Motheater

Description

In this nuanced queer eco-fantasy set amid the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, the last witch of the Ridge must choose sides in a clash between industry and nature. Nature won’t be subdued forever. Which side are you on? After her best friend died in the coal mine that employs half of Kiron, Virginia, Benethea Mattox sacrificed her job, her relationship, and her reputation trying to uncover what’s killing miners on Kire Mountain. When she finds a half-drowned white woman in the mine slough, Bennie takes her in because it’s right-but she also hopes this odd, magnetic stranger can lead her to the proof she needs. Instead, the woman called Motheater only brings more questions. She was once a witch of Appalachia, bound to tor and holler, possum and snake, with power in her hands and Scripture on her tongue. But the mystery of her fate, her doomed quest to keep industry off Kire, and the promises she bent and broke have followed her over 100 years into the future. And now, the choices Motheater and Bennie make together could change the face of Kire itself . . .
Binding Type: Paperback
Author: Linda H. Codega
Published: 03/31/2026
Publisher: Erewhon Books
ISBN: 9781645661801
Pages: 432
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 1.22″ H x 8.22″ L x 5.56″ W

About the Author
Linda H. Codega is a nonbinary queer Virginian living in the hills of the San Gabriel Mountains, where they can often be found hiking, sailing, or haunting the local movie theater. They are a writer and entertainment journalist currently working in television production. Their articles appear on Rascal, i09, Reactor, Polygon, and The Observer. They are a Hugo Award-winning first reader at Strange Horizons. You can find them at lincodega.com.