CONTENT WARNINGS

• homophobia (verbal, non-physical)

• child death

• murder

• claustrophobia (buried alive)

• drowning

• slurs

Courtney Gould’s thrilling debut The Dead and the Dark is about the things that lurk in dark corners, the parts of you that can’t remain hidden, and about finding home in places―and people―you didn’t expect.

The Dark has been waiting for far too long, and it won't stay hidden any longer.

Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers seem to point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV's ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there's more secrets buried here than they originally let on.

Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | INDIEBOUND |

BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | MACMILLAN

WINNER OF THE LESLIE BRADSHAW AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT FICTION

ADVANCED PRAISE FOR THE DEAD AND THE DARK

• BOOK RIOT, "Most Anticipated Books of 2021"

• BOSTON MAGAZINE, "42 Books to Help You Get Through the Rest of Quarantine"

• BUZZFEED, "28 New LGBTQ+ Young Adult Novels That'll Add Sunshine To Your Summer"

• CULTURESS, "21 exciting new YA book releases arriving in the summer of 2021"

• FROLIC, "Dark YA to watch for in 2021"

• GEEK GIRL AUTHORITY, "21 Queer Books To Look Out for This Summer and Fall"

• GIZMODO, "49 New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books to Keep You turning Pages in August"

• OPRAH DAILY, "45 Best LGBTQ Books That Will Heat Up the Literary Landscape This Fall"

• PRIDE.com, "25 New LGBTQ+ YA Books to Add to Your 2021 Reading List"

• SHEREADS, "Best LGBTQA+ Books of 2021"

• THE NERD DAILY, "Get Your Hands On These Anticipated July To December 2021 Book Releases"

• UNITED BY POP, "270+ Must Read 2021 YA Book Releases"

"A complex and sophisticated thriller with haunting real-world connections." - Kirkus (Starred Review)

"Gould's supernaturally spooky debut is filled with all manner of creepy inventiveness...an intriguing read." - Publishers Weekly

"Spooky atmosphere seeps out of every pore of this slow burn ghost story." - Buzzfeed

"Imagine Riverdale crossing streams with Stephen King's The Outsider and you'll get a sense of this gripping supernatural mystery...Gould's debut begins as a snappy paranormal yarn and unspools into a profound story about the complex interplay between grief, guilt, and identity." - Oprah Daily

"Gould’s atmospheric writing mesmerized me while reading... In the veins of V.E. Schwab and Courtney Summers, Gould delivers a spine-chilling and eerie debut with The Dead and the Dark that will leave readers hooked from the first page." - The Nerd Daily

"Ghost hunting dads? A mysterious town named Snakebite where teens are disappearing? A teenager haunted by visions of her missing boyfriend? Sign us up. Author Courtney Gould compared this to Riverdale and while we eagerly await the new season, we’ll happily binge read this thriller." - The Young Folks

"Gould's debut is an utterly dreamy romance in the midst of a living nightmare, and a true testament to the power of love in a world of hate. It's exactly the book we need right now." - Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer and editor of His Hideous Heart

"An absorbing mystery and wholly original ghost story. Gould’s writing is mesmerizing, drawing you into Snakebite until it slips under your skin and lingers like the Dark itself. A haunting story I won't shake off anytime soon." - Emma Berquist, author of Devils Unto Dust and Missing, Presumed Dead

"The Dead and the Dark has something for everyone: thrills, chills, a mystery that'll keep readers guessing and a romance they'll absolutely love rooting for. Snakebite is a setting as unforgettably alive as the characters who inhabit it and once it gets hold of you, it won't let go. A riveting, spooky and expertly-crafted debut from a talented new voice in YA fiction." - Courtney Summers, New York Times bestselling author of Sadie

"Gould’s debut has everything you need in a book: an engrossing mystery, a compelling love story, and a setting so utterly alive you won’t believe it isn’t on a map. The Dead and the Dark will keep you in its grasp until the last perfect page." – Erica Waters, author of Ghost Wood Song

"The Dead and the Dark gave me everything I want from a great supernatural murder mystery: a haunting small town, a fresh new romance, and the very best kind of monster―the kind we make ourselves.” - Francesca Zappia, author of Now Entering Addamsville and Eliza and Her Monsters