Melissa Marr

Heavily-tattooed and erratic, Tess hides in plain sight, off-the-grid in New Orleans. Tess is a survivor with more secrets than even she knows. Her clearest memories are tattooed on her skin, memorials to the missing dead. No one knows who Tess is--or that she's still alive. That is, until writer J. Michael Anderson appears in town looking for someone with an irresistible story he can use to revive his flagging career. In Durham, North Carolina Juliana Campbell comes face to face with death every day, but nothing in her mortician's training prepares her for the bodies that have started to appear on her table. With each body her anger grows, and she becomes ever more driven to find the murderer. In the shadowy edges of the French Quarter, these three lives collide as long buried secrets and one woman's harrowing past ensnare them in the sights of the killer. PRETTY BROKEN THINGS will release first as a full-cast Audible Original on 11 June 2020. Paperback and ebook will follow in December 2020.

A sultry, twisty thriller set in the shadowy edges of New Orleans' French Quarter After receiving a lead from an unlikely source, Juliana, the mortician tasked with the bodies of victims of the 'Carolina Creeper, ' the South's most notorious serial killer in decades, sets off to New Orleans in search of Theresa Morris, an heiress and presumably the Creeper's only surviving victim. Theresa now goes by "Tess" and is a shadow of her former heiress self. She's also being pursued by famous novelist Michael, who sets his sights on Tess as the muse of his work-in-progress, oblivious to her former identity. As Michael gets closer to Tess and begins to put the pieces of her traumatic past together, Juliana zeroes in on Tess's whereabouts. They don't know it, but the three of them are on a collision course, hurtling straight into the Creeper's path. PRETTY BROKEN THINGS will release first as an Audible Original on 11 June 2020. Paperback and ebook will follow in December 2020.

The dead don't always stay dead in Claysville . . . and in the afterlife, Death himself can't be trusted. Amity Blue has begun to remember strange impossible events, her ex trying to bite her and people vanishing like mist. Everyone in town swears a mountain lion is responsible for the recent deaths, but Amity is sure that there's more to the story. After a stalker-a dead stalker-appears at the bar where she works, Amity discovers that the dead don't always stay dead in Claysville. Along with the current Graveminder, Rebekkah Barrow, Amity seeks out the enigmatic Mr D, who seems to be Death himself, only to discover that the centuries-old contract to protect Claysville has been broken. Caught between life in a cursed town and Death himself, Amity and Rebekkah must find a way to put the dead where they belong-because if the Hungry Dead keep rising, everyone in town will be lost. Return to the world of Graveminder, Goodreads Choice Winner for Best Horror Novel in this stand-alone Graveminder novel (which also includes two Graveminder short stories.). What People Have Said about GRAVEMINDER: "If anyone can put the goth in Southern Gothic, it's Melissa Marr." -NPR.org"Marr creates sympathetic characters, she takes readers to places both sinister and delightful, and there's a satisfying end to a wonderfully awful villain. It's a fast read, spooky enough to please but not too disturbing to read in bed." -Washington Post"Dark and dreamy. . . . Rod Serling would have loved Graveminder. . . Marr is not tapping into the latest horde of zombie novels, she's created a new kind of undead creature. . . . A creatively creepy gothic tale for grown-ups."-USA Today"Plan ahead to read this one, because you won't be able to put it down Haunting, captivating, brilliant " -Library Journal (starred review)"Filled with ancient contracts, the walking dead, and fated love, this eerie tale draws you in and leaves you yearning for more."-IndieNext List, July 2011 "The emotional dance between Rebekkah and Byron will captivate female readers. . . . Fantasy-horror fans will demand more." -Kirkus Reviews"An adult novel that Marr's fans may enjoy. Graveminder is worthy of praise. . . . The main characters and it is easy to become involved in their struggles." VOYA, Top Fantasy of the Year "Melissa Marr has the rare talent of making deeply weird things seem perfectly normal, and making perfectly normal things seem deeply weird." io9"Welcome to the return of the great American gothic." -Del Howison, Bram Stoker Award-winning editor of Dark Delicacies

