The Night Birds - by Christopher Golden (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX. Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again. Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual. But when he arrives at the dock, he's stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she's not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn't the police who are after them, it's a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans...or so Mae claims. It's lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can't refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey"--

Book Synopsis

The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.

Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.

Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.

But when he arrives at the dock, he's stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she's not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn't the police who are after them, it's a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans...or so Mae claims.

It's lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can't refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey.

Review Quotes

"A tense, chaotic horror novel that moves like a thriller.... Golden combines these elements with emotionally complex background stories and rich lore. This novel juggles a lot, but Golden directs it all with the confidence and flair of a seasoned orchestra conductor to deliver another outstanding read." --New York Times

"Golden showcases his gift for eerie scene setting in this outstanding horror novel... A tense, atmospheric thriller." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Combines the thrill of survival horror, the wince of body horror, and the spine-tingling chill of the occult. Golden's skill is on full display here as he crafts crackling action scenes, a horrifying creature, great dialogue, and an inclusive cast of characters." --Library Journal, starred review

"Drenched with unease from the opening pages... Heartbreakingly beautiful, filled with action, evil, shape-shifting witches, superior world building, and visceral terror, this is a tale where every detail matters... A strong choice for horror or thriller readers." --Booklist, starred review

"Golden's clean narrative keeps the mystery moving right along, with some compelling twists and turns along the way." --Variety

"The Night Birds is an impactful tale of horror... Golden is firing on all cylinders on this one, tapping into a unique mythology for his villains, and a unique setting for the action sequences, delivering some of the best set pieces of his career." --Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine

"There's an inky black wellspring of utter darkness rooted at the center of Christopher Golden's remarkably skin-crawling novel, The Night Birds--a horrible blight that leaches into and pollutes the haunted heart of each character confined within pages soaked with the aching torment of despair. Atmospheric, deeply unsettling, and irresistibly captivating, The Night Birds is a masterful and unforgettable, tautly written supernatural thriller from a literary titan." --Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke

"Consider Christopher Golden our unholy Noah and The Night Birds is his dark ark, carrying nothing but nightmares. The derelict ship at the heart of this unnerving novel may be shipwrecked, but the Christabel has set its course across my dreams night after night ever since I finished reading it. A true voyage into dread." --Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes

"The Night Birds is a uniquely terrifying slice of witchy horror that will surprise and delight horror fans who think they've read it all. Visceral, dark, pedal-to-the-metal action makes Golden's newest a ride that readers won't soon forget." --Philip Fracassi, author of Boys in the Valley

"Christopher Golden's novels are always an immersive experience, building tension and terror with every chapter. Christopher takes everything up a notch with The Night Birds, plunging me into a page-turning nightmare full of eerie characters, dreadful twists, and visceral horror in one of the most haunting settings I've yet to experience." --Brom, bestselling author of Slewfoot

"No one combines action and horror better than Christopher Golden. In The Night Birds, Golden throws everything he's got at his isolated heroes, the only thing standing between mankind and ancient evil. Bring a tank of oxygen, because once the pages start turning, you'll be gasping for breath." --Alma Katsu, author of The Fervor

"A magnificently atmospheric, dread-soaked page-turner. Terrifying and entertaining. Pure nightmare fuel." --Rachel Harrison, USA Today bestselling author of So Thirsty and Black Sheep

"The Night Birds restores witches to their rightful place as grim, bloodthirsty queens of the horror genre--and cements Golden's already immensely impressive reputation as king of the horror-thriller writers. This is an engrossing, fast-moving, and richly imagined book with an unforgettable setting and lore. You won't be able to put it down!" --Ally Wilkes, author of Where the Dead Wait

Additional Praise for Christopher Golden:

"Golden's frenzied tale of demons and exorcisms is fast-paced, his portrayal of the insidiousness of possession is unsettling and it all comes together in a thrilling closing act." - New York Times on The House of Last Resort

"An essential read for horror and supernatural thriller fans." -- Library Journal (Starred) on Road of Bones

"Golden is writing at the top of his game." --Publishers Weekly (starred) on Road of Bones

"Christopher Golden's Road of Bones is tightly wound, atmospheric, and creepy as hell... I loved it." --Stephen King

"Golden evokes chills without relying on clichés and makes suspending disbelief easy through skillful characterizations of the leads. Horror fans should check this out." --Publishers Weekly on The House of Last Resort

"This new take on the exorcism tale adds spirits, desiccated corpses, and disgusting rats to the mix, making every page drip with terrifying imagery. It's a great choice for avid horror fans." --Booklist on The House of Last Resort

"The king of horror thrillers does it again. With this thoroughly modern exorcism story, Golden will make you believe in the existence of true evil." --Alma Katsu, author of The Fervor, on The House of Last Resort

About the Author

CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling and Bram Stoker award-winning author of Ararat, All Hallows, Road of Bones, and Snowblind, among many other novels. He is the co-creator of two cult favorite comic book series, Baltimore and Joe Golem: Occult Detective. He is also the editor of such anthologies as Seize the Night, The New Dead, and Dark Cities, and the co-host of the popular podcast "Three Guys with Beards." He lives in Massachusetts.