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The Arsenic Eater's Wife: A brand new dark historical mystery that will keep you guessing
by Tonya MitchellA woman is accused of killing her husband, but is she actually guilty? Inspired by a true historical case, this novel will delight and engross readers. Liverpool, England, 1889: In the shadowy streets, the air is thick with secrets and the line between guilt and innocence blurs. Twenty-six-year-old Constance Sullivan is brought to trial charged with poisoning her husband, William. But William was no ordinary victim… As Constance's barrister fights to prove her innocence, a sinister web of deception unravels, exposing the dark underbelly of their seemingly idyllic marriage. One by one, witnesses emerge with incriminating testimony and facts about the dark side of Constance and William&’s marriage are revealed. For many, the widow&’s guilt seems clear. But is someone holding the key to the whole truth? Inspired by a true case, The Arsenic Eater&’s Wife will hold the reader spellbound until the final, heart-stopping revelation.Praise for Tonya Mitchell&’s A Feigned Madness &“A compelling read for anyone with an interest in Victorian history.&” —Pam Lecky, author of the Lucy Lawrence mysteries &“Vivid, enthralling . . . a knockout.&” —Kim Taylor Blakemore, author of After Alice Fell
Awake
by Christopher KrovatinMaster of middle-grade horror Christopher Krovatin returns with the scorching tale of a rift between siblings with awesome, sinister powers.In this family, pyrokinesis was just the beginning. Now other powers are emerging, including telekinesis -- and it will put the siblings at odds like never before.
B.P.R.D. Omnibus Volume 10
by Mike Mignola Scott AllieLovecraftian monsters ravage an apocalyptic earth as the B.P.R.D. fights to save what little of humanity they can. But even Hellboy is not who he once was, and whether anyone survives Varvara and the long-awaited Ragna Rok remains to be seen.Written by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie and brilliantly rendered by artists Laurence Campbell, Sebastián Fiumara, Christopher Mitten, and Mignola himself, this this omnibus is a must have!Collects B.P.R.D.: The Devil You Know: Messiah, Pandemonium, and Ragna Rok.
B.P.R.D. Omnibus Volume 9
by Mike Mignola John ArcudiHell on Earth comes to an end when the B.P.R.D. must defend Earth from one of the mythical Ogdru Jahad, the dragon believed to bring about the end of the world.The agents must destroy the dragon and the countless monsters it creates. Elsewhere, Russian occult director seeks help from a demon as he follows her through Hell.
The Bad Ones
by Melissa AlbertAuthor Melissa Albert returns with The Bad Ones, a supernatural horror novel about four mysterious disappearances in a town haunted by a sinister magical history <p><p> Goddess, goddess, count to five In the morning, who’s alive? In the course of a single winter’s night, four people vanish without a trace across a small town. <p><p> Nora’s estranged best friend, Becca, is one of the lost. As Nora tries to untangle the truth of Becca’s disappearance, she discovers a darkness in her town’s past, as well as a string of coded messages Becca left for her to unravel. These clues lead Nora to a piece of local lore: a legendary goddess of forgotten origins who played a role in Nora and Becca’s own childhood games. . . . <p><p> An arresting, crossover horror fantasy threaded with dark magic, The Bad Ones is a poison-pen love letter to semi-toxic best friendship, the occult power of childhood play and artistic creation, and the razor-thin line between make-believe and belief. <p> <b>New York Times Bestseller</b>
Balon-susto (¡BÚ!)
by Jaclyn JaycoxUn niño se despierta con una pequeña marca de mordedura en el brazo. Por la ventana, escucha fuertes ruidos, el traqueteo de cadenas y unos chillidos. Ve como las luces de la cancha de baloncesto brillan bajo la luna llena. Todos los jugadores son velludos, muy velludos . . . ¿Podrían ser hombres lobo? Con capítulos cortos, texto fácil de leer y contenido especial al final de cada libro, la serie Libros que asUUUstan logra dar un nivel de susto justo a los lectores más pequeños (sin quitarles el sueño).
