Illustration by Hayden Williams

Buy The Keeper:

Canelo Press

Description:

With the death of its paper mill, Bedford’s unemployed residents soon find themselves with far too much time to dwell on thoughts of Susan Marley. Once the local beauty, she’s now the local whore. Silently prowling the muddy streets, she watches eerily from the shadows, waiting for . . . something. And haunting the sleep of everyone in town with monstrous visions of violence and horror.

Those who are able will leave Bedford before the darkness fully descends. But those who are trapped here—from Susan Marley’s long-suffering mother and younger sister to her guilt-ridden, alcoholic ex-lover to the destitute and faithless with nowhere else to go—will soon know the fullest and most terrible meaning of nightmare.

Praise for The Keeper

“It’s the only horror story I’ve read recently that finds adequate metaphors for the self-destructive properties of anger.”

–New York Times Book Review

“Deft and disturbing… twists expectations into surreal surprises… hypnotic reading – an assured and impressive debut.”

–Douglas E. Winter

“[A] distinct and juicy flavor all its own. THE KEEPER begins what should be a very fruitful career.”

–Peter Straub, New York Times bestselling author of IN THE NIGHT

“Langan has a sharp eye for the small vivid details of American life, and her characters are utterly believable. Reminiscent of early Stephen King, this is not for the squeamish”

–London Times

“Akin to the more ambitious work of Stephen King…this effective debut promises great things to come.”

–Publishers Weekly

“Echoes of Stephen King resound…the first fruits of a most promising career.”

–Washington Times

“THE KEEPER kept me up, late into the night…I’m hoping for a whole shelf of novels by Langan.”

–Kelly Link, author of MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS

“A dark and bracingly bleak tale of supernatural terror.”

–Ramsey Campbell, author of SECRET STORY

“An astonishing first novel…chilling, haunting, and so smartly written that the pages fly by like the wind.”

–Ray Garton, author of THE LOVELIEST DEAD

“[A] brilliant debut, heralding the arrival of a major talent.”

–Tim Lebbon, author of DUSK and BERSERK

“A smart, brand-new take on the haunted house story…hard to believe this is a first novel.”

–Jack Ketchum, author of OFFSPRING

“It’s hard to put down…”

–Washington Times