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This Vicious Hunger

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By Francesca May

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$29.00

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$39.00 CAD

From the author of Wild and Wicked Things comes a dark gothic fantasy about two young women struggling to find the freedom of choice in a world where their path feels predetermined. Turning to each other, they soon find themselves sinking deeper into a world of beauty, poison, and the insatiable quest for knowledge. 

Thora Grieve finds herself destitute and an outcast after the sudden death of her husband only a few weeks into their marriage, but a glimmer of hope arrives when a family friend offers her spot at a university to study botany under a famed professor. Once at the university Thora becomes entranced by a mysterious young woman, Olea, who emerges each night to tend to the plants in the professor’s private garden.
 
Thora soon learns that a mysterious illness prevents Olea from leaving the garden. Hungry for connection, Thora befriends Olea through the garden gate and their relationship quickly and intensely blossoms. The visceral connection between Thora and Olea unlocks an obsessive desire in Thora as she throws herself into finding a cure for Olea’s ailment. But is this really love or is it merely lustful intoxication? Thora’s finally found the freedom to pursue her deepest desires, but at what cost?

  • Praise for Wild and Wicked Things

    "Brimming with romance and gilded with danger, Wild and Wicked Things is a heady, lyrical gem of a book." ―Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf

    "Haunting, immersive, and seething with dark magic, Wild and Wicked Things cast its spell on me." ―Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching

    "[T]his compelling queer gothic gas-lamp tale of witchcraft, wealth, and war is filled with brooding atmosphere, sensual details, and a sense of creeping dread....[a] tale of secrets, lies, and mistakenly raising the dead, will keep readers guessing and turning pages to the very end. Highly recommended for lovers of dark, witchy fantasy." ―Library Journal (starred review)

    Wild and Wicked Things ticked all my boxes. May’s vivid prose carries us off to a world not quite unlike our own and spins the story of one woman coming into her own, another fighting the darkness inside her, and the two of them drawing together to become something more. I couldn’t put it down.” ―Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart

    "Viciously enchanting, with a spell woven onto every page. Francesca May has given us a cast of wild and wicked women who dare to hold a mirror to the darkest, and most tender, parts of our souls. I couldn't get enough!" ―Heather Walter, author of Malice

    “Entrancing, seductive, and decadently beautiful, Francesca May weaves an intoxicating spell. Here is a deep, sensuous exploration of the bonds between three very different, complex women that readers won't soon forget." ―Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author

    "A sapphic historical fantasy novel that drips with dark curses and alluring witchcraft. It delivers all the gothic, witchy vibes you could hope for." ―CultureFly

    "An intoxicating blend of secrets and glamour, romance and scandal, blood magic and dark pasts. If you’ve ever thought the Jazz Age would have been better with witchcraft, this book is for you." ―H. G. Parry, author of The Shadow Histories

    "Even after the last page is turned, this intoxicating story lingers like a deep dark wine. Sparkling and deadly, Wild and Wicked Things enchanted me, and if you're feeling dangerous, it will enchant you too." ―Lucy Holland, author of Sistersong

    "[B]eautiful...May’s atmospheric prose conjures the world down to its last detail." ―Publishers Weekly

On Sale
Aug 26, 2025
Page Count
384 pages
Publisher
Redhook
ISBN-13
9780316287531

Francesca May

Francesca May

About the Author

Francesca May grew up in the middle of England where she spent her childhood devouring fantasy books and brewing potions in her back garden. She currently lives in Derby with her family, three giant dogs, and two black cats. By day she works as a bookseller at Waterstones. By night she accidentally kills every house plant she touches and writes novels about gothic mansions, witchcraft, and queer love. She also writes psychological thrillers and gothic suspense as Fran Dorricott. You can find her on Twitter @franwritesstuff or her website at http://www.frandorricott.com

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