The Beast of Skull Rock (Monsterious #4)
by Matt McMannThis series of terrifying standalone tales that combine monsters + mysteries is perfect for fans of Goosebumps.&“Spine-chilling and creepy!&” —Max Brallier, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Kids on Earth, on Escape From Grimstone Manor (Monsterious, Book 1)Twins Simon and Jade are thrilled to spend the summer with their grandfather in the beachfront resort town of Skull Rock. They're especially looking forward to helping out at his spooky cabinet of curiosities museum, full of creepy old relics, taxidermy specimens, and sinister displays. But lately there have been disturbing reports of store break-ins and sightings of a frightening creature in the area, scaring away the town's much-needed tourists. When the twins hear eerie noises coming from the museum after hours and see strange scratch marks on the door, they decide to investigate. As the creature attacks mount, Jade and Simon begin to suspect the impossible: Could one of their grandfather's museum monstrosities be coming to life each night to prowl the boardwalks of Skull Rock?
Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed
by José Pablo IriarteBenny Ramírez can see dead people . . . Well, one dead person, anyway. A hilarious and heartwarming story about a boy who can suddenly see the ghost of his famous musician grandfather!After moving cross-country into his late grandfather&’s Miami mansion, Benny discovers that the ghost of his famous trumpet-playing abuelo, the great Ignacio Ramírez, is still there . . . and isn&’t too thrilled about it. He&’s been barred from the afterlife, and no one can see him except his grandson. But Benny&’s got problems of his own. He&’s enrolled in a performing arts school with his siblings, despite having no obvious talent. Luckily, Abuelo believes they can help each other. Abuelo has until New Year&’s Eve to do some good in the world and thinks that teaching Benny how to play the trumpet and become a school celebrity might be the key to earning his wings. Having no better ideas, Benny finds himself taking Abuelo's advice—to disastrous and hilarious results. Benny and Abuelo will find that there&’s more than one way to be great in this unforgettable, laugh-out-loud tale of family, music, and self-discovery.
Bite Risk: Caught Dead (Bite Risk Ser.)
by S.J. WillsWelcome back to the Town of the Turned in the smash-hit sequel to Bite Risk. The Rippocalypse turned the whole world upside down, but Rippers are now free, happy and calm once a month… Until they suddenly become uncontrollably angry after Howl Night.
The Black Girl Survives in This One: Horror Stories
by Desiree S. Evans and Saraciea J. FennellINSTANT INDIE BESTSELLER “This anthology makes a statement: Black women belong in horror…Projects like this — brave, necessary — celebrate Black women, and will hopefully inspire the future of the genre.” —The New York Times Book ReviewA YA anthology of horror stories centering Black girls who battle monsters, both human and supernatural, and who survive to the end Be warned, dear reader: The Black girls survive in this one.Celebrating a new generation of bestselling and acclaimed Black writers, The Black Girl Survives in This One makes space for Black girls in horror. Fifteen chilling and thought-provoking stories place Black girls front and center as heroes and survivors who slay monsters, battle spirits, and face down death. Prepare to be terrified and left breathless by the pieces in this anthology.The bestselling and acclaimed authors include Erin E. Adams, Monica Brashears, Charlotte Nicole Davis, Desiree S. Evans, Saraciea J. Fennell, Zakiya Dalila Harris, Daka Hermon, Justina Ireland, L.L. McKinney, Brittney Morris, Maika & Maritza Moulite, Eden Royce, and Vincent Tirado. The foreword is by Tananarive Due.
Bless Your Heart (A Bless Your Heart Novel #1)
by Lindy RyanA crackling mystery-horror novel with big-hearted characters and Southern charm with a bite, Bless Your Heart is a gasp-worthy delight from start to finish from debut author Lindy Ryan. Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny—Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi—the original vampire—are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried. "A gloriously gruesome, compulsively readable debut that is as grizzly as it is clever and heartfelt." - Rachel Harrison
Bodies: The 'It Girl' Book of the Year
by Christine Anne FoleyYou were everything I ever wanted. Johnny was my first. I was seventeen and I was only brave enough to talk to him after I'd had three vodkas. He was only brave enough to kiss me when no-one else was around. Dave was different. We didn't go out or see friends. We were each other's world. Dave was all I needed. We were toxic before it became fashionable. Kyle was my best friend. And that was the problem. Or at least that's what he said was the problem. Because friends can hook up but they can't date.Adam was meant to be some harmless fun. I met him in a hotel and he was wearing an Adidas tracksuit. Casual but cute. He was anything but harmless.And then I met You.And things went from bad to worse.Readers are OBSESSED with Bodies:'Raw, dark and unflinching' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review'Such a powerful read and one I couldn't put down' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review'Loved, loved, loved it [...] I don't want to spoil the story - go and read it for yourself' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader reviewSpeaks the truth of [...] how it is to be a woman in a man's world' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review'A hate letter to the type of men who make it their life's mission to damage, use and abuse women' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review'Heartbreaking, dark and thrilling in equal measures' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reader review
