Vendor
Fritz Agency
Published by
Bantam (October 2022)
Current material
Final PDF
Themas
Thriller / suspense fiction
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JACKAL

by Adams, Erin E.

A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white Rust Belt town. But she's not the first—and she may not be the last. . . .

Liz Rocher is coming home . . .reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn't exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride's daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.

As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She's seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man andwas later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can't be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town's history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.

With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness.

Weaving the multilayered horror of LOVECRAFT COUNTRY with the narrative idiosyncrasy of THE LOVELY BONES, JACKAL is a sinister tale about the racially charged history of small-town America.

Erin E. Adams is a first-generation Haitian American writer and theatre artist. She received her BA with honors in literary arts from Brown University, her MFA in acting from The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program and her MFA in dramatic writing from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. An award-winning playwright and actor, Adams had called New York City home for the last decade. Jackal is her first novel.

Available rights (1)

Language Territory Type Vendor Status
German World All

Fritz Agency
Christian Dittus

Available View on Rightsdesk

Comments

“Although this is the author's first novel, it is an extraordinary achievement. Her prose is exquisite, portraying characters and settings with a painter's eye and the lyricism of a poet.”

Review: Associated Press

One of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2022, and included in Vulture's “Best Horror Books of 2022 (So Far)”

Noteworthy: Client

"Plentiful twists, keenly rendered characters, and atmospheric prose keep the pages turning. Harrowing horror with a side of searing social commentary."

Review: Kirkus Reviews

Japan: Hayakawa;

Foreign licence: Client

"Erin is an author not only to watch, but to keep an eye on—with both eyes open. JACKAL will make you think, gasp, squeal and turn the pages until the wee hours. An exceptional read by an exceptional author." – Kosoko Jackson, author of I'm So Not Over You "JACKAL is a heady, page-turning, all-too-relevant reinvention of the return-to-home horror story that explores supernatural and cultural horrors. A truly gut-wrenching and frightening story. Through JACKAL's unforgettable Liz Rocher, Erin Adams bares her teeth right back at the monster." – Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Pallbearers Club “JACKAL is a thrilling blend of detective story, turn-all-the-lights-on-in-your-house-while-reading horror, and social commentary on how often women of color, but especially Black women, go missing and get little attention. An impressive and thoughtful debut.” – Megan Giddings, author of The Women Could Fly “Real horror surrounds us in plain sight, nestled in the hearts of fiends who hide behind the barest of masks. Erin E. Adams takes you on a breathless ride with JACKAL, revealing the courage it takes to stand up to monsters. Fearless.” – Alma Katsu, author of The Fervor and The Hunger “Vicious, sharp and inventive—JACKAL grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go. Erin E. Adams lures readers deep into the woods with electric prose and then cuts through the dark with a monstrous and haunting tale.” – Deb Rogers, author of Florida Woman “JACKAL is both a gripping thriller about missing girls and the dangers lurking in the woods, and a searing and brilliant dissection of what it means to be the ‘only one' in a small town and a Black woman in the United States of America. Liz Rocher will stay with me for a long time.” – Stephanie Feldman, author of Saturnalia “This book will raise your blood pressure. A searing and achingly raw exploration of what it means to be Black in white spaces, and the contortionist act we are required to perform, the innocence stolen, and the monsters among us. All wrapped up in a suspenseful thriller that will fill you with rage and trusting no one. Adams has created a masterpiece that will keep your neck firmly beneath its foot long after the final word.” – Lane Clarke, author of Love Times Infinity “JACKAL is a visceral, poetic read of mythic proportions. Adams' no-holds-barred mysterious plunge into the shadows is both tender and thrilling, buoyed by her incandescent prose and unforgettable hero. Don't miss it.” – Meredith Hambrock, author of Other People's Secrets

Quote: Praise

"Adams's careful plotting impresses with the subtle organic feel of embedded clues primed to emerge as relevant much later...This novel is a masterful and emotionally wrenching gem of Black storytelling." (starred review)

https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780593499306

Review: Publishers Weekly

“In her debut novel, Erin E. Adams transcends the typical hometown mystery with an effective blend of social and supernatural terrors. And Liz's first-person narration will draw readers in as they sympathize with her plight.” (starred review)

Review: Bookpage

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