In near-future New Orleans, draugar, again-walkers, are faster and stronger than most humans, but not venomous until they are a century old. Until then, they shamble and bite. Since not everyone wants to see their relatives end up that way, Genevi ve Crowe makes her living beheading the dead. But now, her magic's gone sideways, and the only person strong enough to help her is the one man who could tempt her to think about picket fences: Eli Stonecroft, a faery who chose bar-owner in New Orleans over a life in Elphame. When human businessmen start turning up as draugar, both the queen of the again-walkers and the wealthy son of one of the victims hire Genevi ve to figure it out. She works to keep her magic in check, the dead from crawling out of their graves, and enough money for a future that might be a lot longer than she'd like. Neither her heart nor her life are safe now that she's juggling a faery, murder, and magic." I loved The Wicked and The Dead A sassy, ass-kicking heroine, a deliciously mysterious fae hero, and a wonderful mix of action and romance. Add that to Melissa's usual great world-building, and I'm already looking forward to book 2 " - Jeaniene Frost, NYT Bestselling Author"Wow You all seriously want to read this. It's an urban fantasy - very cool twist on vampires - with a heroine simultaneously so kickass, warmly human, and passionate about the world that I want to be her. I also want to be her because of the insanely hot Eli, her fae love interest. . . . Get in on the ground level with this series, because it's going to be an auto buy. Highly recommend."-- Jeffe Kennedy, award-winning author and SFWA Board Member​​​"I absolutely loved this novel Melissa Marr does a brilliant job of weaving obscure folklore into a modern story."--Katie, Reference Librarian at Lafourche Library

In near-future New Orleans, draugar, again-walkers, are faster and stronger than most humans, but not venomous until they are a century old. Until then, they shamble and bite. Since not everyone wants to see their relatives end up that way, Genevi ve Crowe makes her living beheading the dead. But now, her magic's gone sideways, and the only person strong enough to help her is the one man who could tempt her to think about picket fences: Eli Stonecroft, a faery who chose bar-owner in New Orleans over a life in Elphame. When human businessmen start turning up as draugar, both the queen of the again-walkers and the wealthy son of one of the victims hire Genevi ve to figure it out. She works to keep her magic in check, the dead from crawling out of their graves, and enough money for a future that might be a lot longer than she'd like. Neither her heart nor her life are safe now that she's juggling a faery, murder, and magic." I loved The Wicked and The Dead A sassy, ass-kicking heroine, a deliciously mysterious fae hero, and a wonderful mix of action and romance. Add that to Melissa's usual great world-building, and I'm already looking forward to book 2 " - Jeaniene Frost, NYT Bestselling Author

In near-future New Orleans, draugar, again-walkers, are faster and stronger than most humans, but not venomous until they are a century old. Until then, they shamble and bite. Since not everyone wants to see their relatives end up that way, Genevi ve Crowe makes her living beheading the dead. But now, her magic's gone sideways, and the only person strong enough to help her is the one man who could tempt her to think about picket fences: Eli Stonecroft, a faery who chose bar-owner in New Orleans over a life in Elphame. When human businessmen start turning up as draugar, both the queen of the again-walkers and the wealthy son of one of the victims hire Genevi ve to figure it out. She works to keep her magic in check, the dead from crawling out of their graves, and enough money for a future that might be a lot longer than she'd like. Neither her heart nor her life are safe now that she's juggling a faery, murder, and magic." I loved The Wicked and The Dead A sassy, ass-kicking heroine, a deliciously mysterious fae hero, and a wonderful mix of action and romance. Add that to Melissa's usual great world-building, and I'm already looking forward to book 2 " - Jeaniene Frost, NYT Bestselling Author