The Bone Hunters: 'An engrossing tale of a woman striving for the recognition she deserves' SUNDAY TIMES
by Joanne Burn'An engrossing tale of a woman striving for the recognition she deserves in the face of male indifference and betrayal' SUNDAY TIMES 'Best historical fiction for February 2024'THE ESSEX SERPENT MEETS AMMONITE IN THE STUNNING HISTORICAL NOVEL EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT:'Singular and astonishing . . . I've never met a character quite like Ada' ANNIE GARTHWAITE'The Bone Hunters has cemented Joanne Burn's place as one of my favourite writers' SONIA VELTON'Joanne Burn is fast becoming my go-to historical fiction writer' EMMA CARROLL'The Bone Hunters is that rare combination . . . beautifully written but also a gripping page-turner' LAURA SHEPPERSON________In 1824, Lyme Regis is as tumultuous as the sea that surrounds it. When twenty-four-year-old Ada Winters - poor, peculiar and brilliant - uncovers a set of unusual fossils on the cliffs, she believes she has found the answer to her scientific frustrations and her family's financial struggles. Meanwhile, Doctor Edwin Moyle has come to Dorset in search of the discovery that will place him amongst the greatest geologists of the age. What he finds instead is a strange young woman who seems to hold the key to everything he desires. But what is the creature that Ada and Edwin seek to unearth? And will it lead them to greatness, or destruction?________'Delicate and beautiful, I loved it' POLLY CROSBY'An extraordinary book . . . I fell in love with Ada from the first page' ELIZABETH LEE'A beautifully written tale of obsession, friendship, betrayal, ambition and love' ROZ WATKINS'So beautifully and brilliantly written. Every word dripped with atmosphere' CAROLE MATTHEWS
The Bone Hunters: 'An engrossing tale of a woman striving for the recognition she deserves' SUNDAY TIMES
by Joanne Burn'An engrossing tale of a woman striving for the recognition she deserves in the face of male indifference and betrayal' SUNDAY TIMES 'Best historical fiction for February 2024'THE ESSEX SERPENT MEETS AMMONITE IN THE STUNNING HISTORICAL NOVEL EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT:'Singular and astonishing . . . I've never met a character quite like Ada' ANNIE GARTHWAITE'The Bone Hunters has cemented Joanne Burn's place as one of my favourite writers' SONIA VELTON'Joanne Burn is fast becoming my go-to historical fiction writer' EMMA CARROLL'The Bone Hunters is that rare combination . . . beautifully written but also a gripping page-turner' LAURA SHEPPERSON________In 1824, Lyme Regis is as tumultuous as the sea that surrounds it. When twenty-four-year-old Ada Winters - poor, peculiar and brilliant - uncovers a set of unusual fossils on the cliffs, she believes she has found the answer to her scientific frustrations and her family's financial struggles. Meanwhile, Doctor Edwin Moyle has come to Dorset in search of the discovery that will place him amongst the greatest geologists of the age. What he finds instead is a strange young woman who seems to hold the key to everything he desires. But what is the creature that Ada and Edwin seek to unearth? And will it lead them to greatness, or destruction?________'Delicate and beautiful, I loved it' POLLY CROSBY'An extraordinary book . . . I fell in love with Ada from the first page' ELIZABETH LEE'A beautifully written tale of obsession, friendship, betrayal, ambition and love' ROZ WATKINS'So beautifully and brilliantly written. Every word dripped with atmosphere' CAROLE MATTHEWS
The Book of Love: A Novel
by Kelly LinkIn the long-awaited first novel from short story virtuoso and Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link, three teenagers become pawns in a supernatural power struggle.&“A heart-wrenching exploration of love and loss.&”—Time &“[Link&’s] pages sing with her trademark fantastical and emotional tropes.&”—Los Angeles Times The Book of Love showcases Kelly Link at the height of her powers, channeling potent magic and attuned to all varieties of love—from friendship to romance to abiding family ties—with her trademark compassion, wit, and literary derring-do. Readers will find joy (and a little terror) and an affirmation that love goes on, even when we cannot.Late one night, Laura, Daniel, and Mo find themselves beneath the fluorescent lights of a high school classroom, almost a year after disappearing from their hometown, the small seaside community of Lovesend, Massachusetts, having long been presumed dead. Which, in fact, they are.With them in the room is their previously unremarkable high school music teacher, who seems to know something about their disappearance—and what has brought them back again. Desperate to reclaim their lives, the three agree to the terms of the bargain their music teacher proposes. They will be given a series of magical tasks; while they undertake them, they may return to their families and friends, but they can tell no one where they&’ve been. In the end, there will be winners and there will be losers.But their resurrection has attracted the notice of other supernatural figures, all with their own agendas. As Laura, Daniel, and Mo grapple with the pieces of the lives they left behind, and Laura&’s sister, Susannah, attempts to reconcile what she remembers with what she fears, these mysterious others begin to arrive, engulfing their community in danger and chaos, and it becomes imperative that the teens solve the mystery of their deaths to avert a looming disaster.Welcome to Kelly Link&’s incomparable Lovesend, where you&’ll encounter love and loss, laughter and dread, magic and karaoke, and some really good pizza.
