Horror - Zeno Agency Ltd.

Grady Hendrix’s WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS is Out Now in the UK!

Posted on Thursday, January 16th, 2025

The wait is finally over: WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, the highly-anticipated latest, twisted Southern Gothic horror from Grady Hendrix, is out now in the UK! Published by Tor Nightfire, here’s the synopsis…

‘I did an evil thing to be put in here, and I’m going to have to do an evil thing to get out.’

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.

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. 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.

Every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. 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.

The novel is also available in a signed, special Waterstones edition…

… and also a special Black Crow Books edition, which has these incredible end-papers and sprayed edges…

Here are just a few of the early responses to the novel…

‘This book is so twisted and smart, it could hide behind a spiral staircase. It’s got such a warm beating heart, and it broke mine several times. As soon as I finished, I wanted to start all over again.’ — Catriona Ward, author of The Last House on Needless Street and Nowhere Burning

‘There’s spells, there’s witches, and then there’s the magic Grady Hendrix conjures up in this amazing novel.’ — Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author of I Was a Teenage Slasher

‘A morally complex and genuinely haunting and moving tale. I couldn’t put it down once I started.’ — Paul Tremblay, bestselling author of The Cabin at the End of the World

‘Grady Hendrix’s WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS will delight fans new and old with his convincing rendering of characters juggling pregnancy and magic, childhood and adulthood, helplessness and power – and of course good and evil. Another nail-biter not to be missed!’ — Tananarive Due, author of The Reformatory

Hendrix’s previous two best-selling and highly-acclaimed novels — THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP and HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE — are published in the UK by Titan Books.

Zeno represents Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Simon R. Green’s STONE CERTAINTY is out in Three Weeks!

Posted on Monday, January 13th, 2025

The second novel in the ‘funny, scary and thoroughly entertaining’ Holy Terrors series by Simon R. Green is out in three weeks! Due to be published by Severn House, on February 4th, here’s the synopsis for STONE CERTAINTY…

Dare you enter the stone circle…? The world’s most unlikely ghost-busting duo – actress Diana and handsome young bishop Alistair – are back in this spine-tingling paranormal mystery from New York Times bestselling British fantasy author

There are stories about the dilapidated stone circle at Chipping Amesbury, going back centuries. Of people going missing, never to be seen again. Of people found dead inside the circle. Of monsters, and of demons. The villagers may tell the tales with relish to visiting tourists, but a careful observer will notice that there is no transport to the stones, no tours on offer, and the locals stay well away.

Alistair Kincaid, the youngest ever bishop of All Souls Hollow, is an expert in Britain’s ancient stone circles. That’s why, when landowner Sir Neville Chumley announces his plans to restore the circle to its ancient glory, he agrees to take part in a documentary about the project.

Well – that, plus talented actress Diana Hunt is on board. Ever since their last encounter, when the pair of them hunted ghosts and solved a murder, the tabloids have dubbed them the Holy Terrors, and Alistair can’t wait to see her again.

But soon after filming begins, Alistair and Diana are plunged into a terrifying mystery. For the repositioning of the final stone unleashes a series of blood-chilling events that threaten to make them both believe in demons – if, that is, they make it out of the stone circle alive.

HOLY TERRORS, the first book in the series, is out now. Severn House also publishes Green’s Ishmael Jones and Gideon Sable series.

‘A sleek and appealing […] homage to vintage whodunits.’ — Kirkus Reviews

‘Perceptive and witty… Great fun’ — Booklist

‘THE HOLY TERRORS is a great haunted house type story…I was immersed in the scenes so much, it hooked me in… It’s enjoyable. It’s fun. Great characters and very fast paced.’ — The Honest Book Reviewer

‘Although the Bishop and the Actress certainly are [charming], and their increasing charm with each other does help carry readers along.’ — Reading Reality

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Grady Hendrix’s WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS out in Three Weeks!