In this prequel to the international bestselling WICKED LOVELY series, the Faery Courts collide a century before the mortals in Wicked Lovely are born. Thelma Foy, a jeweler with the Second Sight in iron-bedecked 1890s New Orleans, wasn't expecting to be caught in a faery conflict. But when the Dark King, Irial, rescues her, Tam must confront everything she thought she knew about faeries, men, and love. Too soon, New Orleans is filling with faeries who are looking for her, and Irial is the only one who can keep her safe. Unbeknownst to Tam, she is the prize in a centuries-old fight between Summer Court and Winter Court. To protect her, Irial must risk a war he can't win--or surrender the first mortal woman he's loved. PRAISE FOR THE WICKED LOVELY SERIES: "Impossible to put down" --School Library Journal "As mesmerizing as its urban faery subjects"--Booklist "A fully imagined faery world ...which even non-fantasy (or faerie) lovers will want to delve into"--Publishers Weekly "They live among us. They are tricky, sometimes malicious. They are playful, seductive, exotic. Marr's book makes the existence of faeries seem all too possible" -Horn Book

In this prequel to the internationally bestselling WICKED LOVELY series, the Faery Courts collide a century before the mortals in Wicked Lovely are born. Thelma Foy, a jeweler with the Second Sight in iron-bedecked 1890s New Orleans, wasn't expecting to be caught in a faery conflict. But when the Dark King, Irial, rescues her, Tam must confront everything she thought she knew about faeries, men, and love. Too soon, New Orleans is filling with faeries who are looking for her, and Irial is the only one who can keep her safe. Unbeknownst to Tam, she is the prize in a centuries-old fight between Summer Court and Winter Court. To protect her, Irial must risk a war he can't win--or surrender the first mortal woman he's loved. PRAISE FOR COLD IRON HEART: "Set against the lush backdrop of 1890s New Orleans, Marr's spellbinding prequel to the Wicked Lovely urban fantasy series invites readers back into the world of the fae The resulting conflict delivers all the magic, intrigue, and romance that Marr's fans expect. Readers will be pleased"-Publishers Weekly"Melissa Marr masterfully rises to challenge of writing a prequel by both expanding on the mythology of the original series while telling a story that exists wholly on its own. Fans of the series will inhale this delicious glimpse into Irial's past."-John McDougall, Murder by the Book, Houston TX." What a delight to discover how much I loved being back in the Wicked Lovely world, discovering details about beloved characters that made me want to race back for a series reread. This is Irial's story set in 1890s New Orleans, brimming with faerie court drama and steamy romance. Can we, and should we, outrun fate? And if so, are we prepared for the consequences? I could not put it down."- Angela Mann, Kepler's Books, Menlo Park, CA. ON THE AUDIO BOOK: "In this prequel to the Wicked Lovely Novel series, narrators Kristin James and Tim Paige--both gifted with rich, easily distinguishable voices--immerse the listener in the elegant, fascinating, deadly, and intriguing world of the Summer and Winter Faery Courts. ... James has a lilting, lush, and whispery voice that perfectly captures Thelma. Paige has an affected mien that is equally perfect for the gorgeous and hedonistic king. This listen is wicked-- wickedly enjoyable." A. C. P. (c) AudioFile 2020

In this prequel to the international bestselling WICKED LOVELY series, the Faery Courts collide a century before the mortals in Wicked Lovely are born. Thelma Foy, a jeweler with the Second Sight in iron-bedecked 1890s New Orleans, wasn't expecting to be caught in a faery conflict. But when the Dark King, Irial, rescues her, Tam must confront everything she thought she knew about faeries, men, and love. Too soon, New Orleans is filling with faeries who are looking for her, and Irial is the only one who can keep her safe. Unbeknownst to Tam, she is the prize in a centuries-old fight between Summer Court and Winter Court. To protect her, Irial must risk a war he can't win--or surrender the first mortal woman he's loved. PRAISE FOR THE WICKED LOVELY SERIES: "Impossible to put down" --School Library Journal "As mesmerizing as its urban faery subjects"--Booklist "A fully imagined faery world ...which even non-fantasy (or faerie) lovers will want to delve into"--Publishers Weekly "They live among us. They are tricky, sometimes malicious. They are playful, seductive, exotic. Marr's book makes the existence of faeries seem all too possible" -Horn Book

