A Cry for the Deep
Will be published approx. on 30. July 2026
Book
Hardback
320 pages
979-8-88798-172-7 (ISBN)
Description
One, two, three. Three tears. Three girls. Three wishes. Three debts left to be paid.
Selie Bell is perfectly content. Both of her sisters are back home; Corliss is getting married, and Aven is becoming more like herself every day. Plus, Selie gets to spend nearly every day with her best friend, Pearl, working at the Bells' Apothecaire.
But when a letter arrives for Selie asking her to bring Pearl home to the nearby island of Salille, Selie reluctantly agrees to accompany her friend on the voyage. And when they arrive, Selie is shocked to find out that Pearl is actually Marguerite-Salille's runaway princess.
Before she has the chance to process this news, Selie finds herself face to face with a mermaid who claims that Selie must repay her late mother's debt to the sea witch. Selie secretly begins completing a series of tasks before the painful new scales growing on her legs overcome her and she turns into a mermaid, losing not just her life on land but any chance she had at love with a certain beloved princess.
A Cry for the Deep is the highly anticipated sequel to A Dance With Death. This gothic sapphic mashup of The Little Mermaid and Rapunzel will lure you in from the first page.
Selie Bell is perfectly content. Both of her sisters are back home; Corliss is getting married, and Aven is becoming more like herself every day. Plus, Selie gets to spend nearly every day with her best friend, Pearl, working at the Bells' Apothecaire.
But when a letter arrives for Selie asking her to bring Pearl home to the nearby island of Salille, Selie reluctantly agrees to accompany her friend on the voyage. And when they arrive, Selie is shocked to find out that Pearl is actually Marguerite-Salille's runaway princess.
Before she has the chance to process this news, Selie finds herself face to face with a mermaid who claims that Selie must repay her late mother's debt to the sea witch. Selie secretly begins completing a series of tasks before the painful new scales growing on her legs overcome her and she turns into a mermaid, losing not just her life on land but any chance she had at love with a certain beloved princess.
A Cry for the Deep is the highly anticipated sequel to A Dance With Death. This gothic sapphic mashup of The Little Mermaid and Rapunzel will lure you in from the first page.
Reviews / Votes
"A Cry for the Deep is a tender tale that speaks of the power fear holds and the strength that's found in overcoming it, especially when it comes to saving the ones you love most." -Autumn Lindsey, author of Remaining Aileen"A siren's song luring you in, A Cry for the Deep drags you under, submerging you into an eerie tale full of yearning, secrets, curses, and betrayal. Absolutely devourable. Achingly romantic. Amanda Linsmeier does it again!" -Amelia Markley, author of Headfirst
"What an absolutely beautiful story. Full of unexpected twists and turns, and complete with a runaway princess, a troubled island paradise, and a vengeful mermaid with sharp teeth, A Cry for the Deep has it all. I simply loved following Pearl and Selie on their journey towards love." -Bianca M Schwarz, author of The Gentleman Spy Mysteries
"Hauntingly beautiful, A Cry for the Deep hooked then dragged me down into its depths: a lush, eerie backdrop for this dark fairytale reimagining. Within its pages, Amanda Linsmeier tells a tender, slow burn romance in the midst of serious secrets, betrayal, and a journey for a relatable main character who might just threaten to drag you under with her too." -Riss M. Neilson, USA Today bestselling author of A Love Like the Sun Praise for A Dance With Death
"Linsmeier creates great atmosphere in her richly detailed opening chapters... Lovers of gothic romantasy will find plenty to hold their interest." -Publishers Weekly
"A gothic fairytale with nods to 'Beauty and the Beast,' Amanda Linsmeier's A Dance With Death explores the overlap of love and grief... The atmospheric prose paints lush pictures of misty beaches, hollow mansion halls, and a demonic queen's court... The tender portrayal of the quiet devastation of grief is standout, rooting the characters in empathetic experiences, even when they aren't human at all." -Foreword Reviews
"A Dance With Death is like a night at the gothic ballet. Eerie atmosphere, resonant themes of revenge and sisterhood, and an exquisitely rendered romance leap from the pages. Readers will be riveted as they watch the story play out on a ghastly stage magically set by Amanda Linsmeier." -Autumn Krause, critically acclaimed author of Grave Flowers
"Absolutely spellbinding! Linsmeier makes a name for herself with this sweepingly romantic, enchantingly gothic fairytale. A Dance with Death is both beautiful and haunting-a masterclass of love, loss, and sisterhood." -Skyla Arndt, author of House of Hearts and Together We Rot
"Atmospheric, swoony, and unputdownable, this dark fairytale retelling is about loss and love, revenge and redemption, and the desperate measures one woman will take to save her sister. Corliss and Orrin's chemistry-framed by a haunting setting and beautiful prose-absolutely crackles off the page. An incredible first foray into adult fantasy!" -Keshe Chow, Sunday Times bestselling author of For No Mortal Creature
"With a trio of charming sisters, a demon in the woods, and a cottage by the sea, Amanda crafts a curious world en pointe, balancing classic romance against artful twists you'll want to savor as they go dancing by! Perfect for fans of Practical Magic, and anyone who grew up desperate to dance in a pair of red shoes." -Maggie Rapier, USA Today bestselling author of Soulgazer
"Told in lush prose, A Dance with Death is a blood-laced gothic romance tied up with a silken bow. Gruesome, grief-stricken, yet ultimately filled with heart, Linsmeier delivers a crushed-velvet triumph of a tale." -Teagan Olivia King, author of Spit Back the Bones and Bitterbloom
"Linsmeier artfully crafts a dark fairytale with gorgeous prose and rich worldbuilding. I was enchanted by the seaside town, the mysterious house, and the eerie magic twisting through every page." -Ana Davis, author of My Keen Knife
"A Dance with Death is a delightfully haunting gothic fairytale, replete with vivid, eerie atmosphere, luscious prose, and a love story that's to die for. I was utterly captivated." -Kalie Cassidy, author of In the Veins of the Drowning
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Paducah, KY
United States
Product notice
With dust jacket
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 228 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
581 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-88798-172-7 (9798887981727)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Amanda Linsmeier has been a book nerd as long as she can remember, and it was that great love of reading-especially R.L. Stine novels and fairytales-that eventually brought her to writing her own stories. In high school, she won the senior class vote for "Most Romantic Girl," a title she's still ridiculously pleased with. She feels most joyful when writing, scream-singing her favorite songs, playing in the water, and laughing with her beloved family. She lives in a magical place with a man who smells like maple syrup and woodsmoke, their wonderfully wild children, a dog, and an assortment of half-feral cats.