Oftentimes, the “black sheep” of a family is not someone who has caused their relatives any harm. Instead, the “black sheep” is someone who acts and thinks outside of their family’s rigid social norms. They reject confines and dare to be their authentic selves, even if that means alienating themselves from their family structure. It takes a lot of courage to be the black sheep… especially if your family is hiding a possibly nefarious secret that will make you question everything you thought you knew. That’s what author Rachel Harrison will explore in Black Sheep, her fiery and highly anticipated horror novel. And, we are proud to reveal the sinister cover for Black Sheep.
The tagline for this book is simple: There’s one in every family. Because, well, that is true. But this book’s titular outcast will go on quite the frightening journey. Check out this intriguing Black Sheep synopsis:
Nobody has a “normal” family, but Vesper Wright’s is truly…something else. Vesper left home at eighteen and never looked back—mostly because she was told that leaving the staunchly religious community she grew up in meant she couldn’t return. But then an envelope arrives on her doorstep.
Inside is an invitation to the wedding of Vesper’s beloved cousin Rosie. It’s to be hosted at the family farm. Have they made an exception to the rule? It wouldn’t be the first time Vesper’s been given special treatment. Is the invite a sweet gesture? An olive branch? A trap? Doesn’t matter. Something inside her insists she go to the wedding. Even if it means returning to the toxic environment she escaped. Even if it means reuniting with her mother, Constance, a former horror film star and forever ice queen.
When Vesper’s homecoming exhumes a terrifying secret, she’s forced to reckon with her family’s beliefs and her own crisis of faith in this deliciously sinister novel that explores the way family ties can bind us as we struggle to find our place in the world.
Me promoting my book for the next six months: pic.twitter.com/s3MbrBQzlm
— Rachel Harrison (@rachfacelogic) March 20, 2023
Rachel Harrison’s subversive and feminist horror lens shines in her previous offerings, including Such Sharp Teeth, Cackle, and The Return, the latter of which got a Bram Stoker Award nomination for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. So, we expect that same energy to permeate in Black Sheep, especially with that striking cover art. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait too long for its arrival.
Black Sheep will hit shelves in the US on September 19 and is already available for preorder.