Aoife quits her job, ditches her abusive boyfriend, and heads out to the sun-warmed sands of the Farmstead commune. Among the fascinating and hedonistic residents, Aoife some how finds everything she’s been missing, and now among people who adore her, she feels she can finally be a part of something really special.
But soon a darkness creeps into to her new way of living. Mysterious cries in the night, as well as a strange cave no one dares enter that somehow disappears, something rotten is spreading through the island. And then there’s the commune’s devotion to their leader, Jonah. Aoife knows that look all too well, and it’s not good.
As Aoife’s old life crashes with her new life, her loyalties are under strain, unleashing a whirlwind of terrifying violence that seems to fracture reality. As Aoife desperately tries to protect everyone she’s come to love, she has to plunge the depths of her strength―and the pleasures of her rage.
Why we’re excited about this book:
Hester Steel is about to become a household name within the horror fiction world. Hailing from the UK, Steel was an English teacher and has worked as a freelance writer. Steel’s short fiction can be found gracing the pages of such publications as Elixir: Stories of Hope and Healing, Awakenings: A Cute Mutants Anthology, and The Uncanny and the Dead: A Spooky By Association Anthology. Early word on the street says Steel’s queer, cosmic debut novel is one you don’t want to miss. Eric LaRocca (This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances) says: “Vivid, poignant, and refreshingly imaginative, The Faceless Thing We Adore is a powerfully absorbing exploration of trauma and fury laced with Eldritch terror. Hester Steel has crafted a vision so unique, so intensely arresting that I’ll be thinking about this book and these richly drawn characters for quite some time … “
Releasing from Page Street Horror 5 August 2025, The Faceless Thing We Adore by Hester Steel is available for pre-order now.
BOB PASTORELLA