The perfect wine requires the darkest sacrifice.
Rebecca Langford's life unravels in a single morning. Targeted by eco-activists after a viral video paints her as an enemy of nature, she flees London with nothing but a backpack and a five-year-old photograph—the last image of her sister Grace, who vanished without a trace in the Somerset countryside.
Grace was an environmental activist who disappeared in Winbridge Hollow, a village nestled deep in rural England. The police investigation went cold years ago, dismissing her radical beliefs as the reason for her fate. But Rebecca has never stopped searching for answers.
Now, with nowhere else to turn, Rebecca returns to the place where Grace was last seen. The village seems peaceful at first—rolling hills, ancient woodlands, and a slower pace of life far removed from the relentless churn of the city. But beneath the bucolic surface, something ancient and primal stirs.
The locals speak in hushed tones of the old forest, of blood sacrifices and forgotten gods. There are rules in Winbridge Hollow, unspoken but absolute, and strangers who break them rarely leave.
As Rebecca digs deeper into her sister's disappearance, she uncovers a web of secrets stretching back centuries—to a time when the land demanded tribute, and the villagers were all too willing to oblige.
A Chilling Descent into British Folk Horror
Blood Vintage is a masterfully atmospheric tale that weaves environmental activism, pagan mythology, and Gothic suspense into a narrative that will haunt you long after the final page.
From the concrete sprawl of London to the shadowed groves of Somerset, J.F. Penn crafts a story where modernity collides with ancient darkness, and the price of progress may be paid in blood.
Perfect for Readers Who Love:
- Andrew Michael Hurley's The Loney and Devil's Day (British folk horror)
- David Barnett — Withered Hill, Scuttler's Cove (British folk horror)
- Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts (atmospheric psychological horror)
- Michelle Paver's Dark Matter and Wakenhyrst (British Gothic suspense)
- The Wicker Man and Midsommar (folk horror atmosphere and pagan rituals)
- Folk horror by Adam Nevill
- Missing person mysteries with supernatural undertones
- Environmental themes woven through dark fiction
- Strong female protagonists confronting ancient evil
Standalone Story
This is a complete standalone novel—no series commitment required. Blood Vintage delivers a fully resolved story while exploring profound themes of environmental destruction, sisterhood, ancient belief systems, and the tension between progress and preservation.
Themes & Content:
Set against the authentically rendered landscape of rural Somerset, Blood Vintage explores Celtic and pagan mythology in a biodynamic vineyard. The novel examines humanity's fraught relationship with nature through the lens of classic British folk horror.
Rebecca's journey from burned-out architect to determined investigator drives a narrative rich with Gothic atmosphere and creeping dread. The ancient vineyard is a character itself—alive, aware, and hungry for what was promised long ago.
Story Details:
- Genre: Folk Horror, Gothic Horror, Mystery Thriller
- Length: Full-length novel (approximately 70,000 words)
- Reading time: 6-8 hours
- Mood: Atmospheric, unsettling, Gothic, immersive
- Setting: Rural Somerset, England
- Content note: Contains scenes of violence, pagan ritual, blood ritual, environmental destruction, and disturbing imagery. Mature themes throughout.
What Makes Blood Vintage Distinctive:
This isn't just another folk horror novel—it's a meditation on our relationship with the natural world, filtered through the lens of ancient belief systems and modern consequences. Penn masterfully balances eco-thriller elements with supernatural dread, creating a story that feels both urgently contemporary and timelessly mythic.
The missing sister mystery provides emotional grounding while the folk horror elements build an atmosphere of mounting dread. Readers looking for intelligent, atmospheric horror with genuine emotional stakes will find themselves thoroughly absorbed.