The Book of Secrets: The dark and dazzling new book from the bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl!
by Anna MazzolaThe thrilling and unputdownable new novel from bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl, Anna Mazzola!'Vividly alive with menace, magic, and mystery' ESSIE FOX'A vivid and atmospheric historical adventure' DAILY MAIL'A writer of great variety and inventiveness. A haunting, complex work' THE TIMES Rome, 1659.Months after the plague has ravaged Rome, men are still dying in unnatural numbers, and rumour has it that their corpses do not decay as they should. The Papal authorities commission prosecutor Stefano Bracchi to investigate, telling him he will need considerable mettle to reach the truth.To the west of the Tiber, Girolama and her female friends are at work, helping other women with childbirths and foretelling their futures. Elsewhere in the city, a young wife, Anna, must find a way to escape her abusive husband. But in a city made by men for men, there are no easy paths out. Stefano's investigation at the Tor di Nona prison will introduce him to horror, magic and an astonishing cast of characters. He will be left wondering if certain deeds should remain forever unpunished...The Book of Secrets is inspired by real events that took place in 17th century Italy.Praise for The Book of Secrets:'Exceptional. Anna Mazzola's finest work yet' ELODIE HARPER'Dark, viscerally-atmospheric and richly-imagined' TAMMY COHEN'Utterly compelling, brilliant and rage-inducing' CAROLINE LEA'Deeply unsettling in all the best ways. Absolutely loved it!' JAMES OSWALD'Compelling and brilliantly atmospheric' ANDREW TAYLOR'Rich and satisfying... another superb historical thriller from Anna Mazzola' CAROLINE GREEN'A hugely entertaining read but also an important one in an era when women's rights are being called into question. Magnificent' LIZ NUGENT'A fascinating, evocative, darkly beautiful story. A compelling tale of female strength & ancient knowledge'HELEN FIELDS'A powerful, perceptive page turner. Feminist historical fiction that is chillingly timely. Bravo!'D V BISHOP'I couldn't put it down. A spectacular insight into life for women in 17th century Rome. I adored it' JULIE OWEN-MOYLAN'A tense and pacy historical thriller that fans of Robert Harris will love. I inhaled this book' TARIQ ASHKANANI'Elegant and compelling writing from an author at the peak of her powers' AJ WEST'A compulsive deep-thinking read, with a message for modern times' CATE QUINN'Passages so lyrical I read them twice. Compelling and poignant. Stunning' RACHEL WOLF'Captivating, haunting and so beautifully wrought' FREYA BERRY'Meticulously researched, beautifully constructed and jam-packed with tension!' REBECCA NETLEY
The Book of Secrets: The dark and dazzling new book from the bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl!
