Description

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Goodreads Most Anticipated Horror of 2024

"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." 

— Rachel Gillig, New York Times bestselling author of One Dark Window 

Spirits are drawn to salt, be it blood or tears.

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.

"A Sapphic séance 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

About the Author

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JOHANNA VAN VEEN grew up in the Netherlands with her two sisters. She received an MA in English Literature with a specialization in early modern literature, as well as an MA Book and Digital Media with a specialization in early modern book history. She enjoys spending time with her girlfriend, her sisters, and her dog, though not necessarily all at the same time.     

Praise For…

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Goodreads Members' Most Anticipated Books of 2024

"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

"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

"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