These Mortal Bodies

‘Utterly stunning. A profound and powerful reflection on sisterhood in a dangerous male dominated world. Wilson writes beautifully and with clarity, shining a torch on timeless issues’ T. L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead ‘It’s Saltburn meets Mean Girls meets The Craft – prepare to be beguiled’ Emma van Straaten, author of This Immaculate Body ‘Wilson’s debut brims with moody adoration and all its pitfalls. A murky coming of age story about the capricious nature of friendship and the all-consuming power of sisterhood’ Andrés N. Ordorica, author of How We Named the Stars ‘A compelling journey into the power of female friendship, obsession and rituals. A captivating, atmospheric book that lingers long after you finish’ Celia Silvani, author of Baby Teeth ‘A delicious coming of age story with a dark academia twist… Gripping and beautifully told, Elspeth Wilson has breathed life into her characters that will linger long after the final page’ Laura Elliott, author of Awakened ‘This is a skillfully told dark academia story that builds tension and atmosphere with a quiet creepiness as it hurtles towards a shocking conclusion. It’s refreshing to have read about a protagonist with neurodivergence where it’s portrayed without cliché and with bold authenticity’ Chris Bridges, author of Sick to Death ‘Truly a beautiful debut, These Mortal Bodies is the perfect combination of sinister, nostalgic, and glamourous. This is a story that isn’t afraid to delve into the complicated and ever-shifting relationships among university women. Readers be warned that you might recognise a piece of yourself in these pages – and you may not always like what you find’ Angie Spoto, author of The Grief Nurse ‘An absorbing, clever and twisty debut’ The Bookseller ‘A nuanced tale of friendships, with a satisfying hint of darkness’ Heather Darwent, author of The Things We Do To Our Friends ‘These Mortal Bodies is a savage tale of female obsession. Quietly unsettling, this is the dark academia novel everyone’s been sleeping on’ Lucy Rose, bestselling author of The Lamb ‘A darkly delicious tale of obsessive friendship, the long reach of the past and our fierce need to belong. Claustrophobic, creepy, and compelling all the way to its startling end’ Hester Musson, author of The Beholders

Elspeth Wilson is a Scottish writer and poet.

These Mortal Bodies is her debut novel. Her poetry pamphlet Too Hot to Sleep was published in 2023 and shortlisted for the Saltire Society’s Scottish Poetry Book of the Year Award. Elspeth’s work has been shortlisted for Penguin’s WriteNow scheme and she curates a newsletter where she interviews neurodivergent writers about their work.

When she’s not writing, she can usually be found in or near the sea.

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