In 1867, six children are possessed by fate in London,
England. They are given paranormal and intellectual gifts
for which they have been specifically chosen. They are to
guard the dead who wander the earth and fight the constant
battle for light. They have also been warned of signs to
look for when they will be joined by a seventh who will
help them in their fight.
As the children grow up, they continue to see the images of
the dead and work to fight the darkness. One day, Rebecca
is confronted by a remarkable young student, Percy Parker,
at the school where she is the headmistress and Alexi is an
instructor. The girl may possess skills similar to theirs,
but is she the seventh or something more dangerous?
A delightfully lush and richly imagined tale, the reality
of THE STRANGLEY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER is
easy to become absorbed in. The characters are realistic
and have depth, and the plot builds to a stunning
conclusion. This novel is a transcendent example of the
genre.
What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens
Academy? Hidden in the dark heart of Victorian London, the
Romanesque school was dreadfully imposing, a veritable
fortress, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She
had never met its powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi
Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadows, of the Ripper
and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie
stood guard. She saw simply that she was different,
haunted, with her snow white hair, pearlescent skin and
uncanny gift. This arched stone doorway was a portal to a
new life, to an education far from what could be had at a
convent—and it was an invitation to an intimate yet
dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death...