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  • Published: 14 April 2026
  • ISBN: 9781464236310
  • Imprint: Sourcebooks Fire
  • Format: Paperback
  • RRP: $26.00

The Darkness Greeted Her



The Honeys meets Yellowjackets in this atmospheric Sapphic horror debut about a group of troubled teens who find themselves stalked through the Appalachian wilderness by a creature that feeds on their deepest traumas.

Yellowjackets meets Smile in this atmospheric sapphic horror debut, in which a group of troubled girls are stalked through the Appalachian wilderness by a frightening monster that feeds on their deepest fears.

Penny's abusive father is dead…but she still hears his voice in her head, encouraging her to hurt those around her. She can't go to school or be around her friends or even draw with a sharp pencil without her intrusive thoughts urging her toward violence. Desperate to get a handle on her OCD, she agrees to spend the summer at Camp Whitewood--an exclusive therapy retreat in the woods.

She feels optimistic when she arrives. The other girls all have their reasons for being there, which makes Penny feel a little less alone. But then she starts seeing things that can't possibly be there: the gold watch her father was buried with, his favorite whiskey spilled on her cabin floor...a terrifying figure she calls the Shadow Man looming at the foot of her bed. Penny thinks she is losing her mind, but when a girl goes missing, and is later found dead, it's clear that whatever is happening at Camp Whitewood isn't all in her head.

As the hallucinations become increasingly intense and more girls wind up dead, Penny must work with whoever is left standing to figure out what is real before the Shadow Man uses their traumas against them and claims their lives.

  • Published: 14 April 2026
  • ISBN: 9781464236310
  • Imprint: Sourcebooks Fire
  • Format: Paperback
  • RRP: $26.00

About the author

Christina Ferko

CHRISTINA FERKO grew up in a family of seven girls, including her identical twin sister—who is also an author. Before writing, she dreamed of running away and joining a circus. She even learned how to eat and breathe fire but now spends her time happily writing at home instead. Christina lives in Maryland with her husband and two kids, along with their four cats and one wild corgi. You can find her on Instagram @christina_ferko or check out her website at authorchristinaferko.com