Darkly
A mind-bending psychological thriller perfect for Halloween, about a mysterious games company, full of buried clues, puzzles and twists
Published on 25. September 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
416 pages
978-1-5295-2919-7 (ISBN)
Description
What would you kill for? Settle in for a spine-tingling Halloween read full of dark twists and turns, romance and chills.
The New York Times bestselling author of Night Film spins a twisted web in this masterful YA psychological thriller about the dark legacy of a notorious games designer.
"Pessl is gargantuan: wildly smart, extremely surprising, a wordsmith, a queen. Read her." - E. Lockhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars
A seemingly ordinary high school student. A mysterious summer internship. And a legendary games designer, now dead.
When an ad for an internship with the Louisiana Veda Foundation appears, Arcadia 'Dia' Gannon rushes to apply. Veda's game-making empire, Darkly, was renowned for its ingenious and terrifying games back in the day and Dia is as obsessed with them as anyone.
The remaining games are priced like highly sought-after works of art, with the rarest and most notorious commanding tens of millions of dollars at auction. Now, Dia is thrust into the enigmatic heart of the operation. But who are these other interns? Why do they all seem to have something to hide? And why was she really chosen? It soon becomes clear that this summer will be the most twisted Darkly game of all.
PRAISE FOR DARKLY
"Complex and captivating." Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows.
"Creative and unique, this is a special treat for readers who wish Jennifer Lynn Barnes's The Inheritance Games had been set in the world of Jumanji." School Library Journal
"[A] crazy, funny, addictively suspenseful story." The Washington Post
"Like a Darkly game, the whole is mesmerizing, improbable, deeply compelling, and best enjoyed after dark....Roll the die, flip the card: We have a winner." Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Twists and connections are satisfying and surprising in this high-stakes thriller by Pessl, who takes familiar YA tropes and turns them on their head using confident prose." Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Full of atmospheric thrills." Los Angeles Times
"Pessl set forth with an ambitious concept, and the result is thrilling, mysterious, and full of shocking twists through the very last page." Booklist
The New York Times bestselling author of Night Film spins a twisted web in this masterful YA psychological thriller about the dark legacy of a notorious games designer.
"Pessl is gargantuan: wildly smart, extremely surprising, a wordsmith, a queen. Read her." - E. Lockhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars
A seemingly ordinary high school student. A mysterious summer internship. And a legendary games designer, now dead.
When an ad for an internship with the Louisiana Veda Foundation appears, Arcadia 'Dia' Gannon rushes to apply. Veda's game-making empire, Darkly, was renowned for its ingenious and terrifying games back in the day and Dia is as obsessed with them as anyone.
The remaining games are priced like highly sought-after works of art, with the rarest and most notorious commanding tens of millions of dollars at auction. Now, Dia is thrust into the enigmatic heart of the operation. But who are these other interns? Why do they all seem to have something to hide? And why was she really chosen? It soon becomes clear that this summer will be the most twisted Darkly game of all.
PRAISE FOR DARKLY
"Complex and captivating." Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows.
"Creative and unique, this is a special treat for readers who wish Jennifer Lynn Barnes's The Inheritance Games had been set in the world of Jumanji." School Library Journal
"[A] crazy, funny, addictively suspenseful story." The Washington Post
"Like a Darkly game, the whole is mesmerizing, improbable, deeply compelling, and best enjoyed after dark....Roll the die, flip the card: We have a winner." Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Twists and connections are satisfying and surprising in this high-stakes thriller by Pessl, who takes familiar YA tropes and turns them on their head using confident prose." Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Full of atmospheric thrills." Los Angeles Times
"Pessl set forth with an ambitious concept, and the result is thrilling, mysterious, and full of shocking twists through the very last page." Booklist
Reviews / Votes
"Complex and captivating, DARKLY showcases Pessl's signature wit and flair for unexpected twists, evoking questions that haunt long after the final page is turned. An absolute delight into the uncanny." * Erin A. Craig, NYT bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows * "Pessl is gargantuan: wildly smart, extremely surprising, a wordsmith, a queen. Read her." * E. Lockhart * "Like a Darkly game, the whole is mesmerizing, improbable, deeply compelling, and best enjoyed after dark....Roll the die, flip the card: We have a winner." * Kirkus Reviews, starred review * Twists and connections are satisfying and surprising in this high-stakes thriller by Pessl (Neverworld Wake), who takes familiar YA tropes and turns them on their head using confident prose. Fearless and whip-smart Dia, as well as the rest of the intersectionally diverse cast, will have readers cheering them on from page one. Assorted letters, news stories, and other ephemera depicting the events add visual interest throughout. * Publishers Weekly, starred review * Full of atmospheric thrills. * Los Angeles Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Young adult
Interest Age: From 14 years
Dimensions
Height: 195 mm
Width: 131 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
279 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5295-2919-7 (9781529529197)
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
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
11/2024
Walker Books Ltd
€19.00
Available immediately
Person
Marisha Pessl is the author of the critically acclaimed young adult novel Neverworld Wake, as well as two New York Times bestsellers: Night Film and Special Topics in Calamity Physics. She lives with her husband and three daughters in New York.