Posted on Monday, December 23rd, 2024

In three weeks, Tor Nightfire are going to publish WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, the highly-anticipated latest, twisted Southern Gothic horror from Grady Hendrix! Here’s the synopsis…

‘I did an evil thing to be put in here, and I’m going to have to do an evil thing to get out.’

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.

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. 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.

Every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. 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.

The novel will also be available in a signed, special Waterstones edition…

… and also a special Black Crow Books edition, which will have these incredible end-papers and sprayed edges…

Here are just a few of the early responses to the novel…

‘This book is so twisted and smart, it could hide behind a spiral staircase. It’s got such a warm beating heart, and it broke mine several times. As soon as I finished, I wanted to start all over again.’ — Catriona Ward, author of The Last House on Needless Street and Nowhere Burning

‘There’s spells, there’s witches, and then there’s the magic Grady Hendrix conjures up in this amazing novel.’ — Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author of I Was a Teenage Slasher

‘A morally complex and genuinely haunting and moving tale. I couldn’t put it down once I started.’ — Paul Tremblay, bestselling author of The Cabin at the End of the World

‘Grady Hendrix’s WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS will delight fans new and old with his convincing rendering of characters juggling pregnancy and magic, childhood and adulthood, helplessness and power – and of course good and evil. Another nail-biter not to be missed!’ — Tananarive Due, author of The Reformatory

Zeno represents Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Coming Soon: CRADLE OF SECRETS by Jasmine Wigham!

Posted on Friday, December 13th, 2024

Next year, Podium Entertainment are due to publish the debut gothic fantasy novel from Jasmine Wigham! CRADLE OF SECRETS, the first in a new series, will available in the UK and North America from May 6th, 2025, is print, eBook, and audiobook (read by Tim Campbell). It’s ‘a perfect blend of fantasy, romance, and paranormal mystery’, and is sure to appeal to ‘fans of Bridgerton and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’.

Here’s the synopsis…

When an intrepid American with a dark past becomes a hired gun for a mysterious woman in London, he’s shocked to discover a world crawling with monsters.

Jem has lied and cheated his way out of America and into the most fashionable circles of Victorian London’s elite. He has almost everything he ever wanted: a beautiful, if gullible, tycoon’s daughter on his arm and a patron who’s willing to fund his lavish lifestyle. But none of it delivers the high he always thought it would. So when a mysterious woman called Felicity appears at a ball and asks him to demonstrate his legendary gunslinger skills, he can’t resist.

But Jem is about to realise the problem with inventing yourself an elaborate adventuring background: it doesn’t hold up very long when you’re confronted with real monsters risen from the grave.

Narrowly escaping with his life, Jem discovers Felicity isn’t all that she appears either. He tries to return to normality, but when tragedy strikes, he’s forced to seek her out at her home, Grimwood Manor, where he finds her surrounded by a motley crew of friends, none of whom seem exactly… human.

Swept up in a world of witches, werewolves, and other creatures that ought not to exist, Jem struggles to keep his dark past buried. But when a string of supernatural murders rocks the human world, he must confront his fears and join forces with his new friends to figure out who’s creating monsters out of men.

The novel is already generating some great pre-publication buzz, and recently received a great review from Kirkus Reviews: ‘High action and intricate plot twists are woven through the magical tapestry that Wigham conjures here, but the real sorcery comes from how she brings the characters and their relationships to vivid life. A spellbinding start to a promising new horror/fantasy series.’

Simon R. Green’s STONE CERTAINTY Out in February 2025!

Posted on Friday, November 29th, 2024

On February 4th, 2025, Severn House are due to published the next Holy Terrors novel by Simon R. Green! STONE CERTAINTY is the second novel in this ‘funny, scary and thoroughly entertaining’ new series; perfect for fans of ‘American Horror Story, The Haunting of Hill House, horror novels, and murder mysteries with a supernatural twist.’ Here’s the synopsis…

Dare you enter the stone circle…? The world’s most unlikely ghost-busting duo – actress Diana and handsome young bishop Alistair – are back in this spine-tingling paranormal mystery from New York Times bestselling British fantasy author

There are stories about the dilapidated stone circle at Chipping Amesbury, going back centuries. Of people going missing, never to be seen again. Of people found dead inside the circle. Of monsters, and of demons. The villagers may tell the tales with relish to visiting tourists, but a careful observer will notice that there is no transport to the stones, no tours on offer, and the locals stay well away.

