Queer horror at a boarding school with a Lovecraftian twist in this new YA novel from E. Latimer, author of the acclaimed The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray.
Northcroft is an elite boarding school with a deadly secret. Each night as the bell tolls and the shutters slam down, cutting off the outside world, the Afterdark descends, turning the surrounding old growth forest into a macabre copy of itself. A negative photograph crawling with horrors.
Evie Laurent is certain of one thing from the moment she sees Holland Morgan on the front steps of Northcroft: she wants to know everything there is to know about her. But there are some things about Evie herself that are better kept secret. Especially the fact that she let her sister drown. And that it's getting harder to ignore her dark impulses . . .
Holland Morgan knows falling for Evie is just one more terrible choice in her long history of terrible choices. The problem is, she's not sure she cares.
As attraction turns slowly to obsession, they find themselves playing a dangerous game. Something out there is calling to each of them. Beckoning to the shadows within.
Do they fight the call and protect one another, or answer and embrace the darkness?
"[A] dark and twisted thriller interspersed with intense and steamy moments of sapphic romance." —Publishers Weekly "With engaging, emotionally charged prose, creative worldbuilding, and defined characterization, Latimer quickly establishes a world of entitlement and corruption. Themes of substance abuse, broken families, and financial privilege all provide the background to a complex and dark supernatural fantasy with angst that teens will find relatable. Baked into the setting, the woods surrounding Northcroft possess a tension and creepiness that creates a realistic suspense and enhances the sense of foreboding present from the very start." —School Library Journal "This slow-burning thriller successfully combines contrasting genres such as romance and body horror to deliver a dark, distorted love story with enough shocking revelations to induce whiplash." —Booklist
"Readers looking for a dark academic read with a hint of sapphic romance will find here a satisfying blend of horror and mystery." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A queer horror/love story exploring themes of female rage, obsession, and the inherent urge of teenage girls to think they're the monsters, The Afterdark takes place in a rich, atmospheric and decaying setting complete with ivy-covered walls, towering, vaulted ceilings, and stained-glass windows. The mystery elements are well-constructed and engaging." —Quebec Library Association
E. LATIMER's breakout success on the online writing platform Wattpad has resulted in a fan base of over 100 thousand followers, with over 20 million combined reads. Her debut novel, The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray, was shortlisted for the OLA Red Maple Award and the Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award, and her second novel, Escape to Witch City, was called a "pulse-pounding adventure" by Publishers Weekly. A former children's bookseller, she is focusing on her writing. She lives in British Columbia with her family
View titles by E. Latimer
Queer horror at a boarding school with a Lovecraftian twist in this new YA novel from E. Latimer, author of the acclaimed The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray.
Northcroft is an elite boarding school with a deadly secret. Each night as the bell tolls and the shutters slam down, cutting off the outside world, the Afterdark descends, turning the surrounding old growth forest into a macabre copy of itself. A negative photograph crawling with horrors.
Evie Laurent is certain of one thing from the moment she sees Holland Morgan on the front steps of Northcroft: she wants to know everything there is to know about her. But there are some things about Evie herself that are better kept secret. Especially the fact that she let her sister drown. And that it's getting harder to ignore her dark impulses . . .
Holland Morgan knows falling for Evie is just one more terrible choice in her long history of terrible choices. The problem is, she's not sure she cares.
As attraction turns slowly to obsession, they find themselves playing a dangerous game. Something out there is calling to each of them. Beckoning to the shadows within.
Do they fight the call and protect one another, or answer and embrace the darkness?
Reviews
"[A] dark and twisted thriller interspersed with intense and steamy moments of sapphic romance." —Publishers Weekly "With engaging, emotionally charged prose, creative worldbuilding, and defined characterization, Latimer quickly establishes a world of entitlement and corruption. Themes of substance abuse, broken families, and financial privilege all provide the background to a complex and dark supernatural fantasy with angst that teens will find relatable. Baked into the setting, the woods surrounding Northcroft possess a tension and creepiness that creates a realistic suspense and enhances the sense of foreboding present from the very start." —School Library Journal "This slow-burning thriller successfully combines contrasting genres such as romance and body horror to deliver a dark, distorted love story with enough shocking revelations to induce whiplash." —Booklist
"Readers looking for a dark academic read with a hint of sapphic romance will find here a satisfying blend of horror and mystery." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A queer horror/love story exploring themes of female rage, obsession, and the inherent urge of teenage girls to think they're the monsters, The Afterdark takes place in a rich, atmospheric and decaying setting complete with ivy-covered walls, towering, vaulted ceilings, and stained-glass windows. The mystery elements are well-constructed and engaging." —Quebec Library Association
E. LATIMER's breakout success on the online writing platform Wattpad has resulted in a fan base of over 100 thousand followers, with over 20 million combined reads. Her debut novel, The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray, was shortlisted for the OLA Red Maple Award and the Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award, and her second novel, Escape to Witch City, was called a "pulse-pounding adventure" by Publishers Weekly. A former children's bookseller, she is focusing on her writing. She lives in British Columbia with her family
View titles by E. Latimer