by Anna MazzolaThe thrilling and unputdownable new novel from bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl, Anna Mazzola!'Vividly alive with menace, magic, and mystery' ESSIE FOX'A vivid and atmospheric historical adventure' DAILY MAIL'A writer of great variety and inventiveness. A haunting, complex work' THE TIMES Rome, 1659.Months after the plague has ravaged Rome, men are still dying in unnatural numbers, and rumour has it that their corpses do not decay as they should. The Papal authorities commission prosecutor Stefano Bracchi to investigate, telling him he will need considerable mettle to reach the truth.To the west of the Tiber, Girolama and her female friends are at work, helping other women with childbirths and foretelling their futures. Elsewhere in the city, a young wife, Anna, must find a way to escape her abusive husband. But in a city made by men for men, there are no easy paths out. Stefano's investigation at the Tor di Nona prison will introduce him to horror, magic and an astonishing cast of characters. He will be left wondering if certain deeds should remain forever unpunished...The Book of Secrets is inspired by real events that took place in 17th century Italy.Praise for The Book of Secrets:'Exceptional. Anna Mazzola's finest work yet' ELODIE HARPER'Dark, viscerally-atmospheric and richly-imagined' TAMMY COHEN'Utterly compelling, brilliant and rage-inducing' CAROLINE LEA'Deeply unsettling in all the best ways. Absolutely loved it!' JAMES OSWALD'Compelling and brilliantly atmospheric' ANDREW TAYLOR'Rich and satisfying... another superb historical thriller from Anna Mazzola' CAROLINE GREEN'A hugely entertaining read but also an important one in an era when women's rights are being called into question. Magnificent' LIZ NUGENT'A fascinating, evocative, darkly beautiful story. A compelling tale of female strength & ancient knowledge'HELEN FIELDS'A powerful, perceptive page turner. Feminist historical fiction that is chillingly timely. Bravo!'D V BISHOP'I couldn't put it down. A spectacular insight into life for women in 17th century Rome. I adored it' JULIE OWEN-MOYLAN'A tense and pacy historical thriller that fans of Robert Harris will love. I inhaled this book' TARIQ ASHKANANI'Elegant and compelling writing from an author at the peak of her powers' AJ WEST'A compulsive deep-thinking read, with a message for modern times' CATE QUINN'Passages so lyrical I read them twice. Compelling and poignant. Stunning' RACHEL WOLF'Captivating, haunting and so beautifully wrought' FREYA BERRY'Meticulously researched, beautifully constructed and jam-packed with tension!' REBECCA NETLEY
The Book of Thorns
by Hester Fox&“Combining history, the occult, human greed, and a touch of feminism, this is a fine addition to the gothic genre.&” —ALA's Booklist on The Last Heir to Blackwood LibraryHester Fox delivers an enchanting tale of secrets, betrayal, and magic!Penniless and stranded in France after a bid to escape her cruel uncle goes awry, Cornelia Shaw is far from the Parisian life of leisure she imagined. Desperate and lacking options, she allows herself to be recruited to Napoleon&’s Grande Armée. As a naturalist, her near-magical ability to heal any wound with herbal mixtures invites awe amongst the soldiers…and suspicion. For behind Cornelia&’s vast knowledge of the natural world is a secret she keeps hidden—the flowers speak to her through a mysterious connection she has felt since childhood. One that her mother taught her to heed, before she disappeared.Then, as Napoleon&’s army descends on Waterloo, the flowers sing to her of a startling revelation: a girl who bears a striking resemblance to Cornelia. A girl she almost remembers—her sister, lost long ago, who seems to share the same gifts. Determined to reunite with Lijsbeth despite being on opposite sides of the war, Cornelia is drawn into a whirlwind of betrayal, secrets, and lies. Brought together by fate and magic at the peak of the war, the sisters try to uncover the key to the source of the power that connects them as accusations of witchcraft swirl and threaten to destroy the very lives they&’ve fought for.Look for these other gothic mysteries from Hester Fox: The Last Heir to Blackwood Library The Witch of Willow Hall The Orphan of Cemetery Hill The Widow of Pale Harbor A Lullaby for Witches
A Botanical Daughter
by Noah MedlockMexican Gothic meets The Lie Tree by way of Oscar Wilde and Mary Shelley in this delightfully witty horror debut.A captivating tale of two Victorian gentlemen hiding their relationship away in a botanical garden who embark on a Frankenstein-style experiment with unexpected consequences.It is an unusual thing, to live in a botanical garden. But Simon and Gregor are an unusual pair of gentlemen. Hidden away in their glass sanctuary from the disapproving tattle of Victorian London, they are free to follow their own interests without interference. For Simon, this means long hours in the dark basement workshop, working his taxidermical art. Gregor&’s business is exotic plants – lucrative, but harmless enough. Until his latest acquisition, a strange fungus which shows signs of intellect beyond any plant he&’s seen, inspires him to attempt a masterwork: true intelligent life from plant matter.Driven by the glory he&’ll earn from the Royal Horticultural Society for such an achievement, Gregor ignores the flaws in his plan: that intelligence cannot be controlled; that plants cannot be reasoned with; and that the only way his plant-beast will flourish is if he uses a recently deceased corpse for the substrate.The experiment – or Chloe, as she is named – outstrips even Gregor&’s expectations, entangling their strange household. But as Gregor&’s experiment flourishes, he wilts under the cost of keeping it hidden from jealous eyes. The mycelium grows apace in this sultry greenhouse. But who is cultivating whom?Told with wit and warmth, this is an extraordinary tale of family, fungus and more than a dash of bloody revenge from an exciting new voice in queer horror.
Brat: A Novel
by Gabriel SmithA Library Science Book Club pick • Named a must-read by Chicago Review of Books and Town & Country&“Messy with glitched realities and body horror, Brat breathes the same thrillingly claustrophobic air as Inland Empire and Ubik. It&’s a skin-shedding ouroboros of grief and laughter, and the most brain-melting British debut I&’ve read in ages.&” —Ed Park, author of Same Bed Different DreamsFrom a provocative new literary talent, a hilarious and haunted novel featuring an unlikable protagonist grappling with grief, inheritance, and the ghosts of his pastWe meet our ill-tempered protagonist—the story&’s titular &“brat&”—at a low moment, but not yet at rock bottom. The Gabriel of the novel is mourning the death of his father as well as a recent breakup and struggling to finish writing his second book. Alone and aimless, he agrees to move back into his parents&’ house to clear it out for sale. Here, the clichés end.Gabriel has trouble delivering on his promises: as the moldy, overgrown house deteriorates around him, so does his own health, and large sheets of his skin begin to peel from his body at a terrifying rate. In fragments and figments, Gabriel takes us on a surreal journey into the mysteries of the family home, where he finds unfinished manuscripts written by his parents that seem to mutate every time he picks them up and a bizarre home video that hints at long-buried secrets.Strange people and figures emerge—perhaps directly from the novel&’s embedded fictions—and despite his compromised state (and his more successful brother&’s growing frustration) Gabriel is determined to try to make sense of these hauntings. Part ghost story, part grief story, flirting with the autofictional mode while sitting squarely in the tradition of the gothic, Brat crackles with deadpan humor and delightfully taut prose.Gabriel Smith&’s arrival heralds the next generation of fiction writers—formally inventive, influenced by the rhythms of the internet, and infused with a particularly Gen Z sense of alienation. Irreverent and boundary-pushing, but not for its own sake, the novel that follows is muscular yet lyrical, riddled with paradox, and told with a truly rare and compelling clarity of voice. Brat is a serious debut that refuses to take itself too seriously.
BRAT: A Ghost Story
by Gabriel Smith&“Gabriel Smith has written a truly unique and surprising book. He is the rarest thing: a distinctive stylist on the line and structure level. Brat is so strange and so funny. I laughed a lot while reading.&” Rachel Connolly, author of Lazy City 'Iconic', Radio 1 'i've never heard of you. good luck with your book tho !' Charli XCX on X, formerly TwitterI was in the waiting room. Then I was in the examination room. Gabriel&’s skin is falling off. His dad is dead. He owes his editor a novel. His girlfriend won&’t answer his calls. Tasked by his horribly well-adjusted brother with clearing out the family home for sale, Gabriel&’s sanity quickly begins to unravel. His parents&’ old manuscripts appear to change each time he reads them. A bizarre home video hints at long-buried secrets. And there&’s a hideous man in the garden. Disquieting and hilarious, taut yet lyrical, blisteringly-paced but formally inventive, Brat is a mediation on grief, art and love that will leave you altered, breathless and desperate for more. From a stunningly original new talent, this is a debut novel unlike anything you have read before. &“Messy with glitched realities and body horror, Brat breathes the same thrillingly claustrophobic air as Inland Empire and Ubik. It&’s a skin-shedding ouroboros of grief and laughter, and the most brain-melting British debut I&’ve read in ages.&” Ed Park, author of Same Bed Different Dreams &“Gabriel Smith&’s prose is like if Joan Didion and Shirley Jackson took Xanax and used the internet. Brat is a sharp, eerie, confident debut about grief, memory, art, and so much more. Smith is a major new talent.&” Jordan Castro, author of The Novelist &“Gabriel Smith&’s jauntily creepy and hilarious tale of a grief-stalked scapegrace&’s sloughing-off and regeneration of selves in the filial murk of a moldering homestead is a Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man for a new, quaking generation. Brat will unnerve and seduce you.&” Garielle Lutz, author of Worsted
The Briar Book of the Dead
