Marla

Description

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.

Binding Type: Paperback
Author: Jonathan Janz
Published: 08/18/2026
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
ISBN: 9798228749887
Pages: 380
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 1.10″ H x 8.40″ L x 5.40″ W

About the Author
Janz, Jonathan: –

Jonathan Janz is the author of more than a dozen novels and numerous short stories. His novels Children of the Dark and The Dark Game were chosen by both Booklist and Library Journal as Top Ten Horror Books of the Year. Jonathan’s main interests are his wonderful wife and his three amazing children. You can sign up for his newsletter, and you can follow him on X, Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, and Goodreads.