We’re very happy to share the news (in case you missed it) that WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Grady Hendrix has won the 2025 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel! Published in the UK by Tor Books, here’s the synopsis…
In this twisted, unforgettable horror novel, a group of young girls turn to a dark, ancient magic. From Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group.
They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.
And where every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them.
Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. There, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament.
There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to keep her baby and escape to a commune. Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.
Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely.
There’s always a price to be paid . . . and it’s usually paid in blood.
Many congratulations, Grady! Here are just a few of the great reviews the novel has received…
‘Hendrix’s genius as a horror writer is his ability to develop complex, human-scale emotional arcs. He gilds these dramas with a glorious, gory layer of monsters and magic, but in his work, the uncanny exists primarily to symbolize real-world issues… At turns frightening, anxiety-producing, infuriating, beautiful and sad, WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS is a perfect horror for our imperfect age.’ — New York Times
‘Another stellar novel from Hendrix, a perfectly constructed story that has a strong emotional core, compelling plot, unforgettable characters, and 360 degrees of terror. For fans of horror that empowers the powerless as written by Gwendolyn Kiste and Gabino Iglesias and by Tananarive Due in The Reformatory (2023).’ — Booklist (Starred Review)
‘Hendrix offers an utterly engaging commentary on society and why things are viewed as right versus wrong, along with a generous dollop of magic.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)
‘A pulpy throwback that shines a light on abuses even magic can’t erase.’ — Kirkus (Starred Review)
‘Hendrix perfectly captures the girls’ youth and loss of innocence, as well as the power of their friendships. This is sure to be another hit for Hendrix.’ — Publisher’s Weekly
‘I read Hendrix because he writes the sort of horror that does more than terrify and scare; it challenges us to reflect on who we are as a society. WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS is an enormously entertaining novel, populated with characters you love (I was in tears toward the end of the book), but at its heart, it’s a story that argues for compassion and kindness’ — Locus
‘Perfectly pitched and tragically timed, this exploration of the impact of power and control on young women’s bodies also reflects the horror all around us in 2025, even though the story takes place in 1970. Hendrix employs a more empathic tone than usual and it elevates him as much as it does his characters. Great craft.’ — SFX
‘WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS is anger-inducing and utterly compelling. Hendrix delivers a chilling, eye-opening tale that will stick with me for a long time.’ — Fantasy Hive
Zeno represents Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.
