S. M. Hallow's THE HALLS OF THE DEAD, a queer, gothic romance set in Victorian London, in which a woman who has dedicated her life to protecting the necromantic secrets held in sentient grimoires bound with human skin brings her murdered beloved back to life with dire consequences, to David Pomerico at Harper Voyager, in a two-book deal, for publication spring 2026.
It’s a romance. It’s a dark fantasy. It’s a Christmas horror story. It’s a righteous fury revenge quest against oppressive systems of power. It’s about love lasting longer than death. It’s got an angry wet cat of a woman with chronic pain, a resurrected woman who can't stop eating raw meat, and an undead monk from the 1400s who's full of bugs. Did I mention they're an OT3?
If you want a story featuring feminine/queer/disabled rage, necromancy as a religion, the "come back wrong" trope expanded into a prophecy, with body horror and ghosts and childhood trauma, put THE HALLS OF THE DEAD on your TBR. Coming spring 2026 from HarperCollins!
Teaser trailer courtesy of my wonderful friend @izzybleep with audio done by @bippity-boppity-bullshit !