   Distraught and desperate to give him a proper burial and a ‘Corpse Lodging’ - a tradition similar to a wake - she is led to a local ‘witch’ for advice and is told that her husband will return to be buried, but not in her nor her son’s lifetime.   The book then flashes forward almost 200 years into another story of peril at sea. This time, the danger comes not from the water itself but from Somali pirates, who hijack a merchant navy ship. British mariner Ed Donovan is called upon to negotiate - witnessing horrific events in the process.   Traumatised, he is sent to a clinic to recover from the deep psychological and emotional wounds and while there he falls in love with Mary - a beautiful but troubled young American patient.   When Mary falls pregnant the young couple are delighted, and their future happiness appears to be cemented when she discovers that she has inherited a house in the remote Manx village of Ballaugh from a distant relative.   Although there are some curious strings attached to the inheritance, including, somewhat morbidly, the upkeep of an empty grave, the new family hope that the new start will help them recover from the past.   But, in keeping with the best horror traditions, strange things soon start to happen.   An old diary reveals odd coincidences along with disturbing references to Mona and Euan. The villagers, meanwhile, seem stubbornly old-fashioned: refusing modern technology, rejecting outsiders and conducting curious rituals.   Things grow darker after the birth of the couple’s baby boy. Mary’s personality seems to be changing and both are being afflicted by disturbing dreams.   It gets to the point where Ed begins to question his sanity, but are these unsettling experiences manifestations of mental illness brought on by loneliness and trauma, or something far, far worse?   The Corpse Lodging is a taut psychological horror as eerily atmospheric as The Wicker Man and with a shade of MR James’ masterly command of the truly haunting supernatural tale thrown in for good measure.   In fact, with its creepy setting and well-drawn characters, the book has a cinematic feel and it’s easy to imagine the events playing out on the big screen.   This is EJ Henry’s first novel with leading digital publisher Endeavour Press and it’s a cracker. Who’d have thought the Isle of Man could be so terrifying?   The Corpse Lodging by EJ Henry (Endeavour Press) is out now, priced £2.99 as an eBook. A paperback version will be released in late summer 2016. Visit www.ejhenry.co.uk