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About The Book

An unforgettable horror novel from bestselling sensation Ania Ahlborn—hailed as a writer of “some of the most promising horror I’ve encountered in years” (New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire)—in which a small-town boy investigates the mysterious disappearance of his cousin and uncovers a terrifying secret kept hidden for years.

Young Jude Brighton has been missing for three days, and while the search for him is in full swing in the small town of Deer Valley, Oregon, the locals are starting to lose hope. They’re well aware that the first forty-eight hours are critical and after that, the odds usually point to a worst-case scenario. And despite Stevie Clark’s youth, he knows that, too; he’s seen the cop shows. He knows what each ticking moment may mean for Jude, his cousin and best friend.

That, and there was that boy, Max Larsen...the one from years ago, found dead after also disappearing under mysterious circumstances. And then there were the animals: pets gone missing out of yards. For years, the residents of Deer Valley have murmured about these unsolved crimes…and that a killer may still be lurking around their quiet town. Now, fear is reborn—and for Stevie, who is determined to find out what really happened to Jude, the awful truth may be too horrifying to imagine.

About The Author

Photo courtesy of the author

Ania Ahlborn is the bestselling author of the horror works Brother, The Devil Crept In, Within These Walls, The Bird Eater, The Shuddering, The Neighbors, Seed, If You See Her, the novella collection Apart in the Dark, and the thriller Dark Across the Bay. Born in Ciechanow, Poland, she now lives with her family in North Carolina. Visit her at AniaAhlborn.com or follow the author on Facebook and Instagram.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Gallery Books (February 7, 2017)
  • Length: 384 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781476783802

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Raves and Reviews

"A beautiful and deftly wrought horror story of mothers, sons, and the delicate bond between cousins....With sympathetic attention paid to the relationships between overwhelmed mothers and the sons they can't save from evil, and prose that elegantly evokes tension while illustrating Stevie's rich inner world, readers will be engrossed and thrilled right through to the chewy finale."

– Publishers Weekly (starred review), on THE DEVIL CREPT IN

“Creepy…digs under your skin and leaves marks. You may find yourself looking over your shoulder long after the book is done.”

– J. Lincoln Fenn, award-winning author of DEAD SOULS and POE, on THE DEVIL CREPT IN

“[A] visceral, nihilistic thriller. . . . Ahlborn’s impressive writing and expert exploration of the psychological effects of systemic abuse elevate what could have been the literary equivalent of a slasher flick, and the twist in the final act is jaw-dropping. This relentlessly grim tale is definitely not for the squeamish, but it’s nearly impossible to put down.”

– Publishers Weekly (starred review), on BROTHER

“This story of brotherly love/hate will crush you to the core. . . . BROTHER delivers horror on all fronts. . . . The writing is so good, so precision perfect, that BROTHER may be this year’s sleeper novel, certainly of the GONE GIRL caliber, that deserves all the praise and accolades it will definitely receive. . . . An instant classic. . . . This is one book you need to get in your hands as soon as possible.”

– This is Horror, on BROTHER

“Terrifyingly sad. . . . WITHIN THESE WALLS creeps under your skin, and stays there. It’s insidious. . . . The book’s atmosphere is distinctly damp, clammy, overcast, and it isn’t all the Washington weather: its characters’ souls are gray, dimmed by failure. Ahlborn is awfully good on the insecurities that plague both aging writers . . . and oversensitive young girls . . . which leave them vulnerable to those who . . . know how to get into their heads. So grim.”

– The New York Times Book Review, on WITHIN THESE WALLS

“Cruel, bone-chilling, and destined to become a classic, WITHIN THESE WALLS is worth the sleep it will cost you. Some of the most promising horror I’ve encountered in years.”

– Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author, on WITHIN THESE WALLS

“A monstrous Russian nesting doll of a book, holding secrets within secrets; the plot barrels headlong toward one of the most shocking climaxes you’re ever likely to read. This one’s going to wreck you.”

– Nick Cutter, national bestselling author of LITTLE HEAVEN and THE TROOP, on WITHIN THESE WALLS

“Ania Ahlborn is a great storyteller who spins an atmosphere of dread literally from the first page, increasing the mental pressure all the way through to the terrifying, chilling ending.”

– Jeff Somers, acclaimed author of THE ELECTRIC CHURCH and WE ARE NOT GOOD PEOPLE, on WITHIN THESE WALLS

“Ever-mounting terror and a foreboding setting make for pure storytelling alchemy. . . . Ania Ahlborn goes for the gut with surprise twists that will stay with you for days. Not a book, or an author, that you’ll soon forget.”

– Vicki Pettersson, New York Times bestselling author, on WITHIN THESE WALLS

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