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St. Ulphia's Dead
Not yet published
Expected 7 Jul 26Disgraced medical researcher Mirs and his skeptical new supervisor Jo arrive on the remote island of St. Ulphia to investigate an outbreak of mass psychosis. The villagers claim they' re being possessed— one by one— by a cannibalistic demon known as the Wendigo. While unraveling the villagers' strange tales, Mirs and Jo are drawn into a tangle of local politics, mysterious disappearances, and impossible contradictions. When the missing begin to reappear, the boundaries between fact and folklore become dangerously thin. As tensions rise and trust fractures, Mirs and Jo must confront the possibility that the madness around them may not be entirely imagined— or may not be the villagers' alone. A psychological mystery laced with absurd humor, St. Ulphia' s Dead explores how trauma warps truth, how isolation breeds belief, and how the most terrifying demons are the ones we conjure for ourselves.
210 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 7, 2026
About the author
Scott Lambridis
5 books9 followersScott Lambridis is a Bellingham-based writer and neurobiology lover whose fiction explores the strange edges of perception, time, and consciousness. His work has appeared in Slice, Fence, and The Café Irreal, and he earned his MFA from San Francisco State University. He once ran an indie press, toured with a progressive rock band, tended an olive farm, read a book from every country of the world, and wrote his debut novel during his daughter’s naps in France.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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January 4, 2026Advance praise:
“St. Ulphia’s Dead is as propulsive as it is exquisitely written, and unlike any other love story I’ve ever encountered. A wild, unexpected, and darkly comic ride, highly recommended to anybody with a beating heart.”
— Peter Orner, author of The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter
"A sociomedical mystery and ontological adventure bristling with satiric energy, dramatic irony, and romance. Provocative to think about, and great fun to read."
–Jennifer duBois, author of The Last Language
"In St. Ulphia’s Dead, Scott Lambridis deftly weaves together absurdity and humor with the weighty issues of life, death, and love. In this ingenious novel, nothing is as it appears, including the mere fact of existence. A delightful and wildly inventive debut!"
–Laurie Ann Doyle, award-winning author of World Gone Missing: Stories
"Shocking, immersive, and compulsively readable, St. Ulphia’s Dead is a fascinating look at how we process our darkest experiences, and who we rely on to help us survive them."
–Martha Conway, author of We Meet Apart
“The dead never tell the truth about themselves.” St. Ulphia’s Dead begins as a mystery and turns into a provocation, asking us to question our most fundamental moral assumptions. Daring, inventive, and transgressive, it is also romantic—and deeply joyful."
–Olga Zilberbourg, author of Like Water and Other Stories
"Scott Lambridis brings us a provocative philosophical novel about the desire to name and thus control the mysteries of the world—and about the parallel inclination to become the ecstatic expression of human hunger."
–Carolyn Cooke, author of The Bostons, Daughters of the Revolution, and Amor and Psycho
"A dark and richly imagined story, with some sweet surprises."
–Molly Giles, author of LIFE SPAN
"St. Ulphia’s Dead is alive with lush, electric strangeness. Otherworldly and gloriously resistant to categorization, Lambridis’s debut burns through the limits of what we think we know, leaving something wild in its wake.
—Brittany Micka-Foos, author of It’s No Fun Anymore
"Drawing on the traditions of science fiction, folk horror, and the literary ghost story, but with the sensibilities and lyrical style of the best magical realism, St. Ulphia’s Dead is a detective story that becomes more mysterious rather than less as the investigation progresses, and the detectives gradually learn that the true mystery is within themselves."
–Bradshaw Schift, author of The Parliament of Mice: A Fable
"Welcome to St. Ulphia! Here you will meet a cast of strange and magnetic characters circling around a compelling central mystery. Your stay on the island will be eerie, unsettling, intriguing, amusing, and ultimately heartwarming. As you learn the fantastical true secrets of the island and its inhabitants, you'll come to realize that the greatest mystery is in the connections between people, the way we understand each other, and the ways we love."
–Ben Black, AGNI editor
"Like a bowerbird, Lambridis sculpts a story from bits of cultural anthropology, murder mystery, obscure definitions and romance; all woven together with a ribbon of magical realism. Loved it so much I read it twice and both times I cried at the end."
–Jessica Nersesian, uncommonly voracious reader
“St. Ulphia’s Dead is as propulsive as it is exquisitely written, and unlike any other love story I’ve ever encountered. A wild, unexpected, and darkly comic ride, highly recommended to anybody with a beating heart.”