“Who better to raise teens’ awareness of mental illness and health than the YA authors they admire?” —Booklist (starred review) “[A] much-needed, enlightening book.” —School Library Journal (starred review) Your favorite YA authors including Ellen Hopkins, Maureen Johnson, and more recount their own experiences with mental health in this raw, real, and powerful collection of essays that explores everything from ADD to PTSD. Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t get out of bed? Not the occasional morning, but every day? Do you find yourself listening to a voice in your head that says “you’re not good enough,” “not good looking enough,” “not thin enough,” or “not smart enough”? Have you ever found yourself unable to do homework or pay attention in class unless everything is “just so” on your desk? Everyone has had days like that, but what if you have them every day? You’re not alone. Millions of people are going through similar things. However issues around mental health still tend to be treated as something shrouded in shame or discussed in whispers. It’s easier to have a broken bone—something tangible that can be “fixed”—than to have a mental illness, and easier to have a discussion about sex than it is to have one about mental health. Life Inside My Mind is an anthology of true-life events from writers of this generation, for this generation. These essays tackle everything from neurodiversity to addiction to OCD to PTSD and much more. The goals of this book range from providing a home to those who are feeling alone, awareness to those who are witnessing a friend or family member struggle, and to open the floodgates to conversation.

In this gripping follow-up to Melissa Marr's lush Seven Black Diamonds, Lily and her friends are forced to reckon with the truth of their own lineage and to protect one of their own, no matter what--or who--comes between them. Now that Lilywhite Abernathy is the heir to the Hidden Lands, everything is about to change. The Queen of Blood and Rage wants Lily to help broker peace with the human world, but Lily knows that harmony won't come easily. After decades of waging war on the humans, who cost the queen her firstborn daughter, the fae are struggling to accept Lily, a half-human monarch. And the humans, while no match against faery affinities, will hardly agree to the queen's d tente without resistance. Lily wants to be a fair ruler but fears having to abandon the life she's known. Now that she and Creed are more than just fellow Black Diamonds--operatives for the queen--her priorities have shifted. But her worries about assuming the throne are derailed when it becomes clear that someone--or some fae--is masterminding violent attacks to discourage peace. Who can end the war between humans and fae?

When I found you, you were small and trembling, and I thought you might be a little bunny. I held you close so you were warm. The world can seem like a big, bewildering place for new babies - fortunately, their mothers know just how to sooth and comfort them. This book cleverly explores a baby's emotions with apt comparisons to animals and, in doing so, reassures young children that their caretakers will always love them and keep them safe. The lovely illustrations of mummy animals caring for their babies playfully reinforce this message, making for a visually captivating book.

Melissa Marr, New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series, returns to the ethereal and bloodthirsty world of faery in this dramatic story of the precarious space between two worlds--and the people who must thrive there. Lilywhite Abernathy is a criminal--she's half human, half fae, and since the time before she was born her very blood has been illegal. A war has been raging between humans and faeries, and the Queen of Blood and Rage, ruler of the fae courts, wants to avenge the tragic death of her heir due to the actions of reckless humans. Lily's father has always shielded her from the truth, but when she's sent to the prestigious St. Columba's school, she's delivered straight into the arms of a fae Sleeper cell--the Black Diamonds. The Diamonds are planted in the human world as the sons and daughters of the most influential families, and tasked with destroying it from within. Against her will, Lilywhite's been chosen to join them . . . and even the romantic attention of the fae rock singer Creed Morrison isn't enough to keep Lily from wanting to run back to the familiar world she knows. Don't miss the lush, gripping follow-up, One Blood Ruby

