And the Trees Crept In

After Silla Daniels and her mute younger sister, Nori, escape their abusive father and a London on the brink of World War III, they make their way to the blood-red family manor where their estranged aunt Cath takes them in. When Cath’s grasp on reality falters and she retreats to the attic, the sisters are left with the sound of her constant pacing and a fear of the encroaching woods, home to the ever-hungry Creeper Man, whom Cath warned is coming for the sisters. Creaks, footsteps, and giggles echo through the decrepit manor while Nori, unbeknownst to Silla, spends her nights playing with an eyeless, long-limbed friend in the basement. Kurtagich follows The Dead House with a thought-provoking exploration of familial legacy and the sibling bond. The isolated and decaying manor setting creates an immediate sense of unease, and the villain is both physically and psychologically eerie; typographic manipulations and facsimiles of burned and torn notebook excerpts play into the psychologically unstable atmosphere. Readers will it hard to look away from this genuinely frightening story as the sisters’ sanctuary becomes a nightmare. Ages 15–up. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary. (Sept.)