— Peter Orner, author of The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter
"A sociomedical mystery and ontological adventure bristling with satiric energy, dramatic irony, and romance. Provocative to think about, and great fun to read."
–Jennifer duBois, author of The Last Language
"In St. Ulphia’s Dead, Scott Lambridis deftly weaves together absurdity and humor with the weighty issues of life, death, and love. In this ingenious novel, nothing is as it appears, including the mere fact of existence. A delightful and wildly inventive debut!"
–Laurie Ann Doyle, award-winning author of World Gone Missing: Stories
"Shocking, immersive, and compulsively readable, St. Ulphia’s Dead is a fascinating look at how we process our darkest experiences, and who we rely on to help us survive them."
–Martha Conway, author of We Meet Apart
“The dead never tell the truth about themselves.” St. Ulphia’s Dead begins as a mystery and turns into a provocation, asking us to question our most fundamental moral assumptions. Daring, inventive, and transgressive, it is also romantic—and deeply joyful."
–Olga Zilberbourg, author of Like Water and Other Stories
"Scott Lambridis brings us a provocative philosophical novel about the desire to name and thus control the mysteries of the world—and about the parallel inclination to become the ecstatic expression of human hunger."
–Carolyn Cooke, author of The Bostons, Daughters of the Revolution, and Amor and Psycho
"A dark and richly imagined story, with some sweet surprises."
–Molly Giles, author of LIFE SPAN
"St. Ulphia’s Dead is alive with lush, electric strangeness. Otherworldly and gloriously resistant to categorization, Lambridis’s debut burns through the limits of what we think we know, leaving something wild in its wake.
—Brittany Micka-Foos, author of It’s No Fun Anymore
"Drawing on the traditions of science fiction, folk horror, and the literary ghost story, but with the sensibilities and lyrical style of the best magical realism, St. Ulphia’s Dead is a detective story that becomes more mysterious rather than less as the investigation progresses, and the detectives gradually learn that the true mystery is within themselves."
–Bradshaw Schift, author of The Parliament of Mice: A Fable
"Welcome to St. Ulphia! Here you will meet a cast of strange and magnetic characters circling around a compelling central mystery. Your stay on the island will be eerie, unsettling, intriguing, amusing, and ultimately heartwarming. As you learn the fantastical true secrets of the island and its inhabitants, you'll come to realize that the greatest mystery is in the connections between people, the way we understand each other, and the ways we love."
–Ben Black, AGNI editor
"Like a bowerbird, Lambridis sculpts a story from bits of cultural anthropology, murder mystery, obscure definitions and romance; all woven together with a ribbon of magical realism. Loved it so much I read it twice and both times I cried at the end."
–Jessica Nersesian, uncommonly voracious reader
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
St. Ulphia’s Dead is an ambitious novel that leans heavily into atmosphere, philosophy, and ambiguity—but for me, it never quite comes together in a satisfying way.
The premise is undeniably compelling: a remote island, a supposed outbreak of possession, and the looming presence of Wendigo folklore. There’s a lot here that should work. The tone is eerie, the ideas are layered, and the book clearly wants to explore deeper questions about perception, trauma, and the nature of truth. However, the execution made it difficult to stay fully engaged.
From the beginning, the narrative feels disorienting in a way that doesn’t feel intentional so much as overwhelming. The constant introduction of names, shifting perspectives, and abstract concepts made it hard to find a clear foothold in the story. Instead of building intrigue, it often created distance.
Even once things start to take shape, the pacing remains uneven. There are moments where the writing feels almost overly self-aware—more focused on being clever or philosophical than on grounding the reader in the story itself. Because of that, the emotional stakes never fully landed for me.
The ending, in particular, felt rushed considering how much the book asks the reader to invest upfront. After such a dense and layered buildup, it needed more time to breathe and resolve its ideas. Instead, it left me feeling like the story pulled away just when it should have been sharpening its impact.
Overall, while I can appreciate what this book is trying to do, it didn’t fully work for me. Readers who enjoy highly abstract, unconventional storytelling may find more to connect with here, but if you’re looking for a cohesive and immersive mystery, this may feel more frustrating than rewarding.
Rating: 2.5–3 stars
St. Ulphia’s Dead is an ambitious novel that leans heavily into atmosphere, philosophy, and ambiguity—but for me, it never quite comes together in a satisfying way.
The premise is undeniably compelling: a remote island, a supposed outbreak of possession, and the looming presence of Wendigo folklore. There’s a lot here that should work. The tone is eerie, the ideas are layered, and the book clearly wants to explore deeper questions about perception, trauma, and the nature of truth. However, the execution made it difficult to stay fully engaged.
