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Salomé
Not yet published
Expected 19 May 26"Hauntingly seductive . . . Baird’s lush, hypnotic prose had me in a trance from the very first page. A riveting debut!" —Monika Kim, internationally bestselling author of The Eyes are the Best Part
"Sexy, bold, and impossible to put down." —Sanaë Lemoine, author of The Margot Affair
A seductively gothic reimagining of the original femme fatale, about an adrift American journalist who accepts an alluring stranger’s invitation to stay at her home in a small French town, only to uncover a dangerous family history that could alter the course of humanity.
Don’t open your eyes...
Courtney notices Salomé the moment she steps onto the plane. She’s magnetic, quicksilver, and, best of all for incurable Francophile Courtney, French. So when Salomé invites Courtney to her mother’s town in northwestern France, Courtney doesn’t even have to think about it.
But things are, almost immediately, a little odd. Despite feeling right at home with Salomé, Courtney is confronted by a house outfitted with cameras and the dark, watchful presence of Salomé’s mother. Courtney senses she should leave, but with Salomé she feels as if she’s rediscovered the "French Courtney," an alternate version of herself who made a life in France.
That is, until she starts to experience paralyzing nightmares in which strange voices intone Don’t open your eyes . . . and encounters Salomé’s charismatic stepfather, Marco, whose pyramid-scheme vitamin company offers a tempting segue into an even more insidious group obsessed with eternal life. Or is it an actual cult? And how much does Salomé really know? As a conspiracy unfurls, Courtney is torn between her loyalty to Salomé and what might be the story of a lifetime, the kind that could make a journalist’s career—if it doesn’t kill her first.
A modern reclamation of one of the Bible’s most dangerous women whose story, until now, has been almost exclusively told by men, Salomé is a tantalizing, feminist tale exploring power, loyalty, connection, and the measures we’ll take to harness our deepest desires.
"Sexy, bold, and impossible to put down." —Sanaë Lemoine, author of The Margot Affair
A seductively gothic reimagining of the original femme fatale, about an adrift American journalist who accepts an alluring stranger’s invitation to stay at her home in a small French town, only to uncover a dangerous family history that could alter the course of humanity.
Don’t open your eyes...
Courtney notices Salomé the moment she steps onto the plane. She’s magnetic, quicksilver, and, best of all for incurable Francophile Courtney, French. So when Salomé invites Courtney to her mother’s town in northwestern France, Courtney doesn’t even have to think about it.
But things are, almost immediately, a little odd. Despite feeling right at home with Salomé, Courtney is confronted by a house outfitted with cameras and the dark, watchful presence of Salomé’s mother. Courtney senses she should leave, but with Salomé she feels as if she’s rediscovered the "French Courtney," an alternate version of herself who made a life in France.
That is, until she starts to experience paralyzing nightmares in which strange voices intone Don’t open your eyes . . . and encounters Salomé’s charismatic stepfather, Marco, whose pyramid-scheme vitamin company offers a tempting segue into an even more insidious group obsessed with eternal life. Or is it an actual cult? And how much does Salomé really know? As a conspiracy unfurls, Courtney is torn between her loyalty to Salomé and what might be the story of a lifetime, the kind that could make a journalist’s career—if it doesn’t kill her first.
A modern reclamation of one of the Bible’s most dangerous women whose story, until now, has been almost exclusively told by men, Salomé is a tantalizing, feminist tale exploring power, loyalty, connection, and the measures we’ll take to harness our deepest desires.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 19, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 31, 2025
4.5⭐️s! Another Advanced Reader Copy read. I highly recommend his book when it comes out next May. I would categorize this as a bit of a sci-fi novel, but also mystery. The first half felt like a paranoid/obsessive/unreliable narrator novel, but it turned into more of a Dan Brown style secret society mystery. The main character was a little bit annoying but I enjoyed this a lot. The story is set in France so that was great for me to learn some more slang and vocabulary I haven’t encountered before.
