Thirst - by Darren Simpson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Stranger Things, this chilling new Young Teen Lit novel uncovers a cursed river and a village's dark secret.

The North American debut of 2-time UK Carnegie Medal nominee Darren Simpson.

Nobody talks about the strange happenings in Maimsbury. No one speaks of the hooded figures glimpsed in the woods, nor the children's game that went so horribly wrong. But most of all, nobody dares whisper their doubts about the river they have worshipped for centuries.

Like everyone in Maimsbury, Gorse is used to the sacrifices made every spring to the River Yeelde. The life of a farm animal - in return for a year of plenty - seems a fair trade. That is, until a tragedy leads him to a blood-curdling discovery.

Because this year is a Brim Year, and after giving so much, the river needs more than an animal's life to sate its thirst...

Thirst is a gloriously spooky, folklore-inspired novel perfect for YA horror fans. Blending page-turning storytelling with powerful social commentary, 2-time UK Carnegie Medal nominee Darren Simpson delivers a savage critique on how we justify sacrificing others for our own good, and the importance of pushing back against the status quo when it is harmful or outdated.

Brilliant and bloodthirsty, this breathless narrative creeps up on you just like the infernal river that encaptures Maimsbury's inhabitants in its deadly thrall.

Review Quotes

"This dark and deep tale of a river and the villagers who will do anything for it introduces North American readers to acclaimed British author Simpson... Simpson's writing evokes that of Stephen King with the creepiness surrounding the Yeelde and the focus on a small community that distrusts outsiders... Folk horror at its finest."
--Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Eerie, atmospheric prose twines mounting supernatural dread with keen psychological insight, exploring how fear, loyalty, and self-preservation can erode moral certainty. Dark, haunting, and deeply unsettling, this is folk horror at its most immersive."
--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A creepy tale of an ancient river and the sinister lengths people will go to protect its secrets... a gripping page-turner, filled with gruesome descriptions of unearthly monsters and rising tension over the fate of its characters."
--School Library Journal

"Will both haunt and delight horror fans. A pervasive otherworldliness courses through the narrative, adding to the story's unsettling atmosphere. Gorse's age and Simpson's more literary writing style make this an excellent option for tween readers parched for books that stray from the mainstream."
--Booklist

"Atmosphere is often everything in horror, and Simpson offers an especially oppressive, almost suffocating, vibe in this cursed folkloric setting."
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Darren Simpson's Thirst draws on folk horror, with its focus on the evil that men do in service of tradition and superstition, and combines it with quintessential coming-of-age quandaries... Creepy and thought-provoking."
--Irish Times

"Simpson is a master horror writer... To describe this page-turner as compelling would be an understatement."
--The School Librarian

About the Author

Darren Simpson is the critically acclaimed author of Scavengers, The Memory Thieves, Furthermoor and Thirst. His award-winning books have been translated into several languages and he's been nominated twice for the prestigious Carnegie Medal. He also once won a budgie at school. Darren lives with his wife and sons in Nottingham and loves long walks with headphones, playing the drums and reading in bed on rainy Sunday mornings.