Out now!

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The dark, gripping tale of a 1930’s family in the remote hills of the Smoky Mountains, their secret religion, and the daughter who turns her back on their mysterious god—from the acclaimed author of Spoonbenders.

In 1933, nine-year-old Stella is left in the care of her grandmother, Motty, in the backwoods of Tennessee. The mountains are home to dangerous secrets, and soon after she arrives, Stella wanders into a dark cavern where she encounters the family’s personal god, an entity known as the Ghostdaddy.

Years later, after a tragic incident that caused her to flee, Stella—now a professional bootlegger—returns for Motty’s funeral, and to check on the mysterious ten-year-old girl named Sunny that Motty adopted. Sunny appears innocent enough, but she is more powerful than Stella could imagine—and she’s a direct link to Stella’s buried past and her family’s destructive faith.

Haunting and wholly engrossing, summoning mesmerizing voices and giving shape to the dark, Revelator is a southern gothic tale for the ages.

Reviews

“Revelator is a thing of beauty, brutal in the vein of Cormac McCarthy, a novel in the Southern Gothic tradition that is fresh and deeply disturbing. ”
—New York Times

“Gregory’s novel is packed to the gills with action and suspense, and he has an enviable skill for characterization… Smart, original, and scary as hell.” —
Kirkus, starred review

“Full of matter-of-fact descriptions of unthinkable horror, Revelator is both weird and wonderful . . . Revelator is full of surprises both fascinating and stomach-clenching . . . Revelator [serves] a slice of cold terror, paired with a view of humanity that is equal parts revelatory and humbling.”
—BookPage, starred review

“An addictive tale of historical horror . . . Gregory ratches up the tension in stunning prose . . . a thrilling ride.”
—Publishers Weekly

This noir thriller with horror elements strongly calls to mind the work of Hank Early crossed with Cormac McCarthy. It is a slow burn that takes its time to unfurl but makes a lasting impression. Fans of the first and third seasons of the television series True Detective will also enjoy this dark, somber tale with all of its sinister elements.
—Library Journal

Praise from colleagues

“Daryl Gregory never fails to conjure a uniquely enthralling reading experience. With Revelator, he expertly mixes Tennessee bootlegging, the fervor of old time religion, and a new, hungry god in the mountain. Humane, heady, and thrilling, you’ll believe in Revelator.”
—Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and Survivor Song

“Gods and moonshine in the Great Depression, written with a tenderness and brutality only Daryl Gregory could have done—this is as good as novels get.”
—Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Only Good Indians

“Revelator is a brilliant, dark examination of glorious horror and horrific glory. A monstrous, hypnotic tale of worship, devotion, and family secrets—I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.”
—Sarah Gailey, author of The Echo Wife

“Gregory has spun a strange, haunting tale about faith, greed, and power—and the families we choose and the ones we cannot escape. You won’t be able to put it down until you see what’s at the bottom of the cavern.”
—Peng Shepherd, author of The Book of M

“Daryl Gregory has gifted readers with a period horror novel that somehow feels completely modern, a fast-paced ghost train through a labyrinth of dark wonders. Revelator is the perfect autumn read for fans of the Southern Gothic and the Weird.”
—Shaun Hamill, author of A Cosmology of Monsters

“An addictive tale of historical horror . . . Gregory ratches up the tension in stunning prose . . . a thrilling ride.”
—Publishers Weekly