Dracula’s Lucy Westenra like you’ve never seen her before: In this retelling from critically acclaimed author Julie C. Dao, the perfect woman bites back.
Lucy Westenra is beautiful, rich, loved by three men—every inch a lady. But beneath this sparkling, flirtatious facade, she is fascinated by death, which has stalked her throughout her short life. For her, the dead do not slip away easily, as they do for her best friend, Mina; they linger.
When Lucy departs for Whitby, her nightly sleepwalks introduce her to the mysterious Vlad, who seems to see parts of her she has never let show before. Vlad makes her an offer: Every century, he seeks out the “perfect woman of the age,” who embodies all the values of her society, to live with him in immortality—and Lucy could very well be this woman. For the first time, she feels herself able to share her darker side with someone. Thinking herself dreaming, she agrees to cheat death with him.
When Vlad finally appears in the light, it is aboard a ship covered in corpses. He toys with Lucy and mocks her in Mina’s presence. And one night, he drains a corpse dry right before her eyes. He is a vampire, a monster ready to take her. He expects a good Victorian lady, appalled by his darkness, a victim. But Lucy is only enraptured. When Vlad reacts with violence, Lucy has no choice but to fight for her agency, even if it means giving up her humanity. And her tormentor will soon find she is no easy opponent . . .
The first book of a duology that retells Dracula from the point of view of Lucy Westenra, this gothic romance is perfect for fans of Penny Dreadful and Danielle L. Jensen.
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Other Books in the Series
PRAISE FOR
NOW COMES THE MIST
"Dao reimagines Dracula in this refreshing and clever gothic romance... Dao’s writing is haunting and atmospheric and the plot takes some surprising turns. Most commendable is the characterization of Lucy, a Victorian woman struggling to assert her agency. Fans of dark vampire romance will be delighted."
“Dazzling, sensual, sparkling with danger. Lucy Westenra is a force of nature in Dao’s capable hands, taking control of her own story with a vengeance long overdue. A vibrant, chilling reimagining that feels wholly its own.”
Natalie Mae, author of The Kinder Poison trilogy
"A true dark, gothic romance, this novel will leave you breathless and make you question what you thought you knew about the original tale. Julie C. Dao is the master of nuanced, complex female leads who will not just demand, but forcibly take exactly what they deserve."
Beth Revis, NY Times Bestselling author of Night of the Witch
"Wild, wicked, sensuous, fun. NOW COMES THE MIST is for all of the dark romantics, the lovers of drama, and the ones who want to get bitten."
WENDY XU, AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR OF INFINITY PARTICLE
“A lush, thoughtful, seductive reimagining of the Dracula mythos that had me under its thrall from page one, Dao’s darkly dreamy book will leave you thirsting for more. Let Lucy sink her teeth into you and draw you into her new world.”
Kiersten White, #1 NYT Bestselling Author of HIDE and MISTER MAGIC
“A wonderful read! I was spellbound by this vivid reimagining of a Dracula myth that is at once enthralling, haunting, and darkly romantic."
Sue Lynn Tan, USA Today bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess
"Now Comes the Mist is a sultry gothic that hooked me from the first sentence. Every page of this lush Dracula retelling is imbued with danger and darkness. It’s a beguiling book and one I can’t recommend enough."
Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching
NOW COMES THE MIST
extras
The content warnings for MIST can be found on Goodreads here.
Read about MIST's origin story in this blog post.
Check out the MIST inspiration board on Pinterest.
Listen to the Spotify playlist that helped inspire MIST.