Alistair Kincaid, the youngest ever bishop of All Souls Hollow, is an expert in Britain’s ancient stone circles. That’s why, when landowner Sir Neville Chumley announces his plans to restore the circle to its ancient glory, he agrees to take part in a documentary about the project.

Well – that, plus talented actress Diana Hunt is on board. Ever since their last encounter, when the pair of them hunted ghosts and solved a murder, the tabloids have dubbed them the Holy Terrors, and Alistair can’t wait to see her again.

But soon after filming begins, Alistair and Diana are plunged into a terrifying mystery. For the repositioning of the final stone unleashes a series of blood-chilling events that threaten to make them both believe in demons – if, that is, they make it out of the stone circle alive.

HOLY TERRORS, the first book in the series, is out now. Severn House also publishes Green’s Ishmael Jones and Gideon Sable series.

‘A sleek and appealing […] homage to vintage whodunits.’ — Kirkus Reviews

‘Perceptive and witty… Great fun’ — Booklist

‘THE HOLY TERRORS is a great haunted house type story…I was immersed in the scenes so much, it hooked me in… It’s enjoyable. It’s fun. Great characters and very fast paced.’ — The Honest Book Reviewer

‘Although the Bishop and the Actress certainly are [charming], and their increasing charm with each other does help carry readers along.’ — Reading Reality

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Grady Hendrix Boxset out now in the UK!

Posted on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024

Titan Books has published a new boxset from Grady Hendrix! Collecting two of his bestselling novels — THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP and HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE — it’s out now! Here’s the synopsis…

Two of Grady Hendrix’s most beloved horror novels, collected together for the first time: The Final Girl Support Group and How to Sell a Haunted House.

Ever wonder what happens to those Final Girls? After the cops eliminate them as suspects, after the press releases their brace-faced, bad-hair-day photos. For Lynette Tarkington, it’s been a support group with five other final girls. Close to twenty years. Today’s the last day for group, and maybe the final day for all of them, because someone’s been planning a nasty surprise for a long time.

When their parents both die in a car accident, Louise and Mark Joyner are devastated but nothing can prepare them for how bad things are about to get. The two siblings are almost totally estranged:. now, however, they don’t have a choice but to get along. They need to get their childhood home on the market as soon as possible, yet the house has morphed into a hoarder’s paradise, and before they died their parents nailed shut the attic door…

Here are some reviews that the two novels have received so far…

‘A wildly entertaining romp through the conventions of horror’s slasher film subgenre…Hendrix masterfully evokes the paranoid existences of his diverse cast in the aftermath of their traumatic ordeals, and he so explicitly details the massacres and fictional film sagas that grew out of them that readers may believe them to be real. The result is a wonderfully suspenseful and darkly comic novel that cleverly subverts popular culture.Horror fans will be wowed.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP

‘Hendrix presents yet another thought-provoking, fun, and chilling winner.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review) on THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP

‘A bloody and grotesque but ultimately entertaining and inspiring take on horror movies, trauma, and self-determination.’ — Kirkus on THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP

‘[An] entertaining, fast-paced, and darklyhumorous novel that reads like a sequel to a spooky ’80s horror flick.’ — Booklist on THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP

‘A savvy summer slasher.’ — USA Today on THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP

‘Hendrix’s cinematic knowledge is deployed with skill, and it’s not necessary to be a fan of slasher movies to enjoy this very clever, gleefully violent, self-aware deconstruction of the genre.’ — The Guardian on THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP

