The Witch Board: Paranormal Mystery Series, #1

By David J Cooper

In the tranquil village of Buckleigh, a seemingly innocent gathering among friends takes a haunting turn. Sadie and her closest companions, venture into the realm of the unknown, drawn by the allure of a Ouija board. Little do they know, their curiosity has set in motion an irreversible chain of events.

With an unwitting invitation, an ancient entity breaches the boundaries between worlds, plunging the friends into a nightmarish reality. Bound by a relentless pursuit toward darkness, they face a threat that defies comprehension. In the heart of this supernatural storm, Sadie emerges as the unwavering leader, her courage fueling the group's journey through the ominous unknown.

Determined to unravel the enigma that plagues them, Sadie and her companions embark on a treacherous expedition guided by her unyielding resolve. The ominous specter looming over their lives compels them to seek refuge in the mysterious talents of Penny Lane, a local psychic whose esoteric abilities may hold the key to their salvation.

As minutes tick away and the malevolent force gains strength, the group must decipher cryptic clues scattered through the fabric of their reality. The boundaries between ordinary and extraordinary blur as they navigate perilous territories, their very survival contingent on unlocking the secrets that bind them to this sinister entity.

This gripping tale of courage and resilience charts their fight against an otherworldly adversary, testing the limits of human fortitude. Will Sadie and her companions conquer the darkness that encroaches upon their lives, or will they succumb to an eternal slumber, trapped in a world where the line between the living and the dead fades to obscurity? Their journey into the heart of the supernatural will challenge their bonds, their beliefs, and the essence of their existence.

Buy now and find out.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: David J Cooper
• Release date: Nov 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781386838616

David J Cooper

David J Cooper, a British author, delves into the realms of the paranormal, horror, suspense, and mystery with an expert touch. Originating from Darlaston, West Midlands, his diverse journey from engineering to teaching and local politics has imbued his writing with a rich tapestry of experiences. His literary venture began with an unforgettable mark—a featured poem, "God's Garden," acclaimed in the Best Poems and Poets of 2012 anthology. Currently residing in a tranquil Mexican town, David shares his home with four loyal dogs—Chula, Sooty, Benji and Princessa — and a vibrant parrot named Muchacho. David's novels are an enigmatic treat for those with a taste for the eerie and the unexpected. With a knack for weaving gripping suspense and unforeseen twists, his narratives promise an enthralling journey that beckons fans of authors like Stephen King.

Book preview

THE SETTING

Buckleigh is a picture postcard village nestling in the rolling south Devonshire countryside on the edge of Dartmoor and within easy reach of the seaside towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.

The village could never be entered into The Prettiest Village in England competition because it wasn’t big enough to be called a town; in fact, it wasn’t even big enough to be classified as a village.

The nearest category Buckleigh could fall into was a hamlet!!

But, regardless of this, the townsfolk didn’t mind after all they were proud that, in reality, they were living in the prettiest place in England anyway.

Some of them had come to settle here from London and the remaining were true Devonshire locals.

The village green consists of a pub, called The Bale of Hay, a church, a post office, a village shop, tearooms, and a doctor’s surgery.

It’s the type of place where you would think that everybody would know each other’s business, but they all went about minding their own. With the exception of one – Peggy Baldwin – the village busybody. What she doesn’t know isn’t worth knowing. She is always first in line with the news, even before it becomes common knowledge!!

She never married and lives in a small, thatched cottage with her seven cats – each one of them named after one of the seven dwarfs. She keeps the cats to keep the field mice away!! as she puts it.

When she isn’t out and about looking for gossip she is peeking through her net curtains at the sign of any movement outside.

Well, her curtains are made of lace and not the common net, as she says. She can’t stand anything cheap and tacky.

Neither does she have the time for people who live in council houses.

She also has the habit of eavesdropping and has been told, on more than one occasion, that one day she would hear something that she wouldn’t like and it would be about her.

Nonetheless, she's never going to change.

Pebble Mill tea rooms are where Penny Lane and her Aunt Molly live and work.

It’s called Pebble Mill because the chimney is constructed of pebbles taken from the nearby River Dart. It used to be a flour mill but was converted into a cottage. It is a typical south Devon cottage made from cob – a material consisting of mud and straw.

Father Gordon, a very modern day vicar, was born in nearby Dartmouth. He has been the parish priest of St. Lawrence church for almost fifteen years.

Dotted around the village green are the cottages, mainly thatched, where the locals live.

The other two nearby hamlets are Ansley, one mile away, to the west of the village, and Luscombe, one mile away to the south. Dartbrooke is the nearest village, two miles to the east.

Buckleigh looks like a photo of a place that you would see on the lid of a chocolate box.

There are no modern buildings because the town council voted that it would remain a conservation area and many of the buildings are listed.

It is a quaint, typically English countryside setting where nothing unusual seems to happen. Until now.

CHAPTER ONE

Penny Lane had been orphaned as a child when her parents, Steve and Grace, had been tragically killed in a car accident on the M6 motorway. 

She was only three years old when it happened and her aunt Molly, her mother’s sister, took her into care and finally adopted her.

She suffered meningitis when she was six years old and it was touch and go whether she lived or died. During her recovery she came into contact with the Spirit world. She couldn’t understand or explain what was happening and when she told her aunt Molly, she told her that she had been blessed with a gift from God.

Penny always says: You don’t contact the dead. When spirits want to contact you, they will.

She always avoids the word dead as she says: We don’t die; we pass on to a spiritual plain.

In England it's unusual to be so hot. It was like a horrible ever present heat that lasted day in and day out. In this heat even the leaves on the trees were drooping, flaccid as old lettuce. The sun was no longer a summertime friend, it was an oppressive presence. All uses for water other than drinking had been banned.

There hadn’t been any rain in south Devon since the middle of May and now it was the middle of June.

The residents of Buckleigh were taking advantage of the nice weather and it was good for Penny’s Aunt Molly because the visitors – grockles as they are called by the locals - could sit outside in the typically English country garden and enjoy their cream teas in the warm sunshine.

I remember when I was a girl, Aunt Molly said, her face powdered with flour and her hands sticky with dough. We could always guarantee a long hot summer when school finished for the summer holidays. Nowadays you never know what the weather’s going to be like. It’s all this global warning!

Global warming, Aunt Molly, said Penny.

Every strand of her feathered, ash blonde hair reflected the light as it draped down softly onto her shoulders, curling along the ends. Her eyes twinkled like sapphires. She wasn’t a girl anymore and she never would be again.

Whatever, Aunt Molly replied. I blame the Americans for sending up all those spaceships. It’s bound to have some effect on the world. I don’t understand why they want to go investigating and interfering in other planets when they should be spending more money looking after our own planet. All governments are the same. A waste of time and money!

Aunt Molly was a small lady in her early sixties, very old fashioned, and held her beliefs to high esteem and nothing would budge her. If she thought she was right, then she was right, and no doubt about it.

She had been a widow for some years, before Penny was born, and had used the insurance money from her husband’s death to buy the cottage and turn it into tearooms, which kept her occupied.

As long as you are doing something useful, you never turn into a grumpy old cow, she said.

She continued preparing the scones, they were all home-made, and so was the strawberry jam. Everything was homemade and this is what attracted the tourists who would be holidaying on the English Riviera and pass through Buckleigh on their way to visit Dartmoor.

Opening one of the drawers, in the Welsh dresser, Penny took out some white, cotton tablecloths. The yellow primroses