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On A Dark and Crooked Path
When his formidable grandmother, Lady Margaret Matthews, dies under mysterious circumstances, seventeen-year-old Robert “Bobby” Matthews inherits not only a vast fortune but the mantle of power over a sprawling dynasty.
Thrust into a world of whispered alliances and razor-edged smiles, Bobby must navigate a web of deceit where every cousin, uncle, and aunt harbors ambition—and loyalty is only a mask.
In the suffocating shadows of Mourningford Hall, a labyrinth of twisting corridors and shifting rooms, Bobby finds a single point of light: Sophie, the girl he never expected to see again. Her love offers him hope… and perhaps salvation.
But the Matthews curse runs deep. Beneath the ancient stones of Mourningford lies a rot three centuries in the making, now clawing its way back to the surface.
For Bobby and Sophie, survival will demand more than love. It will demand sacrifice. It will demand truth. And it will change them—forever.
How far would you go for love?
What would you sacrifice for the truth?
Prepare to descend into a gothic fantasy unlike anything you’ve experienced before:
an ancient dynasty,
a family rotten to the core,
a dark secret buried for three hundred years… about to rise again.
Once you set foot on a dark and crooked path, there is only one direction to travel.
And how far down you go… is up to you…
Thrust into a world of whispered alliances and razor-edged smiles, Bobby must navigate a web of deceit where every cousin, uncle, and aunt harbors ambition—and loyalty is only a mask.
In the suffocating shadows of Mourningford Hall, a labyrinth of twisting corridors and shifting rooms, Bobby finds a single point of light: Sophie, the girl he never expected to see again. Her love offers him hope… and perhaps salvation.
But the Matthews curse runs deep. Beneath the ancient stones of Mourningford lies a rot three centuries in the making, now clawing its way back to the surface.
For Bobby and Sophie, survival will demand more than love. It will demand sacrifice. It will demand truth. And it will change them—forever.
How far would you go for love?
What would you sacrifice for the truth?
Prepare to descend into a gothic fantasy unlike anything you’ve experienced before:
an ancient dynasty,
a family rotten to the core,
a dark secret buried for three hundred years… about to rise again.
Once you set foot on a dark and crooked path, there is only one direction to travel.
And how far down you go… is up to you…
Paperback
First published September 3, 2025
2 people are currently reading
About the author
Axel Vale
13 booksAxel Vale writes at the intersection of gothic fiction, dark fantasy, and techno-mysticism.
His work explores what happens after the worst has already occurred. In worlds shaped by inheritance, power, grief, and impossible choices, survival is rarely heroic and redemption is never guaranteed. Funerals often mark beginnings. Consequences ripple outward. Characters are judged less by what they believe than by what they do when there are no good options left.
Vale is the author of A Dark & Crooked Tale, a gothic trilogy rooted in legacy, family dynasties, and moral pressure, alongside Twisted Tales from the Fringe of Reality and THE CodeX, a nine-volume philosophical project examining the evolving relationship between human consciousness and artificial intelligence. Across fiction and non-fiction, his work forms an interconnected continuum rather than a collection of standalone books.
There are no chosen ones here. No clean victories. And no promise that the path forward will be kind.
When not writing, Axel is building Neochic Digital, a creative and technological ecosystem where storytelling, systems design, and automation converge. His authorship sits at the centre of that architecture, not as branding, but as proof of concept.
If you’ve opened the book, you’re already on the path.
Author homepage:
https://axelvale.com
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Axel-...
Print editions and special formats:
https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/axel_v...
His work explores what happens after the worst has already occurred. In worlds shaped by inheritance, power, grief, and impossible choices, survival is rarely heroic and redemption is never guaranteed. Funerals often mark beginnings. Consequences ripple outward. Characters are judged less by what they believe than by what they do when there are no good options left.
Vale is the author of A Dark & Crooked Tale, a gothic trilogy rooted in legacy, family dynasties, and moral pressure, alongside Twisted Tales from the Fringe of Reality and THE CodeX, a nine-volume philosophical project examining the evolving relationship between human consciousness and artificial intelligence. Across fiction and non-fiction, his work forms an interconnected continuum rather than a collection of standalone books.
There are no chosen ones here. No clean victories. And no promise that the path forward will be kind.
When not writing, Axel is building Neochic Digital, a creative and technological ecosystem where storytelling, systems design, and automation converge. His authorship sits at the centre of that architecture, not as branding, but as proof of concept.
If you’ve opened the book, you’re already on the path.
Author homepage:
https://axelvale.com
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Axel-...
Print editions and special formats:
https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/axel_v...
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