‘Hendrix’s horror novels are a gateway drug to the genre…. By weaving violence, family trauma and humor, Hendrix creates a texture that engages the reader emotionally and viscerally.’ — New York Times on HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE

‘Hendrix is a contemporary horror master, and the combination of profound storytelling and unapologetic, campy gore he delivers here will surely have horror fans reading with a gleeful smile on their faces.’ — NPR on HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE

‘A must-have for any library that will appeal to a broad audience. Hendrix is a best-seller for a reason, and this new novel shows he is only getting better with age.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review) on HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE

‘With strong connections to twenty-first century classics […] Hendrix’s book sets the high watermark for horror in 2023.’ — Booklist (Starred Review) on HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE

‘Grief, generational trauma, and some sinister puppets animate this wildly entertaining haunted house tale from bestseller Hendrix […] This is a gem.’ — Publishers Weekly on HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE

Zeno represents Grady Hendrix in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Upcoming Catelyn Wilson Event at Waterstones Leeds!

Posted on Wednesday, October 16th, 2024

On October 28th, Waterstones in Leeds will be ‘hosting a spooky panel’ with Catelyn Wilson!

Catelyn will be joining Frances White, Sarah Pinborough, and Sunyi Davis for a discussion about their novels and more!

This is a ticketed event, so be sure to book as soon as you can! Full details, etc., here.

ALL THE DEVILS is published in the UK by Michael Joseph Books. Here’s what Waterstones has to say about the book…

A deliciously macabre slice of dark academia set at the sinister Ravenswood Academy, All the Devils sees a plethora of deadly lies, cover-ups and ancient magic conspire to thwart Andy’s investigation into her sister’s mysterious demise.

And the official synopsis is as follows…

STEP INSIDE THE DARK ACADEMIA NOVEL WHICH HAS EVERYONE TALKING THIS SPOOKY SEASON

Hell is empty and all the devils are at Ravenswood Academy…

Mourning the sudden death of her sister, Andy Emmerson knows she must come to terms with a life without Violet. But on the day of the funeral Andy is shocked to discover one thing: the person in that casket is not her sister.

Is Violet alive?

Convinced her sister’s elite boarding school is covering up the truth, Andy enrols at Ravenswood Academy to discover what really happened and find Violet.

The school is as beautiful and haunting as the students within it and Andy learns that it’s not just good grades that drives these pupils.

Something much darker is at play.

After discovering a cryptic note from her sister, Andy must follow a set of clues to unlock the truth. This will bring her into contact with secret societies, ancient magic, demons and monsters. And a charming senior named Jae Han who has his own reasons for finding out what happened to Violet…

Soon Andy realizes the price she must pay to bring her sister home is darker and more dangerous than she ever could have imagined.

‘ALL THE DEVILS is eerie, intense, and mysterious with immersive world building and mythology. The fast pace kept me turning pages, and I’d follow Jae pretty much anywhere.’ — Stacia Stark, bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series

‘A deliciously dark and atmospheric read. I tore through this gothic tale of a sister’s love and the monsters she will face to unearth the shocking truth.’ — Frances White

Zeno represents Catelyn Wilson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER UK Paperback edition Out Now!

Posted on Thursday, October 10th, 2024

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER, the latest acclaimed and Locus Award finalist novel by Tim Powers, is now available in a new UK paperback edition! Published by AdAstra/Head of Zeus, here’s the synopsis…

Howarth, 1846.

In a parsonage at the edge of the moors, a widowed rector lives with his family: three daughters and their dissolute brother, Bramwell.

Though the future will celebrate Charlotte, Emily and Anne, right now they are unknown, their genius concealed. In just a few short years they will all be dead, and it will be middle sister Emily’s chance encounter with a grievously wounded man on the moor that sets them on the path to their doom.

For there is an ancient pagan secret haunting the moors, a dark inheritance in the family bloodline and something terrible buried under an ogham-inscribed slab in the church. Not only are their lives at stake, but their very souls.

