New apocalyptic fantasy fiction set in the Midwest
Buy your paperback via this magical site and it’ll be signed by Michelle and shipped the next business day (United States). Note in checkout if you want Michelle to write a particular note to you or someone special.
$21.99Add to cart
Monsters rule the surface. Secrets teem in the Underground. And one young woman may be the chosen weapon to destroy them both.
“I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but it ended up being one of my favourite reads this year!” —Goodreads five-star review
“This book succeeds on multiple levels: as a thrilling page-turner, as character-driven fiction, and as creative world-building. Perfect for readers who love their fantasy grounded in emotional reality and their apocalyptic scenarios served with genuine heart.” —Amazon five-star review
Abandoned by her father years ago, journalist Audrey Kelly now fears her partner is abandoning her, too. He’s blindsided her with the admission he won’t marry her. Embroiled in a heated argument, the couple is interrupted by ferocious beasts crash-landing in Ohio, screeching and attempting to annihilate everyone around them, including Audrey’s partner.
Audrey flees for her life and is rescued by a stranger who whisks her to safety through a hidden red door cut into the side of a mountain. It’s a portal to an underground shelter built by a secretive society, and Audrey is afforded food and a bedroom but is forbidden to explore. A good reporter doesn’t stop just because people say no, however, and when Audrey begins to investigate, she witnesses unsettling things: A man loses his leg only to walk the underground shortly thereafter, and people answer questions she’s never voiced aloud.
When Audrey unearths a crimson folder bearing her name, its secrets begin to peel back truths: Those in the underground harness supernatural powers and have unspeakable connections to her tragedies. What Audrey ultimately unleashes—or doesn’t—will mean the difference between life and death for those closest to her—and for the world.
For fans of
The Descended will appeal to those who enjoy imagining how they would survive The Walking Dead and I Am Legend as well as fans of Penn Cole’s Spark of the Everflame.
Tropes
- Found family
- Discovery of powers
- Prophecy
- Hidden magical community
- The chosen one
- Apocalyptic fantasy
- The lucky novice
- All hope lost
The nitty-gritty
ISBN: 979-8-9988428-0-1 (for paperback) | Publication date: September 4, 2025 | Page count: 322 | Formats: Paperback, audiobook, and eBook