Jenny Twist was born in York and brought up in the West Yorkshire mill town of Heckmondwike, the eldest grandchild of a huge extended family.
She left school at fifteen and went to work in an asbestos factory. After working in various jobs, including bacon-packer and escapologist’s assistant (she was The Lovely Tanya), she returned to full-time education and did a BA in history, at Manchester and post-graduate studies at Oxford.
She stayed in Oxford working as a recruitment consultant for many years and it was there that she met and married her husband, Vic.
In 2001 they retired and moved to Southern Spain where they live with their rather eccentric dogs and cat. Besides writing, she enjoys reading, knitting and attempting to do fiendishly difficult logic puzzles.
In July 2018 she won the Author Show TOP FEMALE AUTHOR Fantasy/Horror/Paranormal/Science Fiction award.

. . .In the south of Spain at the beginning of the twentieth century, village people still believed in this particular fabulous beast. Sometimes they called it a mantequero, and sometimes a sacamantecas; it was a monster which looked like a man, but which lived in wild places and fed on human manteca or fat . . .
Some people still do . . .

This book is a compilation of the three Mantequero stories: Mantequero, Disappeared and Sins of the Father; with the addition of two new stories: The First Mantequero and The Last Mantequero.


Tales of the Mantequero

The Mantequero began to march towards Rupert and Samantha. "Now!!"


His cry was cut off sharp as Rafa's knife sliced into his back, followed by two smaller knives. All three quivered as the Mantequero fell forward. 


Quick as a flash. The big man threw himself down to his knees and beside Ignacio and rolled the Mantequero onto his back. He screamed as the blades were driven deeper into his flesh, the point of Rafa's larger knife beginning to protrude through his chest. Rafa shifted his weight to the Mantequero's shoulders as he began to squirm. "Quick, boys,"he cried. "Hold him down."


Heather backed away, her hand to her mouth, her eyes staring in horror. 


"Bring the stake,"Rafa said, pointing to the bloody spike lying beside the grave. 


It was not Heather, but Rupert who obeyed his command. The Mantequero was thrashing wildly but Rafa and his sons held him. 


"Here."Rafa took the hammer from his belt and passed it to Rupert. "You must do it. It must be done by one who loves him."


Chapter 41