Half a Dark Heart

H. F. Askwith

$19.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Penguin Books Ltd
03 February 2026

A gloriously gothic Victorian YA horror-romantasy about first love, sisters, and how far we will go to protect the ones we love

The Horrors gain strength when things in our world are broken.

A bone. A promise. A heart.

Ever since she first encountered 'The Horrors', Alice has hidden herself safely behind the walls of her family's Whitby guest house. Only her beloved sister, Lucille, knows why- that Alice can see things - gruesome, terrible things - in the darkest corners of our world. Shadow-monsters which will do anything to satisfy their violent cravings - and seemingly nothing can stop them. Of course, no one would believe them if they told them - and so the girls stay silent.

That is, until Lucille goes missing, and the boy she was in love with turns up dead. All of which coincides with the arrival of Austin - a dashing young actor from London, who claims a demon has stolen his voice, and only Alice can help him.

Faced with a world and powers she never even knew existed, Alice must race against time to save her sister, herself, and perhaps the only other person who's ever cared about her. As well as send a demon or two back to where they came from . . .

By: H. F. Askwith
Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm, Spine: 35mm
Weight: 500g
ISBN: 9780241738429
ISBN 10: 0241738423
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 03 February 2026
Recommended Age: From 13 to 19 years
Audience: Young adult , Children/juvenile , Preschool (0-5) , English as a second language
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

H. F. Askwith is a British writer of dark fantastical fiction. She has written three YA gothic-thrillers - A Dark Inheritance, A Cruel Twist of Fate and Half a Dark Heart. In addition to her writing, H. F. Askwith has a love of puzzles, escape rooms and cyphers, which has in turn influenced her work.

Reviews for Half a Dark Heart

Haunting, atmospheric and suspenseful, Half A Dark Heart is a completely captivating gothic mystery. I haven’t been swept away by a book like this in a long time and I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun being utterly terrified. * Bea Fitzgerald, bestselling author of Girl, Goddess, Queen * Half A Dark Heart is the atmospheric horromantasy I’ve been craving! With a devastatingly tender love story, an evocative gothic setting, and a deep exploration of the power of sisterhood, this book is going to stay with me for a long time * Laura Steven, bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates * Praise for A Dark Inheritance: ""A powerful, heart-racing story of family, fate, and writing your own destiny. Intricately plotted and luminously written - I loved it * Laura Steven, bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates *