Stay Buried

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Published by: Gallery Books
Release Date: August 11, 2026
Pages: 400
ISBN13: 978-1668069455

 
Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of Children on the Hill comes a queer folk horror in which a woman must confront decades of secrecy and superstition to learn the truth about her mother’s death.

Some towns stay isolated for a reason.

1919: Frankie O’Massey has always been the black sheep of isolated Boone’s Ferry, Vermont. Her uncle, Dr. Thomas Endicott, has been training her in the science of medicine, something the townspeople are wary of. When a mysterious illness strikes the town, and the community suspects supernatural forces, the two desperately search for a logical explanation. Patient zero seems to be the town’s knackerman—a recluse who collects dead and dying farm animals to make use of their parts.

2016: Siblings Ashley and Malcolm lost their mother two years ago. When their grandmother dies, they inherit a property in Boone’s Ferry—a place they’ve heard of but their grandmother has always refused to talk about—and embark on a trip to their ancestral home. The idyllic town is full of autumnal décor, picturesque farmland, and small-town charm. But some of the townspeople aren’t very welcoming—and they have some unsettling traditions, like leaving offerings to a vengeful spirit four times a year.

Praise

"Stay Buried is Jennifer McMahon at her very best—every page creeps with tension and is suffused with superstitious fear. It's destined to be a folk horror classic. Trust me, you will have nightmares about the knackerman."
—Simone St. James, New York Times bestselling author of A Box Full of Darkness

“In her best novel to date, Jennifer McMahon conducts a symphony of fear. Weaving timelines and folk-horror mysteries that slither under your skin, this is a masterclass in narrative structure and suspense. A must-read!”
—Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of ROAD OF BONES and CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE

"Jennifer McMahon is a powerful and elegant writer. In Stay Buried she’s at the top of her game with a folk horror tale that is as smart and layered as it is terrifying and engrossing. Family secrets, hidden love, small town superstitions, and the very real danger lurking in the woods wove together to keep me up past my bedtime and thinking about this stellar novel long after the book was closed.”
—Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Served Him Right

“Brooding and profoundly melancholic, Jennifer McMahon’s Stay Buried is a gripping, chillingly atmospheric exploration of folklore and how myth takes root, how it spreads and grows deep inside the blighted charnel pit of a person’s heart. There’s a perfect escalation of dread that saturates the pages of this rotted, poisoned tale until the crescendo is nearly unbearable. Certainly one of the most unsettling and terrifying books I’ll read this year.”
—Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke

"In Stay Buried, dual timelines twist together seamlessly to tell a story of a small town of deep, dark secrets. Anchored with characters you will take to your heart, McMahon delivers a completely original take on the zombie story. Bravo!"
—Alma Katsu, author of Fiend

"A creeping journey through a graveyard of old bones and older curses. Mysterious and unsettling." —Hailey Piper, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of A Game in Yellow

“The vibrant cast and McMahon’s bold, gutsy prose easily draw readers in. It’s a satisfying page-turner.”
—Publishers Weekly

“The latest supernatural thriller from McMahon evokes classic folk horror, like Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Lottery,’ while also exploring a tragic queer romance...Will likely haunt fans of McMahon’s previous works as well as fans of T. Kingfisher and Catriona Ward.”
—Booklist