Hell to Pay

The new book from critically acclaimed, USA TODAY bestselling, New York Times Top 100, Shirley Jackson Award–winning author of Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng and Japanese Gothic, Kylie Lee Baker—read by Audie and Earphones Award–winning narrator Natalie Naudus.

A riveting, darkly humorous, and deeply strange story of three roommates whose everyday struggle to survive in New York is complicated by the intestine-eating demon who haunts their apartment.

Leni was kidnapped and almost sacrificed to the devil as a child, but now she’s perfectly fine. Aside from the fact that she has three reflections in the mirror…and one of them wants her to poison people.

Emerson was a leading heart surgeon until The Incident that left his patient dead. Now he’s too sick to work, keeps finding severed fingers in his water bottles, and is followed around by a faceless Girl Scout with a creaky red wagon.

Jasper is a line cook with a criminal record, just trying to keep his chosen family together. Sure, he sees a man in the shadows who likes the taste of blood, but he’s very good at ignoring that. He would do anything for Leni and Emerson. Anything.

They’re fine. They’re normal. They’re roommates making it work in New York City.

That is, until a demon leaves his sigil on their wall.

Now, they have seven days to bring Sychar a sacrifice, or he’ll tear off their skin. Who knew demon-slaying wasn’t a valid excuse to miss work? Why are murder supplies so expensive? Just how is a low-income household supposed to afford a human sacrifice?

As their personal ghosts grow louder and Sychar’s deadline draws nearer, Leni, Emerson, and Jasper discover just how far they’ll go to protect each other.

For readers who love:Grady Hendrix and Stephen KingMorally gray protectorHaunted apartmentFound family in dangerDemon-slayingDarkly funny, deeply haunted stories

© 2027 Hanover Square Press (Audiobook): 9781488241741

Release date

Audiobook: 30 March 2027