“With her debut novel, Adamowicz presents a historical folk tale of a woman breaking a generational curse from an eternally hungry evil spirit.”
1642, Derbyshire, England. Spending her days hunting sacrifices to satisfy the hungry spirit that dwells in Elden Hole is taking it’s toll on Jane Vernon. Feeding Elden Hole is a generational curse Jane shares with her siblings, as did those that came before her. Each sacrifice increases her reluctance. The arrival of a traveling merchant, the perfect victim, unravels the fabric of these murderous duties.
Searching for his cousin, Sarah, Isaac Latimer seems a wealthy wanderer, following the lead that Sarah was last seen in the company of an older man. Wracked by a guilty conscience, Jane joins Isaac in his hunt, allowing her to see an unburdened life, realizing nothing is as it seems.
Among sacrifices and betrayals, burgeoning love and decaying lies, the spirit’s hunger grows alongside threats in the dark, and only a Vernon can decide between death and damnation.
Why we’re excited about this book:
As we get into the final months of 2026, the stellar horror debuts keep coming, and Sophia Adamowicz’ first novel is no exception. With fiction featured in such publications as Cunning Folk Magazine, Wishbone Words, Crow & Cross Keys, ParABnormal, Trash Cat Lit, and Tales of Folk Horror, Adamowicz’s non-fiction has covered topics such as superstition, and character suffering in the Black Mirror TV series. With her debut novel, Adamowicz presents a historical folk tale of a woman breaking a generational curse from an eternally hungry evil spirit. Kristen J. Sollée (Witch Hunt: A Traveler’s Journey into the Power and Persecution of the Witch) says: “The Brink drags you into its eldritch depths and doesn’t let go. This is historical folk horror at its finest.”, J.R. Blanes (Portraits of Decay) says: “From the very first page, The Brink plunges you into a twisted folk horror tale of conflicting family dynamics that digs straight to the bottom of the well of human emotion. A novel that delves into the darkness hiding at the core of our loyalties and beliefs. Be careful! One wrong step and it may devour your soul.”, and Elizabth Sulis Kim (The Book of Beasts: Reclaiming Animal Wisdom) says The Brink is: “Deliciously dark and strangely familiar, this assured debut gives us a glimpse into the weird and wild heart of old England, though Sophia Adamowicz’s voice is modern and resonant.”
Releasing from Ruadán Books 22 September 2026, The Brink by Sophia Adamowicz is available for pre-order now.
BOB PASTORELLA
