About the Book
"The old gods have fled, and the monsters they had kept at bay for centuries now threaten to drown the city of Valentine, hunting mankind as in ancient times. In the midst of the chaos, a serial killer has begun ritually sacrificing victims, their bodies strewn throughout the city. Lilac Antonis wants to stop the impending destruction of her city by summoning her mother, a blood god--even if she has to slit a few throats to do it. But evading her lover Arcadia and her friends means sneaking, lying, and even spilling the blood of people she loves. Alex and Cecil of Ace Investigations have been tasked with hunting down the killer, but as they close in--not knowing they're hunting their close friend Lilac--the detectives realize the gods may not have left willingly. As flooding drags this city of cars and neon screaming into the jaws of sea demons and Arcadia struggles to save the people as captain of the evacuation team, Lilac's ritual killings at last bear fruit, only to reveal her as a small piece in a larger plan. The gods' protection costs far more than anyone has ever known, and Alex and Cecil are running out of time to discover the true culprit behind the gods' disappearance before an ancient divine murder plot destroys them all."--Provided by publisher.
Book Synopsis
IN THE BEGINNING, MAN WAS PREY, WITHOUT THE GODS, THEY'LL BE PREY AGAINThe old gods have fled, and the monsters they had kept at bay for centuries now threaten to drown the city of Valentine, hunting mankind as in ancient times. In the midst of the chaos, a serial killer has begun ritually sacrificing victims, their bodies strewn throughout the city.
Lilac Antonis wants to stop the impending destruction of her city by summoning her mother, a blood god--even if she has to slit a few throats to do it. But evading her lover Arcadia and her friends means sneaking, lying, and even spilling the blood of people she loves.
Alex and Cecil of Ace Investigations have been tasked with hunting down the killer, but as they close in--not knowing they're hunting their close friend Lilac--the detectives realize the gods may not have left willingly.
As flooding drags this city of cars and neon screaming into the jaws of sea demons and Arcadia struggles to save the people as captain of the evacuation team, Lilac's ritual killings at last bear fruit, only to reveal her as a small piece in a larger plan. The gods' protection costs far more than anyone has ever known, and Alex and Cecil are running out of time to discover the true culprit behind the gods' disappearance before an ancient divine murder plot destroys them all.
Set in an alternate reality which updates mythology to near-modern day,
No Gods For Drowning is part dark fantasy, part noir detective story, and unlike anything you've read before, from an author whose imagination knows no boundaries.
Review Quotes
"One of the best horror novels of the year. An audacious novel, a mind-bending blend of noir, mythology, urban fantasy, apocalypse story, and murder mystery." --Vulture
"Glorious and visceral,
No Gods For Drowning drips with evocative prose and proves Hailey Piper to be a storyteller with wonderfully sharp teeth. This book sang to me, and if you let it, it will sing to you, too."
--Chuck Wendig, New York Times bestselling author of Wanderers and The Book of Accidents
"Piper, a rising star in horror, is announcing her intentions to break through onto a larger stage with this confident and compelling tale that is as fun as it is thought-provoking."
--Library Journal
"Wrathful gods, drowning cities, and an ancient, bloody mystery--Piper's novel had me from the jump.
No Gods For Drowning is a superior offering."
--Laird Barron, author of Swift to Chase
"A roller coaster of tension! I was desperate to read on, yet terrified. A truly addictive read."
--Hannah Lynn, award-winning author of Athena's Child
"Incredibly atmospheric detective horror. This mythology is now resident in my brain."
--Maya Deane, author of Wrath Goddess Sing About the Author
Hailey Piper is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of
The Worm and His Kings and
Queen of Teeth. Her stories have appeared in publications such as
Vastarien, Dark Matter Magazine, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and elsewhere. She lives with her wife in Maryland, where their paranormal investigations are top secret. Find Hailey at www.haileypiper.com and at @HaileyPiperSays.