"Every small town has ghosts. King’s Branch has Marla." After unleashing invisible creatures from another dimension in his sci-fi horror novel Veil, prolific and thought-provoking author Jonathan Janz invites readers to the haunted small town of King's Branch in his new horror book Marla.
An eerie exploration of "the families we inherit, the guilt we carry, and the terrible gravity of a gaze you can’t forget," Marla will be released on August 18th as a "Weird Tales Presents" title by Blackstone Publishing in paperback, eBook, audiobook, and a marvelous hardcover edition with sprayed edges and a prequel story. To celebrate its impending release, we have two exclusive excerpts from Marla to share with Daily Dead readers!
You can lock eyes with an urban legend and read our exclusive excerpts by clicking on the images of Matthew Revert's amazing cover art below. For more details on Marla, be sure to keep an eye out next week for our in-depth Q&A with Jonathan Janz, and in the meantime, you can learn more by visiting Blackstone Publishing's official website!
"From beloved horror author Jonathan Janz, Marla is a slow-burn, full-throttle horror novel about the families we inherit, the guilt we carry, and the terrible gravity of a gaze you can’t forget. The hardcover edition includes a foiled cover, gorgeous sprayed edges, and an exclusive, never-before-published prequel story.
Turn the page—if you dare.
Every small town has ghosts. King’s Branch has Marla.
A reclusive young woman who lives with her mother in a creepy Gothic house, Marla Gorman is the stuff of urban legends. Some believe she’s a prisoner. Others claim she’s a witch.
The evening of the first murder, Detective Carl Lancaster sees Marla leering at him from her bedroom window. He sees her again at the exact moment a second man is killed. And though Marla was nowhere near either murder site, Carl is convinced she’s connected to the crimes.
To Carl, Marla is a menace. To social worker Annie Frost, Marla bears a bizarre connection to her past. To Dylan Ellison, a struggling college student, Marla might be the companion for whom he’s been longing.
But none of them understands Marla’s true nature. She’s about to plunge them—and everyone in King’s Branch—into an unspeakable nightmare and teach them the true meaning of terror."
From Marla by Jonathan Janz. Used with the permission of the publisher, Blackstone Publishing and Weird Tales. Copyright © 2022, 2026 by Jonathan Janz.
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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