A Fate Worse Than Drowning
A Novel
by Sarah L. Hawthorn
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Pub Date Jul 21 2026 | Archive Date Not set
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Description
"Hawthorn strikes the perfect gothic balance, with the delicious tension and growing dread juxtaposed against the sweet joy of blossoming romance."
— Kelley Armstrong, #1 New York Times bestselling author
For fans of A Dark and Drowning Tide and The Lighthouse Witches comes a queer speculative novel about a lighthouse keeper who made a devil's bargain to save her sister, but when a shipwrecked survivor washes ashore, she is left with an impossible choice...
One deal with the devil makes a fool. Two? A villain...
A year ago, Elle made a deal with the devil to save her sister. Now, they live on a desolate spit of land beyond Halifax harbor. Elle, as lighthouse keeper, steers unsuspecting sailors to their destruction; those are the terms of her bargain. Liney need never know the cost. Her safety is worth every drop of blood.
But a sinner's pact is not so simple. When the devil returns, demanding more – more shipwrecks, no survivors – Elle knows what she must do to keep Liney safe...
Another ship. Another crew killed in the devil's name.
Then a woman washes ashore. Is she a soul to be sacrificed, or part of a darker design? As Liney and the stranger grow closer, Elle faces an impossible choice: kill, and break Liney's heart, or forfeit her own soul.
Danger arises from all sides: the merciless sea, ruthless men on the mainland, and the infernal bargain itself…
Souls and sisterhood, fate and fire – what must be sacrificed for the devil to get his due?
Advance Praise
"This gorgeously atmospheric, heartrending and deeply ominous book stuck in me like a splinter from the moment I picked it up. The brilliantly complex relationship between the two sisters was perfectly realized, as was the isolation of the lighthouse keeper's life; and I've never made a deal with the devil, but I'm pretty sure this book perfectly captures the temptation and frustration and addictive power of that, too. Also, if you saw me crying at the end, no you didn't. Much like a certain lighthouse keeper, A Fate Worse Than Drowning and its vivid characters will haunt me for a long time."
— Hester Steel, author of The Faceless Thing We Adore
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781464238147 |
| PRICE | $18.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 320 |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 64 members
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