A Box Full of Darkness

Simone St James author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd

Published:22nd Jan '26

Should be back in stock very soon

This hardback is available in another edition too:

A Box Full of Darkness cover

Discover the chilling new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Murder Road and The Sun Down Motel, a terrifying ghost story about the scariest place of all – home.


‘From the book’s chillingly creepy setting… to a nerve-jangling plot… to the writing itself… everything about St. James’ latest is done to perfection.” Booklist

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It all started with a game of hide and seek.

The four Esmie children were playing together when the youngest brother, Ben, went off to hide, and was never seen again.

That was long ago. It’s been eighteen years since the siblings fled their childhood home, Fell House, the one that holds all the ghosts of the past. They’ve built separate lives, but all of them carry the psychological scars of that fateful day.

But then Violet receives a call from the house’s caretaker. He’s too scared to keep working there. He says he saw the spirit of a young boy whispering two words . . .

Come home.

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PRAISE FOR SIMONE ST JAMES

“As creepy and unsettling as a rain-faded wreath and teddy bear found by the side of the road to mark a missing person, [it] lingers like a ghost long after it’s finished.” Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of How to Sell a Haunted House

“From its terrifying opening to its jaw-dropping conclusion, this thriller has it all–small town secrets, ominous dark deeds after midnight. You will follow this shocking road to its climatic end!” Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Still See You Everywhere

'Fast, chilling, entertaining, unexpectedly touching, and with two broken, memorable characters at its core'New York Times Book Review

'Clever and wonderfully chilling. It held me hostage' Fiona Barton

Simone St. James is known for brilliantly mixing thriller elements with supernatural mayhem, and MURDER ROAD, her most recent novel, offers readers plenty of both… Fast, chilling, entertaining, unexpectedly touching, and with two broken, memorable characters at its core, this might be St. James’s best novel yet * The New York Times *
As creepy and unsettling as a rain-faded wreath and teddy bear found by the side of the road to mark a missing person, Murder Road lingers like a ghost long after it’s finished. * Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of How to Sell a Haunted House *
From its terrifying opening to its jaw-dropping conclusion, this thriller has it all—small-town secrets, ominous dark deeds after midnight, and a young couple desperate to learn the truth before it costs them their very lives. You will follow this shocking road to its climactic end! * Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Still See You Everywhere *
'Simone St. James is known for brilliantly mixing thriller elements with supernatural mayhem, and MURDER ROAD, her most recent novel, offers readers plenty of both… Fast, chilling, entertaining, unexpectedly touching, and with two broken, memorable characters at its core, this might be St. James’s best novel yet' * New York Times Book Review *
Genuinely creepy. I’m very hard to scare but Murder Road sent shivers down my spine. -- Mark Edwards, bestselling author of Here to Stay
Creepy and hugely fun, a fast and sinister romp of a road trip gone wrong * Lauren Beukes, internationally bestselling author of The Shining Girls *
From its nerve-shredding start to its thrilling end, MURDER ROAD steers the reader down creepy backroads, past urban legends so vivid you'd swear they were true, and into the marriage of two damaged souls you can't help but root for. Part love story, part campfire tale, it's a trip well worth taking * Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of The Only One Left *
There may be a chilling supernatural element at the heart of Murder Road, but it’s the unforgettable main characters that will pull you in: damaged survivors who find salvation in each other, beautifully drawn. Once you start reading you won’t be able to put it down. I know I couldn’t * Alma Katsu, author of The Fervor *
Murder Road serves up the kind of tension that sends chills racing over your skin as you furiously turn the pages, desperate to uncover the secrets of Coldlake Falls. An exhilarating, haunting ride from start to finish * Isabel Cañas, USA Today bestselling author of Vampires of El Norte *
Murder Road hits the gas and doesn’t let up! Full of secrets, twists, and turns. Simone St. James takes you on a supernatural road trip you are unlikely to forget * Carissa Orlando, author of The September House *

ISBN: 9780241793749

Dimensions: 243mm x 163mm x 32mm

Weight: 572g

352 pages