One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, 1)

THE FANTASY BOOKTOK SENSATION! For fans of Uprooted and For the Wolf comes a dark, lushly gothic fantasy about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom—but the monster in her head isn't the only threat lurking. Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her. Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King’s own nephew, Captain of the Destriers…and guilty of high treason. He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

One Dark Window is enthralling from beginning to shocking end."

"Thick fog, shifting alliances, and clever magic make the perfect backdrop for a sweeping romance

Gillig’s prose will pull you in and won’t let you sleep. Pulse-pounding, darkly whimsical, and aglow with treacherous magic, One Dark Window is everything I love in fantasy and more"

"An enchanting tale with sharp claws and teeth

Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge

"One Dark Window is an evocative tale of romance, mystery and alluring monsters, told in beautifully lush prose. Rachel Gillig has created a story which left me entranced."

Seattle Times

"A tightly written duology that manages to build a dark, twisty world, unique magic system and well-written characters ... rich and fast-paced."

Publishers Weekly

“[T]he steamy romance that emerges between Elspeth and Ravyn delights. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Naomi Novik, and Hannah Whitten will want to check this out.”

Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer

"A beautifully dark fairy tale of blood, rage and bitter choice, that whisked me away to mist-wreathed woods ripe with romance and menace"

Library Journal

"Elspeth’s slow-burn romance with a mysterious highwayman adds depth to the story ... A finely detailed magical system enriches Gillig’s debut; fantasy readers will enjoy."

and Nightmare’s

"Readers will be enthralled with Elspeth’s

Paste Magazine

"Spooky, lush...Gillig executes familiar fantasy romance tropes with flair."

Chicago Review of Books

"One Dark Window is a page-turner. Gillig’s lush language is somewhat reminiscent of Alix E. Harrow’s excellent portal fantasy, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, as well as Robin McKinley’s redolent fairytale retellings such as Spindle’s End, Beauty, and Deerskin ... a richly detailed and decadent world that at once feels familiar, distinctive, and wistful to the reader."

About the Author

Rachel Gillig was born and raised on the California coast. She is a writer, with a BA in literary theory and criticism from UC Davis. If she is not ensconced in blankets dreaming up her next novel, Rachel is in her garden or walking with her husband, son, and their poodle, Wally.

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