Boys in the Valley

“Old-school horror.” ―STEPHEN KINGThe Exorcist meets Lord of the Flies in Boys in the Valley, a brilliant coming-of-age tale from award-winning author Philip Fracassi.An Esquire Best Horror Book of 2023! • A British Fantasy Award finalist for Best Horror Novel!“A sublimely chilling story.” ―Library Journal, STARRED reviewSt. Vincent's Orphanage for Boys.Early twentieth century, in a remote valley in Pennsylvania.Here, under the watchful eyes of several priests, thirty boys work, learn, and worship. Peter Barlow, orphaned as a child by a gruesome murder, has made a new life here. As he approaches adulthood, he has friends, a future...a family.Then, late one stormy night, a group of men arrive at their door, one of whom is badly wounded, occult symbols carved into his flesh. His death releases an ancient evil that spreads like sickness, infecting St. Vincent's and the children within. Soon, boys begin acting differently, forming groups. Taking sides.Others turn up dead.Now Peter and those dear to him must choose sides of their own, each of them knowing their lives ― and perhaps their eternal souls ― are at risk.

Stephen King

“Old-school horror.”

Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author of My Heart Is a Chainsaw

“The prose is precise, the terror’s exquisite, and Fracassi’s got his hand on the chisel going into your chest.”

Esquire

“The most frightening novel of the year.”

Library Journal, STARRED review

“A sublimely chilling story….Fracassi almost cheerfully paints this gloomy tale with painfully beautiful and detailed prose that is not afraid to shy away from gore and terror.”

Andy Davidson, author of The Hollow Kind

“Gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, and terrifying.”

Alma Katsu, author of The Fervor and The Hunger

“As poignant as it is chilling, with a fast-paced, unflinching ending, it’s the richly drawn characters that make Boys in the Valley a standout.”

Victor LaValle, author of The Ballad of Black Tom

“A riveting, and horrifying, tale of survival set against a punishing and vivid backdrop. Think William Peter Blatty and William Golding blended together…but still the insights and angles are all Philip Fracassi.”

Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of Road of Bones and All Hallows

“Harrowing and claustrophobic, Boys in the Valley is an outstanding horror novel, filled with dread. You can feel the evil in this story, soaked into every page. One hell of a read from Philip Fracassi!”

Thomas Olde Heuvelt, author of Hex and Echo

“Boys in the Valley is cruel, creepy, and keeps the pedal to the metal. An unrelenting and highly entertaining show of horrors.”

Jonathan Edward Durham, author of Winterset Hollow

“Perfectly paced, elevated horror. Fracassi is required reading for the genre and beyond. A bellwether of what’s to come.”

Nick Cutter, bestselling author of The Troop

“This is not only a smart and deftly-written tale instilled with the kind of creeping, claustrophobic horror that I enjoy―Fracassi's got real love for his characters: you truly care about his motley band of boys, and their fates.”

Rue Morgue

“This brooding tale of old school terror...will inspire faith in Fracassi’s undeniable ability to draw you into a bleak world that is worth exploring―and returning to―even after the blood on the altar has dried.”

Gemma Files, Shirley Jackson Award-winning author

“Philip Fracassi amazes and inspires me. Full stop.”

Publishers Weekly

“A gothic, gory Lord of the Flies…The horror here is as much a warning on the dangers of human corruption as a testament to hope in the face of nigh-insurmountable darkness…Horror readers will be hooked.”

J. Todd Scott, author of The Flock

“Fracassi’s tale casts a black spell...exploring the limits of faith, the bonds of brotherhood, the loss of childhood, and the extremes of evil.”

Ronald Malfi, author of Black Mouth

“The most unsettling novel I have read all year. Cold dread clings to every page.”

Cemetery Dance Online

“A tale that will truly frighten, unnerve, and touch readers' hearts…a beautiful novel that should be ― will likely be ― remembered as one of the best of the young decade.”

Jeffrey Thomas, author of The American Praise for Philip Fracassi:

“Fast-paced, relentless, and chilling without ever neglecting the human side of the proceedings. This is pure horror that should satisfy any fan of the genre.”

Victor LaValle

“Fracassi makes terror read so damn beautifully.”

The New York Times

“Fracassi...builds his horrific tales slowly and carefully...he's especially skillful at creating, and sustaining, suspense.”

Richard Chizmar, New York Times bestselling author

“This Fracassi guy is damn good.”

Paul Tremblay, author of The Pallbearers Club

“Philip Fracassi’s fiction is a mix of old and new school horrors, chock full of frightening monsters, demons, and humans. I always look forward to what he’s going to do next.”

The Guardian

“Fracassi...brings a depth of understanding to his monsters, human and otherwise.”

Esquire

“Fracassi’s storytelling is...horror with a big, broken heart.”

Shaun Hamill, author of A Cosmology of Monsters

“Philip Fracassi is the best sort of horror writer―one who is unafraid to hunt for light in even the darkest places.”

Zoje Stage, USA Today bestselling author of Baby Teeth

“Philip Fracassi is an artist who paints with words…timeless and original.”

Jonathan Janz, author of The Siren and the Spectre

“A master storyteller.”

Signal Horizon

“His range, prolific output, and fast-paced prose are all set to put him on the shelf next to names such as King, Straub, and Thomas Harris.”

About the Author

PHILIP FRACASSI is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of the story collections Behold the Void and Beneath a Pale Sky. His novels include A Child Alone with Strangers, Gothic, and Boys in the Valley. His stories have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Best Horror of the Year, Nightmare Magazine, Southwest Review, Interzone, and Black Static. Philip lives in Los Angeles and is represented by Copps Literary Services.

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