Bezill

Geoffrey Pellerin travels to a remote English mansion, Bezill Tower, to serve as tutor to the boy of the house, young Herbert. The previous tutor departed under mysterious circumstances, but that is far from the only strangeness at Bezill. Herbert’s mother, Mrs Shakeshaft, is passionately fond of blood sports, and her odd companion, Mr Gayfere, has a curious interest in flagellation. Then there’s the locked tower room, said to contain the belongings of Herbert’s aunt, who now resides screaming in a mental asylum. But perhaps strangest of all is Herbert himself, and as Pellerin settles into his new life among the mysteries and secrets of Bezill Tower, he may soon find that he has taken on more than he bargained for.


Long out-of-print, the Gothic fantasy Bezill (1962) is a rediscovered gem by John Symonds (1914-2006), who is best remembered as the biographer of the occultist Aleister Crowley. This reissue features the original jacket illustration by legendary British dust jacket artist Val Biro and a new introduction by Phil Baker.