A Fate Worse Than Drowning - PREORDER

Pub Date: July 21, 2026

For fans of A Dark and Drowning Tide and The Lighthouse Witches comes a queer speculative novel about a lighthouse keeper who made a devil's bargain to save her sister, but when a shipwrecked survivor washes ashore, she is left with an impossible choice...

"The queer romance mixed with horror is a unique genre-bender...Hawthorn delivers a tale to satisfy a plethora of readers' tastes." -- Booklist

One deal with the devil makes a fool. Two? A villain...

A year ago, Elle made a deal with the devil to save her sister. Now, they live on a desolate spit of land beyond Halifax harbor. Elle, as lighthouse keeper, steers unsuspecting sailors to their destruction; those are the terms of her bargain. Liney need never know the cost. Her safety is worth every drop of blood.

But a sinner's pact is not so simple. When the devil returns, demanding more - more shipwrecks, no survivors - Elle knows what she must do to keep Liney safe...

Another ship. Another crew killed in the devil's name.

Then a woman washes ashore. Is she a soul to be sacrificed, or part of a darker design? As Liney and the stranger grow closer, Elle faces an impossible choice: kill, and break Liney's heart, or forfeit her own soul.

Danger arises from all sides: the merciless sea, ruthless men on the mainland, and the infernal bargain itself...

Souls and sisterhood, fate and fire - what must be sacrificed for the devil to get his due?

Sarah L. Hawthorn (she/they) is a Canadian horror and speculative fiction writer. She holds a bachelor's degree in public relations from Mount Saint Vincent University and has worked across federal, health care, secondary education, and tech fields. Their short fiction has been featured in The Arcanist and the Queer Blades anthology. When she's not writing, she enjoys watercolor painting, video games, and swimming. Sarah lives in Halifax/Kjipuktuk, Nova Scotia, a maritime locale full of spooky folklore they've been devouring since elementary school.