Season of Fear

'A beguiling dark fantasy debut' AVA REID

Emily Cooper

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English

Simon & Schuster
26 August 2025

Fantasy; Myth & legend told as fiction; Fantasy

BLOOD SPILLS FROM VEINS, SKIN STARTS TO CRACK,

IGNORE THE FOREST; TURN BACK, TURN BACK . . .

In the village of Heulensee, Ilse Odenwald dreams of being afraid. Because in Heulensee, fearfulness is next to godliness.

A monstrous forest borders the village – the Hexenwald. Its horrors attack every time the sky turns blood-red. The townsfolk’s only defence comes from the gruesome, ancient Saint of Fear, who demands the women and girls offer up their terror in return for its protection.

Born without the ability to feel fear, Ilse is an outsider. As hard as she tries, she cannot bring forth the dread that the Saint of Fear demands. When it discovers her divergence, the Saint levels a threat: Ilse must find her fear, or it will devour her sister.

Unable to lose Thea, the only person who understands her, Ilse enters the Hexenwald, hoping that the monsters it harbours will finally scare her. But the forest is hiding a multitude of secrets and Ilse is about to discover that there’s much more than fear to be found within . . .

Inspired by Bavarian folklore, Season of Fear is a beautifully dark feminist fairytale for fans of Ava Reid and Hannah Whitten, which features a seductive lesbian romance and explores the power in being different and accepting yourself for who you are.

'Hauntingly poetic and monstrously romantic... a beguiling dark fantasy debut that smoulders like hearth-fire.' — Ava Reid, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning

'Darkly whimsical and deliciously unsettling... strikes the perfect balance between fairytale and terror with twists and turns that make it hard to put down.' — Jamison Shea, author of I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me

'A vividly imagined page-turner with a thought-provoking take on gender inequality'—

Kathryn Foxfield, author of Good Girls Die First

By: Emily Cooper
Imprint: Simon & Schuster
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: Export/Airside
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm,
ISBN: 9781398535800
ISBN 10: 139853580X
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 26 August 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Emily Cooper is a published scientist with a Master’s degree in Biology and a lifelong obsession with the natural world. She lives near Manchester in a 330-year-old cottage, which she’s fairly certain is haunted, providing ample inspiration for her novels. Emily is on Instagram and Twitter @ohdeeremily.

Reviews for Season of Fear: 'A beguiling dark fantasy debut' AVA REID

""A dark and dreadful tour de force of a debut! Season of Fear is a consuming tale of sacrifice and service that will haunt you long after its final page. Cooper's worldbuilding is exquisitely beautiful and horrific."" Erin A. Craig, bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child “Season of Fear is a vividly imagined page-turner with a thought-provoking take on gender inequality. This book is the perfect blend of horror and romance, with a gasp out loud twist: such a fun read!” Kathryn Foxfield, author of Good Girls Die First