'There was a history in this house, secrets he hadn't even got close to scratching the surface of' Something peculiar is going on at The Lloyd Estate.

The enormous house and its vast grounds are rarely seen by outsiders. Only Audrey Lloyd the cantankerous elderly owner and only daughter to the famed movie mogul who built the mansion knows of the suffocating darkness that has settled on the place.

Property developers have come to Audrey over the decades. Countless times they have been rebuffed. Now, she agrees to sell to ambitious broker Terri Nicholls. But Terri has to trade something of her own in return.

Detective Don Vernon is on the brink of retirement. Instead, he is about to be caught in a web of lies; one which Audrey has been spinning for decades.

Can those who cross the threshold make it out again intact?

A scintillating tale of revenge, cruelty and the many forms of wickedness, Directions for Dark Things is perfect for fans of Catriona Ward and Simone St. James.

Stephanie Sowden grew up in Manchester and studied History and Politics at Durham University. After a brief foray into magazine journalism, she retrained in another love of hers – food – and now runs her own catering company. Stephanie took part in Curtis Brown Creative's selective novel writing course, during which she completed her first novel. She lives in South Manchester with her partner, Dave, and their little mad staffy, Butter.

© 2026 Stephanie Sowden (P) 2026 DK Audio