The Lamb by Lucy Rose

Some books whisper. This one sinks its teeth in.

A Dakota Johnson TeaTime Book Club Pick · Instant #2 Sunday Times Bestseller · Winner of the Nota Bene Prize · Shirley Jackson Awards Nominee

A folk tale. A horror story. A love story. An enchantment. Lucy Rose’s debut is all of these at once, and it lingers long after you’ve turned the final page.

Margot and Mama have lived by the forest for as long as Margot can remember. Quiet days in their cottage. Waiting for strangers to knock. Strays, Mama calls them—people who have wandered too far from the road. She feeds them wine. Keeps them warm. And then she satisfies her burning appetite by picking apart their bodies.

But Mama’s want can be stronger than her hunger. When a beautiful, white-toothed stray named Eden arrives in the heart of a snowstorm, Margot must confront the shifting dynamics of her family, untangle her own desires, and make her bid for freedom.

This is gothic storytelling at its most unsettling and gorgeous—a coming-of-age tale about the way women swallow their anger, their desire, their animal instincts. The bond between mother and daughter has never felt so tender, or so terrifying.

“A dark, gorgeous concoction.” —New York Times
“Beautiful, terrifying . . . destined to become a classic.” —Washington Post

For readers who love Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood, and Julia Armfield.

We keep this one on the shelf for the rainy days, when the sea air turns raw and you want something with real bite. Come browse. Linger a while. This is a story worth getting lost in.

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