It is not the monster you must fear, but the monster it makes of men . . .

Years ago, Mary’s great uncle — dropout medical student Victor Frankenstein — disappeared in the Arctic. Now, in 1853, she and her husband Henry live in London, struggling to make a name for themselves as paleontologists.

Unfortunately, in a world where scientific success requires wealth and connections, they don’t stand a chance: Mary, the illegitimate daughter of a housemaid, with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue; and Henry, a recently-fired geologist better known for his gambling problems than his radical theories. But when Mary discovers some old family papers that reveal the truth of her great-uncle’s past, she comes up with a plan—one that will pay their debts, prove Henry’s theories right, and finally get her some of the respect she deserves.
They’re going to make a monster…
⭐️ #1 Amazon bestseller ⭐️ Lambda award finalist ⭐️ shortlisted for the society of authors’ Betty trask prize ⭐️ Edmund White Award finalist ⭐️ shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize ⭐️ As seen in The NEw Yorker, NPR, SFX, Publishers Weekly, booklist, and library journal

It is not the monster you must fear, but the monster it makes of men . . .

Years ago, Mary’s great uncle — dropout medical student Victor Frankenstein — disappeared in the Arctic. Now, in 1853, she and her husband Henry live in London, struggling to make a name for themselves as paleontologists.

Unfortunately, in a world where scientific success requires wealth and connections, they don’t stand a chance: Mary, the illegitimate daughter of a housemaid, with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue; and Henry, a recently-fired geologist better known for his gambling problems than his radical theories. But when Mary discovers some old family papers that reveal the truth of her great-uncle’s past, she comes up with a plan—one that will pay their debts, prove Henry’s theories right, and finally get her some of the respect she deserves.
They’re going to make a monster…
⭐️ #1 Amazon bestseller ⭐️ Lambda award finalist ⭐️ shortlisted for the society of authors’ Betty trask prize ⭐️ Edmund White Award finalist ⭐️ shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize ⭐️ As seen in The NEw Yorker, NPR, SFX, Publishers Weekly, booklist, and library journal

It’s weird, it’s queer, and it’s here in bookshops near you! OUR HIDEOUS PROGENY is my debut novel, a spiritual sequel to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and a love letter to women in science and the fascinating history of Victorian paleoart.

Are you a fan of Victorian mad science? Gothic gays? Women who are angry, and ambitious, and covered in blood? Then OHP may be for you!

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Note: Our Hideous Progeny is a Gothic novel, and may contain content that is distressing to some. View the trigger warnings/content warnings here.

Praise for Our Hideous Progeny

Evocatively and compassionately, Our Hideous Progeny seeks a way to tell the stories of those ‘whose tales cannot fit in one book, those poor creatures who remain lost or forgotten’.
the new yorker

This immersive blend of historical and science fiction brims with surprises and dark delights. . . . An incisive exploration of women’s rights within the field of science. . . . The setting, too, feels wholly authentic, making it easy to get sucked in. Readers will revel in Mary’s personal and scientific discoveries and root for her to succeed in an unfair world.
Publishers weekly ⭐️ starred review

Our Hideous Progeny is a worthy successor to Shelley’s ground-breaking science fiction masterpiece.
autostraddle, best queer books

Compelling and utterly absorbing, Our Hideous Progeny is an artfully crafted debut that echoes the dark essence of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein while maintaining a fascinating originality all of its own.
Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora

Exquisitely written, brimming with imagery both beautiful and shocking, this daring debut makes the rivalries of the Victorian scientific establishment thrilling and urgent, bringing us a story worthy of Mary Shelley.
Sean Lusk, author of The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley

A fantastic read: I felt everything about Mary, her simmering anger and her intellectual delight, so very clearly.
Freya Marske, author of The Last Binding trilogy

A gut busting adventure to escape into. I loved it. Loved the setting, the characters, the high stakes. What an exceptionally talented writer. Can’t wait to talk about this to everyone.
Ericka Waller, author of Dog Days

This is no typical revisiting of Shelley’s iconic tale… This is a post-Gothic treat, an enjoyably moody, fog-drenched fictional commemoration of women in science.
Booklist ⭐️ starred review

Fans of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and historical horror with a queer feminist twist will not be disappointed… In this immersive, richly detailed novel, Mary is an enthralling heroine with whom readers will empathize, and owing to assured, luscious prose, whose plight they will champion.
Library journal ⭐️ starred review

A wonderful book; dark, passionate, multilayered, and rich with enticing detail.
Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat and The Strawberry Thief

Our Hideous Progeny takes inspiration from Mary Shelley’s masterpiece along with the Victorian fascination with scientific innovation and the prehistoric world. This wonderful debut evolves into a gripping Gothic tale of grief and ambition, passion and intrigue.
Jess Kidd, author of The Night Ship

Darkly brilliant and sumptuously gothic, this atmospheric debut left me reeling.
C. J. Cooke, author of The Lighthouse Witches

Witty, dark and sharp as a scalpel… brilliantly captures what it’s like to be a woman in a man’s world.
LIZZIE POOK, author of MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER