Something darker than the devil stalks the North Carolina woods—and it has a taste for human flesh.
‘Wolf Worm is going to burrow straight into your brain‘ – Cassandra Khaw, USA Today bestselling author of The Library at Hellebore
Something darker than the devil stalks the North Carolina woods in Wolf Worm, an original gothic masterpiece from Sunday Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher.
Perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling.
If you have yet to experience the unique literary alchemy of T. Kingfisher, prepare to have your mind thoroughly and delightfully unsettled. The author has carved out a distinct niche in the world of dark fantasy and horror. Known for her Hugo and Nebula Award-winning ability to blend folksy charm with genuine, visceral terror, Kingfisher has a knack for making readers laugh on one page and squirm with revulsion on the next.
Her previous works, such as the Sworn Soldier series, beginning with What Moves the Dead (a retelling of “The Fall of the House of Usher”), and the Southern Gothic chills of The Hollow Places and A House with Good Bones, have cemented her reputation as a titan of modern horror. She consistently delivers narratives where the mundane world is pierced by the bizarre, often featuring protagonists who are intelligent, relatable, and utterly unprepared for the cosmic or folkloric horrors they encounter.
Now, Kingfisher transports readers to the fading grandeur of 1899 North Carolina for her latest gothic masterpiece, Wolf Worm. This time, the terror is not just supernatural, but deeply biological. The novel follows Sonia Wilson, a scientific illustrator whose lack of prospects leads her to accept a position from the reclusive Dr. Halder at his isolated manor house. Her task: to illustrate his vast collection of insects. It is a seemingly perfect opportunity for a woman of her skills, but as with any Kingfisher story, the idyllic facade is merely a veil for the abyss.
What can readers expect from Wolf Worm? Based on the early buzz and the author’s established style, we can anticipate a slow-burning descent into madness, with the lines between scientific inquiry and monstrous obsession blurring. Endorsed by heavyweights like Cassandra Khaw and Olivie Blake, the book is being heralded for its ability to be “lovely, even sweet, while simultaneously nauseating, grizzly, and revolting.”
This perfectly encapsulates the “Kingfisher effect”, a story that feels cosy and grounded until you realise the ground is writhing beneath your feet. For those who loved the haunted atmosphere of Mexican Gothic or the creeping dread of The Death of Jane Lawrence, Wolf Worm is poised to be your next literary obsession, proving once again that the darkest evils often have the most beautiful and terrifying life cycles.
Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher
‘Wolf Worm is going to burrow straight into your brain‘ – Cassandra Khaw, USA Today bestselling author of The Library at Hellebore
Something darker than the devil stalks the North Carolina woods in Wolf Worm, an original gothic masterpiece from Sunday Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher.
Perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling.
The year is 1899 and Sonia Wilson is a scientific illustrator without work, prospects or hope. When the reclusive Dr. Halder offers her a position illustrating his vast collection of insects, Sonia jumps at the chance to move to his North Carolina manor house and put her talents to use.
But soon enough she finds that there are darker things at work in the Carolina woods.
What happened to her predecessor, Halder’s wife?
Why are animals acting so strangely?
And what is behind the peculiar local whispers about ‘blood thieves’?
With the aid of the housekeeper and a local healer, Sonia discovers that Halder’s entomological studies have taken him down a dark road full of parasitic maggots that burrow into human flesh – and that his monstrous experiments may grow to encompass his newest illustrator . . .
‘Only T. Kingfisher can write horror this lovely, even sweet, while simultaneously nauseating, grizzly, and revolting’ – Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six
T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon, an author from North Carolina. In another life, she writes children’s books and weird comics. She has been nominated for the World Fantasy and the Eisner, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, Nebula, Alfie, WSFA, Coyotl and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups. Her work includes multiple fairy-tale retellings and odd little stories about elves and goblins.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
www.redwombatstudio.com
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