November 10, 2025
⭐️/5 🌶️/5
Thank you to author Leslie Baird and NetGalley for allowing me to he opportunity to read and review Salome, available May 2026.
We follow Courtney, an America journalist as she travels back to France looking for writing inspiration. Along the way she meets Salome, a mysterious French woman on a plane and takes a spontaneous detour with her to Chateaubriant.
I’d like to start by saying that I did DNF this book at 200/270 pages. This was not for me. However, it might be for you! So let’s touch on a few key points; story pacing, plot, and characters.
The setting is easy to imagine. The author does a great job describing French landscaping and architecture along the way but the pacing for this story is slow and gets slower as it progresses. We begin with our two main characters meeting on an international flight which is the fastest part of the story. Courtney is flying to meet an old friend while Salome is flying back for family and convinces Courtney to detour her plans and visit Salome’s town instead. Once they arrive it’s very repetitive. Train rides, town tours, and nights in Salome’s home. There were a couple points where the author could have used events to pick up the pacing such as Courtney’s night terrors and the air of discomfort surrounding Salome’s home, but rather transitioned into a new scene.
This is described as a Gothic Femme fatale reimagining of the Biblical story Salome. In The New Testament, Salome is given the head of John the Baptist on a platter after she dances for King Herod. Aside from the name Salome, I did not spot any similarities to inspire a reimagining. This comes off as a completely different story and I felt it was more Contemporary than Gothic. The author adds several political and culture references that fall more into the area of contemporary social justice rather than Gothic.
The main “gothic” aspect is the mysterious society linked to studying immortality, it was the darkest plot point but even that swayed more into politics. I was very intrigued by the society, in the sense that it felt a little out of place with the characters and the story but like an intentional “out of place”, a way to draw the reader back in. Courtney slowly gleans information from various sources and we learn that Salome, despite what she says, may be a part of this society. The author does a great job crafting Salome as a mysterious figure, we don’t get much information from or about her but when we do it’s very little but enough to hook you.
I loved the fact that the characters were adults rather than teens / young adults but I found them very hard to relate to. Courtney comes across extremely insecure and like she’s on the verge of a mid-life crisis. She’s becoming more attracted to Salome as the story progresses and has moments where she questions her sexuality but it feels one sided. Salome occasionally agrees when it comes up which works for the mystery surrounding her character. Their conversations often felt unnatural and the relationship presents like a summer friendship created at summer camp.
Overall, this story was not for me. I had a really hard time with the pacing, relating to characters and immersing myself in the world. It may not be for me but maybe it’s for you!
Thank you to author Leslie Baird and NetGalley for allowing me to he opportunity to read and review Salome, available May 2026.
We follow Courtney, an America journalist as she travels back to France looking for writing inspiration. Along the way she meets Salome, a mysterious French woman on a plane and takes a spontaneous detour with her to Chateaubriant.
I’d like to start by saying that I did DNF this book at 200/270 pages. This was not for me. However, it might be for you! So let’s touch on a few key points; story pacing, plot, and characters.
The setting is easy to imagine. The author does a great job describing French landscaping and architecture along the way but the pacing for this story is slow and gets slower as it progresses. We begin with our two main characters meeting on an international flight which is the fastest part of the story. Courtney is flying to meet an old friend while Salome is flying back for family and convinces Courtney to detour her plans and visit Salome’s town instead. Once they arrive it’s very repetitive. Train rides, town tours, and nights in Salome’s home. There were a couple points where the author could have used events to pick up the pacing such as Courtney’s night terrors and the air of discomfort surrounding Salome’s home, but rather transitioned into a new scene.
This is described as a Gothic Femme fatale reimagining of the Biblical story Salome. In The New Testament, Salome is given the head of John the Baptist on a platter after she dances for King Herod. Aside from the name Salome, I did not spot any similarities to inspire a reimagining. This comes off as a completely different story and I felt it was more Contemporary than Gothic. The author adds several political and culture references that fall more into the area of contemporary social justice rather than Gothic.
