"This gorgeously atmospheric, heartrending and deeply ominous book stuck in me like a splinter from the moment I picked it up. The brilliantly complex relationship between the two sisters was perfectly realised, as was the isolation of the lighthouse keeper's life; and I've never made a deal with the devil, but I'm pretty sure this book perfectly captures the temptation and frustration and addictive power of that, too. Also, if you saw me crying at the end, no you didn't. Much like a certain lighthouse keeper, A Fate Worse Than Drowning and its vivid characters will haunt me for a long time." -- Hester Steel, author of The Faceless Thing We Adore

"Hawthorn strikes the perfect gothic balance, with the delicious tension and growing dread juxtaposed against the sweet joy of blossoming romance." -- Kelley Armstrong, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Sarah L. Hawthorn delights with her salt-soaked debut A Fate Worse Than Drowning, a seductive and infernal hymn of dread, love, and damnation. Set in a lonely Nova Scotian lighthouse, this tale of souls and sisterhood gone wrong is a tribute to the haunted tides of the east coast, adding queer, feminist flair to maritime stories of ghosts, devils, and the power of the sea. As stylish as it is wicked, full of tenderness and pain, A Fate Worse Than Drowning pulls you beneath the surface and leaves you gasping for air." -- Elliott Gish, author of Grey Dog

"Sarah L. Hawthorn transports readers to the windswept shoreline of Devils Island, Nova Scotia in this darkly atmospheric debut. With prose both sharp and lyrical, A Fate Worse Than Drowning asks us how far we'll go to protect the ones we cherish most from the world's cruelties. From the very first line, Hawthorn's debut takes us readers by the throat and doesn't let go until we reach its stunning conclusion. Told in Elle and Liney's alternating points-of-view, this beautiful novel underscores how powerful love can be as both a protective and destructive force--and how easily the former can teeter into the latter. Just as Hawthorn's Pratterman devours souls, I absolutely devoured this book. I can't wait to see what else Sarah has in store!" -- Shannon Ives, author of Those Fatal Flowers

"What if a lighthouse keeper, rather than shining her light as a beacon of hope in a storm, instead used it to lure unsuspecting ships onto deadly shoals? With lush prose, plenty of danger, and a dash of romance, A Fate Worse Than Drowning explores what it truly means to make a deal with the Devil. Sarah L. Hawthorn spins a fantastical gothic tale of sisterhood, sacrifice, and the sea and asks the ultimate question: Just how far would you go to save a loved one?" -- Juliet Blackwell, New York Times bestselling author of Asylum Hotel and The Séance Garden

"With beautiful prose, sweeping world-building, and bewitching characters, this fresh take on the Faustian bargain delivers ache and hope in equal measure." -- Katrina Monroe, author of Through the Midnight Door

"Hawthorn's debut is a horror-tinged historical fantasy that...shows how love of all kinds can face down hell." -- Library Journal

"The queer romance mixed with horror is a unique genre-bender...Hawthorn

delivers a tale to satisfy a plethora of readers' tastes." -- Booklist

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Pub date: 2026-07-21

Length: 368 pages