For fans of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the thrilling conclusion to The Blackwell Pages, written by New York Times bestselling YA authors, K. L. Armstrong and M. A. Marr. Thirteen-year-olds Matt, Laurie, and Fen have beaten near-impossible odds to assemble their fellow descendants of the Norse Gods and complete epic quests. Their biggest challenge lies ahead: battling the fierce monsters working to bring about the apocalypse. But when they learn that Matt must fight the Midgard Serpent alone and Fen and Laurie are pulled in other directions, the friends realize they can't take every step of this journey together. Matt, Laurie, and Fen will each have to fight their own battles to survive, to be true to themselves, and to one another - with nothing less than the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital to discover she possesses a strange new skill--the ability to foresee people's deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from her hit-and-run accident, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva's power to keep their friends--and each other--from falling into the hands of a killer. This contemporary romantic suspense novel from five-time New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr earned widespread critical acclaim, with Kirkus Reviews calling it a "riveting whodunit that delivers a bouquet of teen romance, paranormal, and thriller." And BCCB declared, "Between the suspense, the horror, the romance, and the wit, this will have equal appeal for fans of Sarah Dessen and Rosemary Clement-Moore." A stark departure from her fantasy settings, this Southern Gothic, racy thriller gives fans old and new chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance.

Following in the tradition of Kristen Ashley, Joanna Wilde, and Jay Crownover, this first novel in a sexy, dark New Adult series tells the thrilling story of a young woman who finds herself drawn to a Southern motorcycle club's inner circle-and a dangerously hot biker. Aubrey Evans needs to get her life back on track after her father is indicted for embezzlement. She'll save college tuition money, hightail it out of small-town Tennessee, and steer clear of hard-muscled boys on motorcycles. Yet there's no ignoring someone like Zion. A knight in black leather, Zion looks like every bad idea she's been told to avoid, but she can't resist him. Whenever she's in trouble, he's there. Appealing as his rough exterior may be, it's the protective, principled man beneath that tempts her like crazy. Zion knows Aubrey doesn't intend to stick around. She claims to want only friendship, but he senses there's a naughty girl hiding on the inside-one whose intense desires match his own. For now, he'll be patient and play by her rules. Though he knows it's just a matter of time before he weakens her resolve. As they join forces to figure out who's behind a local crime spree, it's clear that the danger goes deeper than Aubrey guessed. And when she needs someone tall, dark, and undaunted to keep her safe, Zion intends to be there-now and always.

From the bestselling author of Wicked Lovely, Melissa Marr, comes Carnival of Secrets, a tale of lush secrets, dark love, and the struggle to forge one's own destiny--told for the first time alongside the revealing online-only prequel Carnival of Lies. Warriors Kaleb and Aya will stop at nothing to destroy their competition. But when Kaleb, a prizefighter from the otherworldly Untamed City, finds his fate entwined with that of Mallory, a seventeen-year-old human girl, he can't seem to separate the vicious Carnival contest he's entered from his sudden--and obsessive--devotion to her. All Mallory knows is that she's being pulled toward Kaleb and his foreign world with an emotion so fierce that it's utterly foreign. The two are forced apart, but when the City's ruler raises the stakes of the Carnival's prize, there's nothing Mallory, Kaleb, or Aya can do to stop the two worlds from colliding. Mallory's about to discover her true identity--and stumble into a fate she'd die to avoid.

When I found you, you were small and trembling, and I thought you might be a little bunny. I held you close so you were warm. The world can seem like a big, bewildering place for new babies-but fortunately their mamas know just how to sooth and comfort them. This beautiful text celebrates the many ways a child is made to feel at home in the world. Through enchanting scenes portraying all kinds of mama animals caring for their little ones, the mother in this story reassures her baby, and young children everywhere, that their caretakers will always love them and keep them safe. The apt comparisons to baby animals and their mothers makes for a book that's both playfully sweet and visually captivating.