Our Hideous Progeny

"Darkly brilliant and sumptuously gothic, this atmospheric debut left me reeling", C.J. Cooke, bestselling author of The Lighthouse Witches

Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her great uncle disappeared in mysterious circumstances in the Arctic, but she doesn't know why or how. The 1850s is a time of discovery and London is ablaze with the latest scientific theories and debates.

Mary, with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue, is keen to make her name in this world of science. But as a woman without wealth and connections, her options are limited. The comes the discovery - among some old family papers, Mary finds notes that allude to the shocking truth behind her great-uncle's past.

But might they also hold the key to her future? Mary's quest takes her to the wilds of Scotland, an alluring ally, and a deadly chase with a rival who is out to steal her secret...

Deliciously gothic, inventive, queer, this subversive twist on a classic tale brims with adventure. Shortlisted for the Betty Trask Prize, the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, the Edmund White Debut Prize and the Lambda Literary Award

"A gripping gothic adventure inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The perfect spooky season read for fans of Shirley Jackson", The Leviathan