My Darling Dreadful Thing

Johanna Van Veen

Book cover for My Darling Dreadful Thing
Book cover for My Darling Dreadful Thing

My Darling Dreadful Thing

My Darling Dreadful Thing

Johanna Van Veen

View full details

Description

If the dead can wake and walk among us, how can we know what is truly real?

Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth--strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries--is the light of Roos' life. That is, until the wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop visits one of Roos' backroom seances, and the two strike up a connection.

Soon, Roos is whisked away to the crumbling estate Agnes inherited upon the death of her husband, where an ill woman haunts the halls, strange smells drift through the air at night, and mysterious stone statues reside in the family chapel. Something dreadful festers in the manor, but still, the attraction between Roos and Agnes is undeniable.

Then, someone is murdered.

Poor, alone, and with a history of 'hysterics', Roos is the obvious culprit. With her sanity and innocence in question, she'll have to prove who--or what--is at fault or lose everything she holds dear.

Critical Reviews

"A sapphic seance of preternatural proportions, My Darling Dreadful Thing summons a stunning new literary voice to be reckoned with. Johanna van Veen reaches beyond the veil to conjure up a gothic shocker like no other." -- Clay McLeod Chapman, author of What Kind of Mother and Ghost Eaters

"This book got under my skin, all the way down to the marrow. It's as dark as a grave and throbbing with queer desire. I won't forget it." -- Kirsty Logan, author of Now She is Witch

"Dark and decadent, with the haunting allure of a true gothic tale, My Darling Dreadful Thing is a sensation that horrifies as acutely as it delights. Johanna Van Veen is a force to be reckoned with and will stain your thoughts a brilliant shade of crimson. I adored every page." -- Rachel Gillig, New York Times bestselling author of One Dark Window

"My Darling Dreadful Thing is an unabashed Gothic treat, with a plot that propels you with restless, creeping logic towards its brutal conclusion. Van Veen's imagery is lushly cinematic, evoking the very best work of Guillermo del Toro. This is a delicious novel." -- William Friend, author of Let Him In

"My Darling Dreadful Thing is a disquieting delight--an exciting and original gothic tale, told with tremendous flair." -- Cherie Priest, author of The Drowning House

Goodreads Members' Most Anticipated Books of 2024

Goodreads Most Anticipated books in May

Goodreads Most Anticipated Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror books

Goodreads 58 biggest books of Spring

CrimeReads 15 horror novels to look out for in 2024

Novel Suspects Most anticipated novels 2024

Polygon Must-Read books of 2024

She Reads Most Anticipated Horror of Summer 2024

Publishing Information

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Pub date: 2024-05-14
Length: 384 pages

The Allstora Membership

Membership Perks:

  • Save 30% on all online store purchases
  • Exclusive access to author's content
  • You pay less, but authors still earn double

Membership Terms:

First Month: $0.00
Monthly price: $5.00
  • To access membership discount simply log in and add to cart, discount applied automatically.
  • One month free trial, cancel anytime. Membership renews on the 15th of each month.

WE LOVE IT