Black Magic

by Marjorie Bowen

A rediscovered gothic classic with a groundbreaking, gender-nonconforming protagonist at its heart.

‘I do not sin,’ he smiled. ‘I am Sin’

In a quiet medieval city, alone in his shadowy chambers, Dirk Renswoude worships the devil. Then the wind brings the young scholar Theirry to his door. Could this beautiful man share his dark obsession? Under a hushed midnight sky, the pair swear themselves to the black arts, and to one another.

Yet Dirk shies away at the slightest touch. He will not discuss his past. As the duo hex their way across moonlit woodlands and learned cities, it becomes clear that Dirk will stop at nothing to live the life he desires, while concealing one precious secret.

'A subtle and complex thriller…Just don’t give away its secret' Washington Post

READER LOVE - JOIN THE DARK
'Beware. This is dark gothic fiction at its best.'
'A thick and oozing tale of every possible sin and horror...perfect for spooky season'
'That twist!'
'For fans of historical fiction, or horror, or fantasy, this novel should prove absolutely scrumptious.'
'A super fun Gothic extravaganza.'
'Demons! Spells! Satanic rituals! Love triangles! Ghosts and witches! Medieval opulence! Gruesome violence! THE ANTICHRIST! ...Flat-out, straight-up awesome.'

The Vintage Classics Weird Girls Dive into the depraved, delectable depths of weird fiction with nine books by nine pioneering female authors. Bold, disruptive, chilling and enchanting, these tales of the weird are strange enough to get lost in.

357 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 4, 2025

About the author

Marjorie Bowen (pseudonym of Mrs Gabrielle Margaret V[ere] Long née Campbell), was a British author who wrote historical romances, supernatural horror stories, popular history and biography. Her total output numbers over 150 volumes with the bulk of her work under the 'Bowen' pseudonym. She also wrote under the names Joseph Shearing, George R. Preedy, John Winch, Robert Paye, and Margaret Campbell. As Joseph Shearing, she wrote several sinister gothic romances full of terror and mystery. Many of these stories were published as Berkley Medallion Books. Several of her books were adapted as films. Her books are much sought after by aficionados of gothic horror and received praise from critics.

Bowen's alcoholic father left the family at an early age and was eventually found dead on a London street. After this, Bowen's prolific writings were the chief financial support for her family. She was married twice: first, from 1912-16, to a Sicilian named Zefferino Emilio Constanza, who died of tuberculosis, and then to one Arthur L. Long. Her first novel was The Viper of Milan (1906), after which she produced a steady stream of writings until the day of her death on 23rd December 1952. Her last, posthumous, novel was The Man with the Scales (1954).