Boys in the Valley
Philip Fracassi
July 11, 2023
The Exorcist meets Lord of the Flies, by way of Midnight Mass, in Boys in the Valley, a brilliant coming-of-age tale from award-winning author Philip Fracassi.
St. Vincent’s Orphanage for Boys.
Turn of the century, in a remote valley in Pennsylvania.
Here, under the watchful eyes of several priests, thirty boys work, learn, and worship. Peter Barlow, orphaned as a child by a gruesome murder, has made a new life here. As he approaches adulthood, he has friends, a future… a family.
Then, late one stormy night, a group of men arrive at their door, one of whom is badly wounded, occult symbols carved into his flesh. His death releases an ancient evil that spreads like sickness, infecting St. Vincent’s and the children within. Soon, boys begin acting differently, forming groups. Taking sides.
Others turn up dead.
Now Peter and those dear to him must choose sides of their own, each of them knowing their lives — and perhaps their eternal souls — are at risk.
PHILIP FRACASSI is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of the story collections Behold the Void and Beneath a Pale Sky. His novels include A Child Alone with Strangers, Gothic, and Boys in the Valley. His stories have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Best Horror of the Year, Nightmare Magazine, Black Static, and Cemetery Dance. Philip lives in Los Angeles and is represented by Copps Literary Services.
Praise for Boys in the Valley and Philip Fracassi
“Fracassi makes terror read so damn beautifully.” —Victor LaValle
“Fracassi…builds his horrific tales slowly and carefully…he’s especially skillful at creating, and sustaining, suspense.” —The New York Times
“Gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, and terrifying.” —Andy Davidson, author of The Boatman’s Daughter
“Philip Fracassi amazes and inspires me. Full stop.” —Gemma Files, Shirley Jackson Award-winning author
“A gothic, gory Lord of the Flies…The horror here is as much a warning on the dangers of human corruption as a testament to hope in the face of nigh-insurmountable darkness…Horror readers will be hooked.” —Publishers Weekly
“A tale that will truly frighten, unnerve, and touch readers’ hearts…a beautiful novel that should be — will likely be — remembered as one of the best of the young decade.” —Cemetery Dance Online
“Fast-paced, relentless, and chilling without ever neglecting the human side of the proceedings. This is pure horror that should satisfy any fan of the genre.” —Jeffrey Thomas, author of The American
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