My Brother’s Keeper is an atmospheric gothic novel that mixes diabolical hatred and vengeance with the supreme power of love to conjure dark magic from the tragic fate of the Brontë sisters.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novel has received so far…

‘[A]n impressive mash-up of literary biography and werewolf lore… Through all the supernatural drama, the shifting family dynamic remains the heart of the story and their domestic travails prove just as harrowing as any paranormal showdown. The result is a treat for Powers’s fans and Brontë lovers alike.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘MY BROTHER’S KEEPER is at its strongest when deftly mixing real-world biography with the stuff of horror… an eerie period piece perfectly well-suited to darkening October nights.’ — Wall Street Journal

‘… a joltingly good read… It’s all here: the wuthering wind, the vicarage, the three genius daughters and their useless brother… Powers brilliantly weaves through the hallowed family history a tale of ancient Irish curses, consumptive ghosts, fairylands and a werewolf cult that is blighting the North Country. It’s gruesome, gripping stuff as the fearless Emily, aided by her dog Pilot, forces her family to confront uncomfortable truths and lay a curse to rest.’ — Daily Mail (UK)

‘Combines the Brontës, a mysterious cult and werewolves… run, don’t walk, to your bookstore for this decadent Gothic bonbon.’ — Silvia Moreno-Garcia

‘A masterly, compelling, and moving tale that places Tim Powers among the greatest fantasy writers of his or any generation. Countless novels have involved the Brontë family, but none would so surely please and enchant them as this one. MY BROTHER’S KEEPER is a pure delight.’ — Dean Koontz

‘The world of the Brontes and the supernatural feel like natural bedfellows the way that Powers writes them… has the feel of a good Sherlock Holmes tale.’ — SF Book Review

Tim Powers is the author of a great many acclaimed science fiction and fantasy novels. The author’s Fault Lines trilogy is published by Gollancz, as part of their Fantasy Masterworks series; other novels of his have been published in the UK by Corvus.

Out Now: THE WILDING by Ian McDonald!

Posted on Thursday, September 26th, 2024

THE WILDING, Ian McDonald‘s highly-anticipated new novel (a stand-alone) is out today in the UK! Published by Gollancz, here’s the synopsis…

Five kids are on a sleepover in a restored wilderness project in Ireland. With them, three teachers and one Ranger: Lisa. She is 26, longing to leave her job, out of her depth and soon to find herself mired in a nightmare.

Strange things have been happening at Lough Carrow, a vast rewilding project on the site of a former commercial peat-bog. Livestock mutilations. Rumours, myths from the neighbouring villages. Strange, unidentifiable tracks. On the trek in to the sleepover site they sight animals that have not yet been introduced to the park – wolves, wolverines, things older. Things thought long extinct.

As they near the centre of the wilding a boy realises he’s forgotten his meds. A teacher volunteers to take him back to the visitor centre. Sure, what could go wrong?

That night the camp is attacked. A teacher is dragged away. Lisa’s group is marooned in the wild. It is night, the four remaining kids are terrified, they need to get back to the ARK, but the wilderness seems to be playing with time and distance and something is out there. Something hungry and hunting…

THE WILDING was recently reviewed by the Irish Times, called ‘a sharp thriller with a healthy dose of folk horror… With strong characterisation, a deep sense of place and real wit… entertaining and often surprising.’

Ian McDonald is the author of a great many acclaimed and award-winning novels and series. His most recent works are the stand-alone novel HOPELAND, and the Luna series — both published by Gollancz in the UK, and Tor Books in North America.

Paperback edition of MY BROTHER’S KEEPER by Tim Powers out in Three Weeks!

Posted on Wednesday, September 18th, 2024

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER, the latest acclaimed novel by Tim Powers, and 2024 Locus Award finalist, will be available in a new paperback edition in three weeks! To be published by AdAstra/Head of Zeus on October 10th, here’s the synopsis…