The Mortons
Will be published approx. on 21. July 2026
464 pages
E-Book
978-1-4059-7824-8 (ISBN)
Description
Murder is money, and business is booming... The unmissable new dark academia novel, perfect for fans of Wednesday, If We Were Villains and Ninth House.
'A TOUR DE FORCE: WITTY, THRILLING AND DELICIOUSLY CRUEL' Lev Grossman
The Mortons are a modern day, old money dynasty with impeccable taste, from exquisite cocktails and expertly tailored vintage garments to stone cold murder.
Jessica is their golden child, a perfectly crafted apprentice to the Morton legacy. She has always excelled, and now, having committed her first kill whilst at elite college Helshire, she can finally stake her claim as a fully blooded Morton. This is her moment, her honour.
She has trained for this since birth, but in a family built on the bones of their secrets, where failure means erasure, can loyalty always come above care?
'A TOUR DE FORCE: WITTY, THRILLING AND DELICIOUSLY CRUEL' Lev Grossman
The Mortons are a modern day, old money dynasty with impeccable taste, from exquisite cocktails and expertly tailored vintage garments to stone cold murder.
Jessica is their golden child, a perfectly crafted apprentice to the Morton legacy. She has always excelled, and now, having committed her first kill whilst at elite college Helshire, she can finally stake her claim as a fully blooded Morton. This is her moment, her honour.
She has trained for this since birth, but in a family built on the bones of their secrets, where failure means erasure, can loyalty always come above care?
Reviews / Votes
A tour-de-force: witting, thrilling and deliciously cruel * Lev Grossman * Slippery, sinister and so much fun * Charlotte McConaghy * Knife-sharp writing, rocket fuel packing and an air of mystery, this diabolical novel reads like a mash-up of Succession and The Umbrella Academy * Ashley Winstead * Dark academia has never been so dark, nor family legacy so beguilingly treacherous! The Secret History meets Succession in this epic and utterly chilling family saga * Hank Phillippi Ryan * The Secret History meets Succession. Contemporary dark academia at its best * Will Dean * An absolute delight. The Mortons are the most spectacularly unhinged crime family ever imagined. They have the cutest pets, throw the most glamorous funerals, enact the most shockingly lethal rituals, drink the bitterest cocktails and drive the most expensive automobiles * E. Lockhart * Diabolical and delicious. Watch your back! * Julie Clark * Twisty and twisted fun. Truly original! * Tracy Sierra *More details
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Edition type
New edition
ISBN-13
978-1-4059-7824-8 (9781405978248)
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
Justine Larbalestier | Scott Westerfeld
The Mortons
Book
approx. 10/2026
Penguin Books Ltd
€24.00
Not yet published
Scott Westerfeld | Justine Larbalestier
The Mortons
Book
approx. 07/2026
Viking
€21.50
Not yet published
Persons
Scott Westerfeld (Author)
Scott Westerfeld is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books for adults and young readers, including the Uglies and Impostors series, the Leviathan trilogy and more. His books have sold over five million copies worldwide and his work has been translated into over 32 languages. The Netflix adaptation of Uglies hit #1 in over 60 countries and an anime adaptation of Leviathan was released on Netflix in 2025. He has won and been nominated for numerous awards, including the Locus, the Nebula, and the Aurealis.
Justine Larbalestier (Author)
Justine Larbalestier is the award-winning author of eight critically acclaimed novels for young adults, including My Sister Rosa, which was an Edgar Award Finalist for Best Young Adult Novel. Among others, she edited the anthology Zombies vs. Unicorns alongside Holly Black, and has contributed essays and short fiction to a number of collections.
The Mortons is the first jointly-authored adult debut from Justine and Scott.
Scott Westerfeld is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books for adults and young readers, including the Uglies and Impostors series, the Leviathan trilogy and more. His books have sold over five million copies worldwide and his work has been translated into over 32 languages. The Netflix adaptation of Uglies hit #1 in over 60 countries and an anime adaptation of Leviathan was released on Netflix in 2025. He has won and been nominated for numerous awards, including the Locus, the Nebula, and the Aurealis.
Justine Larbalestier (Author)
Justine Larbalestier is the award-winning author of eight critically acclaimed novels for young adults, including My Sister Rosa, which was an Edgar Award Finalist for Best Young Adult Novel. Among others, she edited the anthology Zombies vs. Unicorns alongside Holly Black, and has contributed essays and short fiction to a number of collections.
The Mortons is the first jointly-authored adult debut from Justine and Scott.
