The Face Phantom

The Face Phantom: Tales Inspired by the Mütter Museum by Kathleen R. Sands is a chilling, atmospheric collection of short stories, evocative of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story. Each of the twelve tales is inspired by an exhibit at the Mütter Museum, a place that is “gorgeous and repulsive at once” (The New Yorker). From a widow experiencing transcendence in 19th-century Paris to a daughter confronting a sexual taboo in modern-day San Francisco, Sands lures us into the darkest and ultimately most redemptive realms of the human condition. This exclusive edition, available only on Apple Books, includes exhibit photos for each of the stories' inspirations; author commentary; original music; a gallery of story illustrations; a dramatic short film shot inside the museum; a short documentary featuring an exclusive interview with pioneering medical researcher Dr. Frederick S. Kaplan; a profile of author Kathleen R. Sands and more. The stories are also available in the hardcover anthology Boy of Bone at the Mütter Museum store.


“The Face Phantom Metabook is a visionary work—brilliantly conceived and superbly carried out.” - John Berendt


“The Face Phantom Metabook is beautiful, innovative and genuinely striking.” - Tom Perrotta


“The Face Phantom Metabook is the perfect rabbit hole for Miss Sands’ writing. This fine collection of stories nimbly walks the line between elegant and creepy.” - David Sedaris