The Scarlet Ball

Enter a dark and magical world of ballrooms and bloodshed in the gripping new Gilded Age fantasy from the multi-award winning author of The City in Glass, perfect for fans of M L Wang's Blood Over Bright Haven and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

Judith Ban – convent girl, courtesan, and failed thief – is looking for her next identity. She’s no stranger to wealth or danger, but the glitter of New York’s Gilded Age hides a darkness even she has never imagined. Here, the city’s elite maintain their grip through opulent balls, whispered rituals, and marriages with demons hungry for human devotion.

When she crosses paths with the formidable matriarch of the Howard family, Judith is offered an irresistible bargain: to take the place of a missing debutante in the coming season. With Miss Iphigenia Marshall’s face stitched over her own, Judith becomes white, rich, and ready to risk it all. If she can hold onto her charm, her wits, and her life, her reward will be a husband with undreamt-of power.

But in a world ruled by appetite and ambition, the most dangerous hunger of all might be her own.

‘Filled with demons and witchcraft, scheming and seduction... It's nothing short of wonderful.'
J.M. Miro, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ordinary Monsters

'Clever, vicious, and gorgeous'
Ava Reid, Sunday Times bestselling author of Innamorata

© Nghi Vo 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026