The main “gothic” aspect is the mysterious society linked to studying immortality, it was the darkest plot point but even that swayed more into politics. I was very intrigued by the society, in the sense that it felt a little out of place with the characters and the story but like an intentional “out of place”, a way to draw the reader back in. Courtney slowly gleans information from various sources and we learn that Salome, despite what she says, may be a part of this society. The author does a great job crafting Salome as a mysterious figure, we don’t get much information from or about her but when we do it’s very little but enough to hook you.
I loved the fact that the characters were adults rather than teens / young adults but I found them very hard to relate to. Courtney comes across extremely insecure and like she’s on the verge of a mid-life crisis. She’s becoming more attracted to Salome as the story progresses and has moments where she questions her sexuality but it feels one sided. Salome occasionally agrees when it comes up which works for the mystery surrounding her character. Their conversations often felt unnatural and the relationship presents like a summer friendship created at summer camp.
Overall, this story was not for me. I had a really hard time with the pacing, relating to characters and immersing myself in the world. It may not be for me but maybe it’s for you!
September 14, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for an advanced reader’s copy of Salomé by Leslie Baird.
Imagine you are a struggling writer, on your last flight to Paris before you take over care of your ailing mother. On the flight there, you are seated next to a heartbroken, beautiful French woman who you instantly bond and connect with. By the end of the flight, she has invited you to stay at her family compound in Châteaubriant, France. Would you take up her offer or stick with your original plan?
This is how Baird begins the story of the struggling writer, Courtney and the French woman, Salomé’s week together traveling through France. Baird laid out a delightfully creepy and delicious foundation to what could have been a truly disturbing story about jealously, lust, and greed. However, Baird failed to fully develop these plot lines, and instead delivered a half-baked plot that made less and less sense as the novel goes on.
The first 45% of the novel was a great slow burn, but the remaining plot was confusing and involved unnecessary scenes. The plot got very slow, and was meandering along that made me lose interest in the ending. If Baird focused on one or two of the plot line foundations that she had laid down in the beginning, the latter half would have been a more focused, cohesive story. Unfortunately, the latter half had a lot of confusing chapters, and I was sprinting to get to the end.
Baird’s writing was clear, descriptive and had a definitive voice. They were able to add depth to their main character, Courtney, and by the end, I just wanted Courtney to go back home to the states! Salomé and Courtney had such an interesting, tension filled dynamic, but one that I wish was developed into a scarier, obsessive dynamic. If Baird leaned into the historical subtext of Salome, and emphasized her femme fatale legacy, this title would have been much more enjoyable.
Imagine you are a struggling writer, on your last flight to Paris before you take over care of your ailing mother. On the flight there, you are seated next to a heartbroken, beautiful French woman who you instantly bond and connect with. By the end of the flight, she has invited you to stay at her family compound in Châteaubriant, France. Would you take up her offer or stick with your original plan?
This is how Baird begins the story of the struggling writer, Courtney and the French woman, Salomé’s week together traveling through France. Baird laid out a delightfully creepy and delicious foundation to what could have been a truly disturbing story about jealously, lust, and greed. However, Baird failed to fully develop these plot lines, and instead delivered a half-baked plot that made less and less sense as the novel goes on.
The first 45% of the novel was a great slow burn, but the remaining plot was confusing and involved unnecessary scenes. The plot got very slow, and was meandering along that made me lose interest in the ending. If Baird focused on one or two of the plot line foundations that she had laid down in the beginning, the latter half would have been a more focused, cohesive story. Unfortunately, the latter half had a lot of confusing chapters, and I was sprinting to get to the end.
Baird’s writing was clear, descriptive and had a definitive voice. They were able to add depth to their main character, Courtney, and by the end, I just wanted Courtney to go back home to the states! Salomé and Courtney had such an interesting, tension filled dynamic, but one that I wish was developed into a scarier, obsessive dynamic. If Baird leaned into the historical subtext of Salome, and emphasized her femme fatale legacy, this title would have been much more enjoyable.
