Upon the Pale Isle of Gloam
A Gothic Horror Novella
“A very atmospheric and eerie read!”
—Rae Layton, Goodreads
Winner of the Literary Titan Gold Book Award with a 5-star rating from Readers' Favorite®.
Can your truth set you free?
Upon a deserted shoreline, Rue wakes alone with no knowledge of her past. Decades of wreckage lay sprawled across the beach. The days are impossibly short, and the weather foreboding. Worse are the supernatural beings that stalk the landscape, littering it with corpses. Using only her instincts, Rue embarks on a journey to reclaim her truth and find a way home—all while unraveling the isle's dark secret.
A spooky weekend read brimming with gothic themes and atmospheric horror.
Written by Mark Gulino | Cover art by Yornelys Zambrano Inojosa
“Upon the Pale Isle of Gloam offers a compelling foray into gothic horror, weaving together elements of mystery, amnesia, and survival in a setting that is both haunting and intriguing. While the writing style may occasionally obfuscate details, it contributes to the novel's enigmatic and atmospheric quality, making it a notable addition to the genre."
—Literary Titan
“Brilliantly written . . . It was so much more than I expected.”
—Alma Boucher, Readers’ Favorite®
“A dark, atmospheric, often pensive narrative . . . [Upon the] Pale Isle of Gloam embraces and masterfully adapts many gothic tropes: oppressive darkness, a foreboding landscape, isolation, monsters, and things unseen that haunt and hunt . . . It's spooky, engaging, and very often surreal as it explores human inner turmoil amid a haunting, supernatural backdrop."
—Ryan Lawrence, author of Vindictive
“I absolutely loved this story. It was well written, with a compelling mystery to be solved by each of the characters. I highly recommend this story and the author. And I can't wait for more from him.”
—Robin Ginther-Venneri, Robin’s Review
“Epitome of enveloping campfire culture … Extremely hard to put down.”
—Krystal Brooke, Goodreads
“For a short read, I became invested in the characters and their fates.”
—Melissa, Goodreads
“A brilliant read. It’s gothic, horrifying, tense, and oddly heartwarming and hopeful.”
—Nia Amore, Goodreads
“I found myself rooting for Rue and dreading what was next for her all at once. The sense of hope and foreboding was well written.”
—Keri Barber, Goodreads
Now available in trade paperback and for Kindle at
B&N edition hardcover and trade paperback coming soon to
Content Warning: This book describes scenes of intense violence and includes references to abuse and sexual assault. Strong language is used throughout. There are mentions of animal cruelty, suicide, alcoholism, and the use of drugs and alcohol. It also contains dark subject content and religious themes. Please read with care.