The new girl in town is having trouble fitting into a community that believes there’s a secret Satanic cult conducting rituals in the woods. When her crush goes missing, she starts to wonder if the town’s obsession with evil isn’t covering up something far worse. Perfect for fans of Fear Street!From the moment Audre arrives in rural Pennsylvania, it’s clear she won’t fit in. After all, her nose ring, her horror movie obsession, and her family’s Ouija board collection aren’t likely to endear her to a town convinced there’s a secret Satanic cult conducting rituals in the nearby woods.
When the preacher’s daughter and Audre’s crush, Elle, goes missing on Halloween weekend, the town is quick to point fingers in Audre’s direction. With the cops busy harassing her family for being nonbelievers and everyone else convinced demons are to blame, Audre realizes she might be the only person who can find her friend.
But the deeper Audre digs, the weirder it gets. Has Elle fallen victim to a Satanic ritual, or is the town’s obsession with the occult covering up something even more sinister?
On sale: June 20, 2023
Age: 12 and up
Grade: Grade 7 & Up
Page count: 288 Pages
ISBN: 9780593644102
Reading level: Lexile: HL720L
Gigi Griffis writes edgy, feminist historical stories for adults and teens, including
The Empress, a Netflix tie-in. She’s a sucker for little-known histories, “unlikable” female characters, and all things Europe. After almost ten years of semi-nomadic life, she now lives in Portugal with an opinionated Yorkie mix named Luna and a fancy blender that cost more than her couch. Her main hobbies are righteous anger, swearing, and gazing lovingly at the dog or the blender.
The Wicked Unseen is her YA debut.
Praise for
The Wicked Unseen:
Featured in
Gay Times' list of "
LGBTQ Books to Read Right Now"!
"[Y]our next
favorite thriller novel."
—Teen Vogue"This queer mystery is for all the
fans of Fear Street!"
—Autostraddle
"You’ll
definitely want this one on your radar."
—Paste
"
The Wicked Unseen is so
engaging and
captivating...If you’re looking for a new YA horror, this one needs to be on your summer TBR."
—Culturess
"A spooky story you can’t set down. If you love escaping into
an engrossing mystery, this
much-anticipated debut novel is just the thing."
—Brightly"The gentle queer romance
enhances this novel that explores Satanic panic. An
absorbing mystery."
—Kirkus Reviews"In her debut novel, Griffis
nimbly weaves together horror tropes and social commentary...At times
discomforting and
chilling, and at others
thrilling and
empowering,
The Wicked Unseen will be a popular addition to mystery and horror shelves."
—Booklist
"
Hair-raising. Griffis captures the reality of this 1980s and ’90s cultural moment with
eerie resonance, and
brisk pacing paired with
clever mystery elements deliver. "
—Publishers Weekly“This book is religious horror and queer teens who are forced to navigate it at its finest. A fantastic love letter to the classic 90s slashers and
a triumphant debut.”
—Jessica Lewis, author of
Bad Witch Burning