October 15, 2025
ARC Review
I went into Salomé pretty blind. I had no idea what to expect. Judging the book solely by its cover I got a bit of a horror vibe from it, but the book is more thriller.
We start with our main character Courtney on a flight to Paris for the last time for a while. There on this flight she meets a French girl flying back home for the states named Salomé. They hit it off during the flight and Courtney is invited to come and stay with Salomé for a few days of her trip.
This story started off a bit slow and I couldn't relate to talking to a stranger in a flight as I don't want people talking to me ever. But as the reader you are pretty quickly drawn into Salomé, though I don't know what Courtney was thinking. As you progress strange things begin to happen and Courtney starts having some weird dreams. The first half of the book is like this, though the story really starts to pull you in.
It's the second half that things really pick up where I personally struggled to put it down. We find out more about Salomé's father and his work and about his predecessor and what he is really up to. The last few chapters where pretty intense and honestly I have never read a premise like this before.
Overall this was a super enjoyable read for me, even though I may not have been the target audience. All while reading the last half I kept thinking this could make for a pretty interesting limited television series.
Definitely worth the read
I went into Salomé pretty blind. I had no idea what to expect. Judging the book solely by its cover I got a bit of a horror vibe from it, but the book is more thriller.
We start with our main character Courtney on a flight to Paris for the last time for a while. There on this flight she meets a French girl flying back home for the states named Salomé. They hit it off during the flight and Courtney is invited to come and stay with Salomé for a few days of her trip.
This story started off a bit slow and I couldn't relate to talking to a stranger in a flight as I don't want people talking to me ever. But as the reader you are pretty quickly drawn into Salomé, though I don't know what Courtney was thinking. As you progress strange things begin to happen and Courtney starts having some weird dreams. The first half of the book is like this, though the story really starts to pull you in.
It's the second half that things really pick up where I personally struggled to put it down. We find out more about Salomé's father and his work and about his predecessor and what he is really up to. The last few chapters where pretty intense and honestly I have never read a premise like this before.
Overall this was a super enjoyable read for me, even though I may not have been the target audience. All while reading the last half I kept thinking this could make for a pretty interesting limited television series.
Definitely worth the read
August 27, 2025
May 19th, 2026
This story follows Courtney, an American journalist adrift in her personal and professional life, who becomes captivated by a mysterious French woman named Salomé during a transatlantic flight. When Salomé invites her to a secluded town in northwestern France, Courtney impulsively abandons her original plans for Paris. What begins as an enchanting detour quickly turns unsettling, as Courtney finds herself in a house surveilled by cameras and haunted by Salomé’s enigmatic mother.
As Courtney settles into this eerie environment, she begins to experience vivid nightmares and encounters Salomé’s charismatic stepfather Marco, whose pyramid-scheme vitamin company seems to be a front for a cult obsessed with eternal life. The deeper Courtney digs, the more she uncovers a web of secrets that could unravel not just Salomé’s family history but potentially alter the course of humanity. Torn between her loyalty to Salomé and the lure of a career-defining exposé, Courtney must decide whether to trust her instincts or risk everything for the truth.
Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC!
This story follows Courtney, an American journalist adrift in her personal and professional life, who becomes captivated by a mysterious French woman named Salomé during a transatlantic flight. When Salomé invites her to a secluded town in northwestern France, Courtney impulsively abandons her original plans for Paris. What begins as an enchanting detour quickly turns unsettling, as Courtney finds herself in a house surveilled by cameras and haunted by Salomé’s enigmatic mother.
As Courtney settles into this eerie environment, she begins to experience vivid nightmares and encounters Salomé’s charismatic stepfather Marco, whose pyramid-scheme vitamin company seems to be a front for a cult obsessed with eternal life. The deeper Courtney digs, the more she uncovers a web of secrets that could unravel not just Salomé’s family history but potentially alter the course of humanity. Torn between her loyalty to Salomé and the lure of a career-defining exposé, Courtney must decide whether to trust her instincts or risk everything for the truth.
Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC!
October 6, 2025
Salomé caught my attention with its premise. I loved the idea of a womem getting caught up in the moment and agreeing to hangout in the French countryside with a charming stranger they met on their flight to Paris, only for it to turn into a nightmare of family secrets and a potential cult. The book builds slowly, we get to know Courtney and the intriguing Salomé, and as they explore Salomé's small town, weird things start happening and you get the feeling Courtney needs to run for the hills. This leads to an unraveling of secrets and twists that lean kind of into sci-fi horror. Overall I felt that the pacing was too slow for me to fully get into book before all the twists and turns that took place, but once the twists started coming together, I did find the story picked up. I do think that people who enjoy a slower paced story will enjoy this book, especially if they like a sci-fi leaning horror thriller.
Thank you Putnam Books and NetGalley for an advance e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Putnam Books and NetGalley for an advance e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 20, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
The writing in this book is absolutely beautiful. Following Courtney through her growing love for Salomé felt like being swept through France with it being soft, intimate, and full of emotion. The touches of French throughout the story made everything feel even more grounded and connected.
The paranormal and mysterious elements were my favorite parts. They hooked me right away, and I kept thinking about the story even after putting the book down. There’s a haunting quality to the way the supernatural is woven in that really worked for me.
The introduction of Marco, the American billionaires, and the astral projection thread did throw me off a bit from the atmosphere I was loving, but overall, the mix of romance, mystery, the French setting, and the paranormal hit the right notes for me.
A captivating and beautifully written read.
The writing in this book is absolutely beautiful. Following Courtney through her growing love for Salomé felt like being swept through France with it being soft, intimate, and full of emotion. The touches of French throughout the story made everything feel even more grounded and connected.
The paranormal and mysterious elements were my favorite parts. They hooked me right away, and I kept thinking about the story even after putting the book down. There’s a haunting quality to the way the supernatural is woven in that really worked for me.
The introduction of Marco, the American billionaires, and the astral projection thread did throw me off a bit from the atmosphere I was loving, but overall, the mix of romance, mystery, the French setting, and the paranormal hit the right notes for me.
A captivating and beautifully written read.
September 7, 2025
I liked the premise of this book but the execution didn't quite work for me.
Courtney, an American writer, meets a mysterious woman, Salome, on the plane to France. She feels this instant connection to her. Salome invites her to come home with her for a few days. By the end of the flight, Courtney has agreed.
Once the get to Salome's family home, several unusual things happen. Salome tells Courtney the type of work that her scientist parents had conducted. This leds to the possibility of a written expose that could really ignite Courtney's career.
This felt too long for me. There were sections that I just felt bored. I stuck with it in hopes that I would enjoy the end. It wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
Courtney, an American writer, meets a mysterious woman, Salome, on the plane to France. She feels this instant connection to her. Salome invites her to come home with her for a few days. By the end of the flight, Courtney has agreed.
Once the get to Salome's family home, several unusual things happen. Salome tells Courtney the type of work that her scientist parents had conducted. This leds to the possibility of a written expose that could really ignite Courtney's career.
This felt too long for me. There were sections that I just felt bored. I stuck with it in hopes that I would enjoy the end. It wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2025
The beginning (first 50%) I loved it, the striggle of Courtney and her relationship woth her mother and the newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease. Meeting Salome on the flight to France. Giving up seeing an old friend in France to spend time with this newly met individual. The mother, the French scenery, the self-destructive nature inside of Courtney to be everything to everyone.. and then the 51% occurred, and we shifted from character forward writing to science fiction. My neck needs a freaking brace because the whiplash from something I was enjoying to an unannounced sci-fi storyline was a bit jarring. Sorry. I did really really enjoy that first 50% and wanted to give it a 5star.
Thank you, netgalley.com, for this ARC. I did enjoy parts of it.
