Death Do Us - by Ruthy Mason (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

One of "The 13 Best Novels of 2026 That You Absolutely Need to Read" -- Marie Claire

A haunting debut novel that unpicks the traditional views of marriage through the lens of body horror and charts the literal unraveling of a woman moving ever closer into its grasp.

Bea, a promising young archaeologist, has just gotten engaged. It should be the most exciting time of her life, but she can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. She can't stop thinking about a more daring version of herself who always imagined breaking with convention--an elopement, a brightly colored dress, an open marriage. However, as plans for the big day solidify, Bea begins to see the appeal of a big white dress, a huge reception, and a life with just one man. But as she begins to sort through bridesmaid dresses and look at venues, she notices her skin is flaking and sagging, and her hair is beginning to fall out in clumps. Her engagement ring, an unusual family heirloom from her fiancé, is getting tighter and tighter. Something is crawling under her skin. Someone is watching her from the shadows . . .

Review Quotes

"Death Do Us bears the hallmarks of all good body and feminist horror, wrapping societal issues in graphic descriptions and disturbing situations. Thanks to Mason's clever and engaging prose, the reader of this literary debut understands that behind the gore is Bea's deep struggle to decide who she wants to be."

--Booklist

"A haunting debut novel that unpicks the traditional views of marriage through the lens of body horror and charts the literal unraveling of a woman moving ever closer into its grasp."--Novel Suspects

"Death Do Us is the body horror send-up of the wedding industrial complex I didn't know I needed. Ruthy Mason combines skin-crawling imagery and smartly deployed satire to explore questions of ambition, desire, and what it really costs to throw a wedding. Twisty and grotesque, this book had me ignoring my responsibilities until I turned the final page."--E.K. Sathue, author of "youthjuice"

A psychological-thriller-slash-body-horror story about the often-suffocating expectations of womanhood? Say no more.--Marie Claire, The 13 Best Novels of 2026 That You Absolutely Need to Read

"A gloriously visceral feminist body horror about the rotten institution of marriage? Sign me up. I was hooked by this queasy, crawling, darkly funny novel that kept me guessing until the very end. Wry, revolting, witty and wonderful, I couldn't look away even as I longed to cover my eyes. Sharply written and entirely compelling."--Emma van Straaten, author of This Immaculate Body

About the Author

Ruthy Mason is a writer based in North London. After studying archaeology and anthropology at University College London, she completed a master's in creative writing at the University of Cambridge, and is now working towards her PhD at Anglia Ruskin University. She won the Michael Holroyd Prize for Re-creative Fiction and was shortlisted for the Mslexia Fiction Competition.