From the beginning, the narrative feels disorienting in a way that doesn’t feel intentional so much as overwhelming. The constant introduction of names, shifting perspectives, and abstract concepts made it hard to find a clear foothold in the story. Instead of building intrigue, it often created distance.
Even once things start to take shape, the pacing remains uneven. There are moments where the writing feels almost overly self-aware—more focused on being clever or philosophical than on grounding the reader in the story itself. Because of that, the emotional stakes never fully landed for me.
The ending, in particular, felt rushed considering how much the book asks the reader to invest upfront. After such a dense and layered buildup, it needed more time to breathe and resolve its ideas. Instead, it left me feeling like the story pulled away just when it should have been sharpening its impact.
Overall, while I can appreciate what this book is trying to do, it didn’t fully work for me. Readers who enjoy highly abstract, unconventional storytelling may find more to connect with here, but if you’re looking for a cohesive and immersive mystery, this may feel more frustrating than rewarding.
Rating: 2.5–3 stars
May 6, 2026
NETGALLEY ARC, publishing July 2026
****POSSIBLE SPOILERS****
My first few forays into this book’s first chapters were tentative and choppy. Then, around chapter 12, things changed. From chapter 12 to the end, I read this in two, back to back sittings.
I’ll be honest that some of this book went over my head and some of the interior thoughts of the main characters seemed a tad foolish.
The mystery was good but the commentary on life, death and freedom was what made me rate this so highly.
This premise isn’t a new one but how it turned out is. This quote from towards the end perfectly sums up the meaning I inferred from this book: “Everywhere else they’re so attached to life that they’re obsessed with death. Here they just live.”
I would say if you read the book synopsis or either of these quotes and find any part of it/them interesting, to go ahead and read the book. You will get a more thoughtful and literary commentary than you might expect.
I’m definitely following this author!
QUOTE: “Life doesn’t escalate smoothly, thought Jo, or in a clear line of action and consequence; it lurches forward in spurts and gasps, and only after some non-pivotal moment do you realize you’d arrived some time ago onto a new plateau of life. You only need a break from ritual to realize it, but the precise moment of shift remains a mystery. No, she thought, we don’t know ourselves as well as we think we should, and maybe that’s better than knowing ourselves too well.”
****POSSIBLE SPOILERS****
My first few forays into this book’s first chapters were tentative and choppy. Then, around chapter 12, things changed. From chapter 12 to the end, I read this in two, back to back sittings.
I’ll be honest that some of this book went over my head and some of the interior thoughts of the main characters seemed a tad foolish.
The mystery was good but the commentary on life, death and freedom was what made me rate this so highly.
This premise isn’t a new one but how it turned out is. This quote from towards the end perfectly sums up the meaning I inferred from this book: “Everywhere else they’re so attached to life that they’re obsessed with death. Here they just live.”
I would say if you read the book synopsis or either of these quotes and find any part of it/them interesting, to go ahead and read the book. You will get a more thoughtful and literary commentary than you might expect.
I’m definitely following this author!
QUOTE: “Life doesn’t escalate smoothly, thought Jo, or in a clear line of action and consequence; it lurches forward in spurts and gasps, and only after some non-pivotal moment do you realize you’d arrived some time ago onto a new plateau of life. You only need a break from ritual to realize it, but the precise moment of shift remains a mystery. No, she thought, we don’t know ourselves as well as we think we should, and maybe that’s better than knowing ourselves too well.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
*thank you Netgalley for the ARC so i was able to give a honest review*
I was excited because wendigos are by favorite folklore creatures and i really wanted to like it. The beginning was slow and confusing at first but when it got going it was good but ended to fast. Feel like few more chapters could have helped ending. Overall a mid story and book that i did enjoy because i do like the story.
I was excited because wendigos are by favorite folklore creatures and i really wanted to like it. The beginning was slow and confusing at first but when it got going it was good but ended to fast. Feel like few more chapters could have helped ending. Overall a mid story and book that i did enjoy because i do like the story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy.
This book was a ride of confusion, suspense, romance and graphic horror.
I started off unsure and unable to follow the majority of what was happening, the names and locations took me a minute to grasp. It’s a short read but not bad for a quick spooky season book.
This book was a ride of confusion, suspense, romance and graphic horror.
I started off unsure and unable to follow the majority of what was happening, the names and locations took me a minute to grasp. It’s a short read but not bad for a quick spooky season book.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
At times Lovecraftian and esoteric. At times silly, suble & human. Never not engaging. I was fortunate to stumble across this author and there horror fiction. They are forever on my read list and I'm eager for more.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews