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Bad in the Blood

Author Matteo L. Cerilli
Read by Veronica Hortiguela, Scott Turner Schofield, Alison Deon
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Tundra | Tundra Books
On sale Sep 02, 2025 | 12 Hours and 37 Minutes | 9781774882399
Age 14 and up | Grade 9 & Up
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In a world where magical beings, fey, are mistrusted and often institutionalized, a human brother and fey sister must team up to solve a bizarre murder in this 1920s-inspired queer teen fantasy novel.

In the city of Puck's Port, where motorized vehicles fill the streets and new technological marvels abound, something rotten is lurking under the surface. A violent murder at the docks seems to point to a fey killer, igniting a powder keg of distrust between the city's humans and its fey inhabitants — folks who wield wonderful but often uncontrollable magical power.

Gristle Senan Maxim Junior finds himself caught in the middle. Forced into the reluctant role of private investigator, like his late father, he's working to solve the mystery of this fiery murder . . . mainly because his sister, Hawthorne Stregoni, is a fey herself with an unfortunate penchant for setting things ablaze.

Hawthorne is part of an experimental study to control feyism but struggles to keep her powerful magic in check in a country that hates what she is. Can she and Gristle work together to find the true instigator of the murder before it's too late?
One of Kirkus Reviews' 90 Most Anticipated Fall Books for Young Readers, 2025

PRAISE FOR Bad in the Blood:

"This noir-inspired mystery unfolds in vivid and atmospheric prose from the perspectives of the two complex and dynamic leads. News articles, diary entries, and other evidence interspersed between chapters adds another lens for understanding the setting, history, and intricately intertwined political conflict. Cerilli’s use of Faerie Disorder as an extended metaphor for neurodivergence is rich with nuance, and the world is infused with queerness and racial diversity. A cinematic and enthralling flare of fey magic." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"Beautifully hewn and enchantingly queer, Bad in the Blood draws the reader into a 1920s-inspired whodunnit that unravels in a world similar enough to our own that we can easily relate to the sibling duo of Gristle and Hawthorne, yet so unique that we want to stay and explore every corner of Cerilli’s richly imagined world long after the mystery is solved. At last, a hardboiled noir detective story for the rest of us!" —Carrie Mac, author of Zombie Apocalypse Running Club

"With grit, wit, and incredible worldbuilding, Cerilli interweaves a noir, 1920’s-inspired setting with fantasy using feyism as a sophisticated allegory for madness. This novel is nothing short of magic." —Léa Taranto, author of A Drop in the Ocean

"A viciously clever caper steeped in noir grittiness and fey chaos. Puck's Port will devour you." —Mary Averling, author of The Curse of Eelgrass Bog

"Bad in the Blood is a refreshing take on the traditional Sherlock Holmes detective-style adventure, only with heart, fey, and magic. What I love about this novel is that it’s also exactly why I love fantasy—it’s not just an escape but helps readers understand real-world harms and discriminations in a way that makes them excited, curious, and want to read more. Cerilli is a uniquely talented writer whose characters are real, flawed and loveable. Bad in the Blood isn’t just for young adult readers, but for everyone." —KJ Aiello, author of The Monster and the Mirror
MATTEO L. CERILLI is a transmasc author and activist who helped found Students for Queer Liberation (Toronto) and works with the No Pride in Policing Coalition. He writes widely across genres and age categories. Lockjaw is his debut book. View titles by Matteo L. Cerilli

About

In a world where magical beings, fey, are mistrusted and often institutionalized, a human brother and fey sister must team up to solve a bizarre murder in this 1920s-inspired queer teen fantasy novel.

In the city of Puck's Port, where motorized vehicles fill the streets and new technological marvels abound, something rotten is lurking under the surface. A violent murder at the docks seems to point to a fey killer, igniting a powder keg of distrust between the city's humans and its fey inhabitants — folks who wield wonderful but often uncontrollable magical power.

Gristle Senan Maxim Junior finds himself caught in the middle. Forced into the reluctant role of private investigator, like his late father, he's working to solve the mystery of this fiery murder . . . mainly because his sister, Hawthorne Stregoni, is a fey herself with an unfortunate penchant for setting things ablaze.

Hawthorne is part of an experimental study to control feyism but struggles to keep her powerful magic in check in a country that hates what she is. Can she and Gristle work together to find the true instigator of the murder before it's too late?

Reviews

One of Kirkus Reviews' 90 Most Anticipated Fall Books for Young Readers, 2025

PRAISE FOR Bad in the Blood:

"This noir-inspired mystery unfolds in vivid and atmospheric prose from the perspectives of the two complex and dynamic leads. News articles, diary entries, and other evidence interspersed between chapters adds another lens for understanding the setting, history, and intricately intertwined political conflict. Cerilli’s use of Faerie Disorder as an extended metaphor for neurodivergence is rich with nuance, and the world is infused with queerness and racial diversity. A cinematic and enthralling flare of fey magic." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"Beautifully hewn and enchantingly queer, Bad in the Blood draws the reader into a 1920s-inspired whodunnit that unravels in a world similar enough to our own that we can easily relate to the sibling duo of Gristle and Hawthorne, yet so unique that we want to stay and explore every corner of Cerilli’s richly imagined world long after the mystery is solved. At last, a hardboiled noir detective story for the rest of us!" —Carrie Mac, author of Zombie Apocalypse Running Club

"With grit, wit, and incredible worldbuilding, Cerilli interweaves a noir, 1920’s-inspired setting with fantasy using feyism as a sophisticated allegory for madness. This novel is nothing short of magic." —Léa Taranto, author of A Drop in the Ocean

"A viciously clever caper steeped in noir grittiness and fey chaos. Puck's Port will devour you." —Mary Averling, author of The Curse of Eelgrass Bog

"Bad in the Blood is a refreshing take on the traditional Sherlock Holmes detective-style adventure, only with heart, fey, and magic. What I love about this novel is that it’s also exactly why I love fantasy—it’s not just an escape but helps readers understand real-world harms and discriminations in a way that makes them excited, curious, and want to read more. Cerilli is a uniquely talented writer whose characters are real, flawed and loveable. Bad in the Blood isn’t just for young adult readers, but for everyone." —KJ Aiello, author of The Monster and the Mirror

Author

MATTEO L. CERILLI is a transmasc author and activist who helped found Students for Queer Liberation (Toronto) and works with the No Pride in Policing Coalition. He writes widely across genres and age categories. Lockjaw is his debut book. View titles by Matteo L. Cerilli

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