by A. G. SlatterSet in the same universe as the acclaimed All the Murmuring Bones and The Path of Thorns (one of Oprah Daily's Top 25 Fantasy Novels of 2022), this beautifully told Gothic fairy tale of ghosts, witches, deadly secrets and past sins, will be perfect for fans of Hannah Whitten and Ava Reid.Ellie Briar is the first non-witch to be born into her family for generations. The Briar family of witches run the town of Silverton, caring for its inhabitants with their skills and magic. In the usual scheme of things, they would be burnt for their sorcery, but the church has given them dispensation in return for their protection of the borders of the Darklands, where the much-feared Leech Lords hold sway. Ellie is being trained as a steward, administering for the town, and warding off the insistent interest of the church. When her grandmother dies suddenly, Ellie&’s cousin Audra rises to the position of Briar Witch, propelling Ellie into her new role. As she navigates fresh challenges, an unexpected new ability to see and speak to the dead leads her to uncover sinister family secrets, stories of burnings, lost grimoires and evil spells. Reeling from one revelation to the next, she seeks answers from the long dead and is forced to decide who to trust, as a devastating plot threatens to destroy everything the Briar witches have sacrificed so much to build.Told in the award-winning author's trademark gorgeous, addictive prose, this is an intricately woven tale of a family of witches struggling against the bonds of past sins and persecution.
The Butcher of the Forest
by Premee Mohamed"A perfect mix of horror and fantasy."—The New York Times“The Butcher of the Forest” shows exactly why Mohamed is one of fantasy’s rising stars."—The Washington Post"The Grimm brothers can’t hold a candle to Premee Mohamed and her fever dream of a fantasy novella."—PolygonA world-weary woman races against the clock to survive a deadly forest in this dark, otherworldly fairytale from Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning author Premee Mohamed.At the northern edge of a land ruled by a merciless foreign tyrant lies a wild, forbidden forest ruled by powerful magic.Veris Thorn—the only one to ever enter the forest and survive—is forced to go back inside to retrieve the tyrant's missing children. Inside await traps and trickery, ancient monsters, and hauntings of the past.One day is all Veris is afforded. One misstep will cost everything.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Calvaria Fell: Stories
by Kaaron Warren Cat SparksCalvaria Fell is a stunning collaborative collection of weird tales from two acclaimed authors, Kaaron Warren and Cat Sparks. It features previously published stories from both authors, along with a new novella by Kaaron Warren and four new stories by Cat Sparks.The collection offers a glimpse into a chilling future world that is similar to our own. Readers will be drawn into experiences at once familiar and bizarre, where our choices have far-reaching consequences and the environment is a force to be reckoned with.The title of the collection tethers these stories to a shared space. The calvaria is the top part of the skull, comprising five plates that fuse together in the first few years of life. Story collections work like this; disparate parts melding together to make a robust and sturdy whole. The calvaria tree, also known as the dodo tree, adapted to being eaten by the now-extinct dodo bird; its seeds need to pass through the bird' s digestive tract in order to germinate. In a similar way, the stories in Calvaria Fell reflect the idea of adaptation and the consequences of our actions in a changing world.Calvaria Fell is a haunting and thought-provoking collection that will linger in readers' minds long after the final page has been turned.
Camp Sylvania: Moon Madness (Camp Sylvania)
by Julie Murphy Crystal MaldonadoFrom Julie Murphy, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’, and acclaimed coauthor Crystal Maldonado comes the sequel to the hilarious and creepy middle grade summer-camp story—this time featuring werewolves! Last year, Maggie and Nora didn’t exactly get the summer of their dreams. Instead, they had to survive a camp run by a covert clan of vampires. But this year, Camp Sylvania is back and under new management—gentle, hippie-dippie Luna Lupowski. So the girls are convinced to give camp another try.All Nora wants is an unforgettable experience with her best friend. But it’s hard to have fun with Maggie fixated on all things otherworldly—and spending time with Logan, the boy she met at camp last year.When creepy things start happening, Maggie insists on investigating. But Nora has found an interest of her own—the strange effects of Luna’s homemade “moon water.” It removes zits, adds lustrous shine to hair, and even seems to straighten teeth! No braces? No problem!It isn’t long before the girls are caught up in another supernatural adventure. But when their friends find themselves in danger, can Maggie and Nora put their differences aside to save them? Is it possible to just have one normal summer, please?