In this twisty feminist historical thriller set in the 1850s, a teenage grave robber quickly becomes entangled in a murderer's plans. Now in paperback!

"Deliciously macabre and utterly decadent." -Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper

Soon after her best friend Kitty mysteriously dies near their orphanage, seventeen-year-old Molly Green is sent away to live with her estranged aunt. Only, when Molly arrives, she discovers her aunt is holding more than one secret. She's built her incredible wealth by robbing graves and selling the corpses to medical students who need the bodies to practice surgical procedures. Now, Aunt Ava wants Molly to help her procure the corpses. As Molly learns her aunt's trade in the dead of night and explores the mansion by day, she is both horrified and deeply intrigued by the anatomy lessons held at the old church on the property. Enigmatic Doctor LaValle's lessons are a heady mixture of knowledge and power and Molly has never wanted anything more than to join his male-only group of students. But But the the o cost of inclusion is steep and with a murderer loose in Philadelphia, the pursuit of power and opportunity soon becomes a deadly dance.

STELLAR RECEPTION: With its page-turning mix of mystery and horror and gorgeously
evocative writing, The Corpse Queen has been a hit at both trade publications and commercial outlets (Girls Life, Buzzfeed, Hypable, and Pop Sugar), with Kirkus saying, "If Poe's daughter told a story, this might be it and a starred review from Booklist calling it "Stylishly smart and macabre." It also has garnered award buzz and was a 2022 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick, a 2023 Rhode Island Teen Book Award nominee, and a JLG selection.

PERFECT IN PAPERBACK: With a strong package and cover, combined with the mystery and horror elements we think paperback will be the perfect format to reach more readers, especially readers already enjoying towards the paperback only format of books like those of YA historical thriller writer Bryce Moore.

HAUNTING ATMOSPHERIC WRITING: Heather expertly captures the haunting, dark
underbelly of Philadelphia in in the 1850s and the slow-burn tension will have readers devouring her every word. Even at the creepiest and most unsettling moments there is an undeniable sense of wonder and beauty in her writing.

COMMERCIAL APPEAL: Full of twists and turns, this is a historical mystery that will keep readers on their toes and is perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco's Stalking Jack the Ripper series and Dana Schwartz's The Anatomy Duology. The light romance in the story is also immensely satisfying and has its foundation in mutual respect and consent between the characters.

FEMINIST THEMES: This is a powerful and layered story with potential crossover appeal. Rich with deep and thought provoking questions about what it means to be a woman, to have ownership over your own body, to live with agency, and thrive in a male-dominated society will have readers of feminist thrillers like The Invocations or gender-defying gothic horror like Andrew Joseph White's The Spirit Bares Its Teeth reaching for this next.

HISTORICAL INSPIRATION: While fiction, this story is rooted in history. Body snatchers, also
known as Resurrectionists, stole, shipped, and sold corpses on the black market for medical students to use for anatomy lessons throughout the 1800s in the US, England, and Scotland. The historical truth underlying the narrative makes the setting and mystery that much more compelling.

MORE TO COME: We have a new YA historical thriller standalone from Heather, this time set in the 1880s Wild West, titied Lady or the Tiger to publish a month after. We'll include an excerpt!