The Crimson Road

A captivating dark gothic fantasy set in the same universe as the award-winning author's All The Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns and The Briar Book of the Dead. A tale of vampires, assassins, ancient witches and broken promises, perfect for readers of Alix E. Harrow, Hannah Whitten and Alexis Henderson.

Violet Zennor has had a peculiar upbringing. Training as a fighter in underground arenas, honing her skills against the worst scum, murderers and thieves her father could pit her against, she has learned to be ruthless. To kill.

Until the day Hedrek Zennor dies. Violet thinks she's free a rich young heiress with a world of possibilities in front of her. Then, to her horror, Violet learns that her father planned to send her into the Darklands, where the Leech Lords reign. Where Violet's still-born brother was taken years ago after Hedrek sold him to a man bearing the mark of the mysterious Anchorhold.

Her father's solicitor and the city's bishop are insistent she fulfil her duty, but Violet steadfastly refuses. Until one night two assassins attempt to slaughter her - and it becomes clear: if she wants to enjoy a future free of the interference of either solicitors, bishops or assassins, she's going to have to clean up the mess her father made.

On her journey, Violet seeks the help of Miren O'Malley in the hidden estate of Blackwater, whose family once produced the purest, strangest silver; Ellie Briar of Silverton, the Briar Witch who guards the gateway to the realm of the Leech Lords; and Asher Todd of Whitebarrow, who did terrible things and found The Three Who Went Beneath.

Ultimately, Violet must go alone. Into the Darklands. To the Anchorhold where it all began. Where it will all end. To do what must be done.

By turns gripping and bewitching, sharp and audacious, this mesmerising story takes you on a journey into the dark heart of Slatter's sinister and compelling fantasy world, where blood is currency and magic is a weapon.

Praise for A.G. Slatter:


"Angela plays by her own rules. She's fantastic"
Hilarie Burton-Morgan, actress and author of Grimoire Girl


"A delightfully sinister fairy tale full of dark rituals, reluctant romance, and revenge served bitterly cold, The Path of Thorns is a modern classic."
Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For The Wolf


"Slatter writes witches like none other, and her newest is a darkling feast, jewelled and blood-stained, rich with secrets and seething with unbearable power."
Cassandra Khaw, author of The Salt Grows Heavy


"Angela is simply one of the best contemporary writers of fiction, regardless of genre"
Ian Mond, Locus


"A.G. Slatter shows that her genius for the magical gothic tale is not waning... She writes complex characters, who are utterly believable in their relationships and attitudes; she creates vibrant worlds whose details show there's so much more to them than appears on the page. And her prose is so beautiful and absorbing that 350 pages fly by, and you're left wanting more."
Alexandra Pierce, Locus


"Slatter nestles stories within stories, immersing readers in a richly imagined world, and leading them on a journey full of unexpected twists and turns."
A.C. Wise, author of Wendy, Darling


"Dark, witchy, and downright delicious."
Ally Wilkes, author of All the White Spaces


"Angela Slatter hits it out of the park again. With gorgeous prose and a heart-breaking story about family, magic, and the weight of the past, this is a darkly fantastic masterpiece that shouldn't be missed."
Gwendolyn Kiste, Lambda Literary and Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Reluctant Immortals and The Rust Maidens


"Lush prose, complex, compelling characters, and an examination of the tangled webs of both the past and family roots left me flipping pages long into the night. What Slatter has crafted with The Briar Book of the Dead is nothing short of an immersive, dark magic."
Kristi DeMeester, author of Such a Pretty Smile


"Angela Slatter is at her very best in this masterful blend of folkloric storytelling, family conflict and dark horror."
Juliet Marillier, author of the Sevenwaters and Blackthorn & Grim series

Angela Slatter has won a Shirley Jackson Award, a World Fantasy Award, a British Fantasy Award, a Ditmar, three Australian Shadows Awards and eight Aurealis Awards. Most recently, All the Murmuring Bones was shortlisted for the 2021 Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Book of the Year and the 2021 Shirley Jackson Award; The Path of Thorns won the 2022 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel and the 2022 Australian Shadows Award for Best Novel. She has an MA and a PhD in Creative Writing, is a graduate of Clarion South 2009 and the Tin House Summer Writers Workshop 2006. Angela's short stories have appeared in many Best Of anthologies, and her work has been translated into many languages. She lives in Brisbane, Australia.

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