Thank you, netgalley.com, for this ARC. I did enjoy parts of it.
September 11, 2025
I'm going to be honest, this was a bit of a struggle to get through. I had a hard time with the pacing - I felt like most of the storyline progresses in the last 30% of the book or so. with so much filler leading up to that point.
That being said, the premise is super unique and will leave you wanting to know how everything is resolved in the end. With such a unique story, however, I found myself very confused more than once trying to make sense about what was happening. While that is likely the point, it did take away from my enjoyment of the book overall.
Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for allowing me to read this book early!
That being said, the premise is super unique and will leave you wanting to know how everything is resolved in the end. With such a unique story, however, I found myself very confused more than once trying to make sense about what was happening. While that is likely the point, it did take away from my enjoyment of the book overall.
Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for allowing me to read this book early!
October 3, 2025
Salome has a very intriguing plot. An American woman, Courtney, is on a flight to Paris, a city which she adores, and is seated beside Salome, a French woman returning home after a bad breakup. She and Salome become almost instant friends, and when Salome invites Courtney to stay at her house, despite having just met her, Courtney accepts. Once they arrive at Salome's home, things quickly become weird. The plot moved very slowly for me, and the dialogue just didn't ring true. The tone seemed to vacillate between mystery, sci-fi, a little bit of horror, but none of it resonated with me. Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC.
September 10, 2025
This sensual and suspenseful story has American, Courtney meeting the alluring Salomé on the plane and immediately agreeing to go to her mysterious family home in the French countryside. Things go awry when she starts having creepy dreams in the house. As Courtney and Salomé grow closer, she learns more about the odd family of scientists. Putting herself in danger, she tries to untangle the cultish conspiracies surrounding the group helmed by Salomé's stepfather and his quest for immortality. This read is thrilling and timely.
Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for this ARC
Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for this ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
this book was an incredibly slow start and ended up being a laborious read for me. i could feel the intentionality in the narration, especially with how the author’s creative storytelling and ability to evoke emotions and scenes through brilliant writing. however, apart from the form, the story struggled to pull me in. i kept asking myself what this book was about. is it about love? friendship? finding oneself? the start was so slow and things dragged on for a bit. also it was a bit confusing for me and i just didn’t find this fun to read.
September 17, 2025
Personally I adore a good sci-fi, mystery book and this one fits in that box perfectly. This story started off a little slow for me and picked up maybe 50% of the way through. I enjoyed the authors descriptions of various scientific research, they were easy to follow and fit the plot well. The ending wrapped up the story neatly with a bow on top, but I wish I had a tiny bit more.
December 2, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This was soooo boring. Well written! But the characters were obnoxious and unlikeable. Even Salome. I wish I could say more, but I forget half of it 🥴😮💨
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
not exactly a gothic novel like it's saying, really giving more sci-fi vibes and a vague frankenstein feel, but it still worked really well. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.
September 13, 2025
3.5 Stars - Courtney is a somewhat amateur journalist with a lot of neuroticism and a little bit of baseline depression (just my impression) who, for me, was difficult to connect with. She meets Salomé on a plane ride to France. Calling Courtney a francophile is an understatement, but while sometimes it might be a bit grating, other times it was charming. I saw this book called horror somewhere, but I think I would call it light horror perhaps? Courtney ends up visiting Salomé's home exposing her to weird happenings, dark family secrets and a conspiracy that came a bit out of the blue for me. I expected something different in this story when I had my impressions made up of how I thought Salomé would play out in a reimagining and so, while disappointing I didn't get what I wanted, I also am glad I wasn't able to predict it. The supernatural element to this book was interesting, but with it being a slow-burn I had trouble being interested until well after the first half of the book. There was a sapphic element to this story which I thought might tie-in to something else, but it didn't. It worked in the story though for sure. If you like a supernatural, sapphic, psychological, slow burn with feminist undertones then I'd recommend giving this a try. I am grateful for having a chance to read this as an ARC and do not regret it!
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