Blood on Her Tongue

Starred review from December 9, 2024
Van Veen’s stunning sophomore outing (after My Darling Dreadful Thing) is gothic horror for the ages. In 1887, Sarah finds a body in the bog surrounding her husband’s isolated mansion in the Netherlands and develops an obsession with the corpse that transforms into a mysterious illness. Worried that Sarah’s husband will have her institutionalized, her twin sister Lucy comes to visit, hopping both to care for Sarah and investigate the root of her malady. The depiction of the bond between the twins is poignant and devastating as Sarah’s condition deteriorates and Lucy confronts the possibility of being left alone in the world. A vampiric threat is gradually unveiled, but the true horror of this story lies in the helplessness and desperation Lucy and Sarah face as women whose lives are at the mercy of men. Having witnessed their aunt being sent to the asylum when they were young, they fight to avoid the same fate, though this proves a struggle because Sarah’s husband and doctor are oblivious to the supernatural forces at work. Combining shiver-inducing horror with sharp-fanged social commentary, this more that merits comparison to Dracula and other genre titans. Agent: Kristina Perez, Perez Literary.