In the Name of the Worm

In the Name of the Worm #2

by Mitchell Lüthi

The Black Death has emptied half of Christendom. Its survivors seek salvation wherever they can find it—in the remains of dead saints, the promises of priests, or at the bottom of their cups. Spurred on by the urgent need to be closer to God, forged indulgences and false relics have proliferated on both sides of the Rhine, turning hallowed bones into mere commodities.

Now, with the new Pope in Avignon hoping to reassert spiritual control over the Holy Roman Empire, Remi and Pierre find themselves flung into an intrigue at the beer-swigging heart of Christendom. Following the trail of murdered priests, plague-prophets, treacherous knights, and stolen relics, they will descend into the heart of a rotting empire, where new heresies have grown to fill the void left in the wake of plague.

Where the sulphurous stench of demons is surpassed only by the stink of the dead.

Where good has become a tool for evil.

Where something ancient is stirring.

Something that claims dominion and will have it no matter the cost.


In the Name of the Worm is a historical dark fantasy adventure of heretical proportions, complete with lost gods, entombed nuns, witch-knights, and a breathless plot interwoven with a heady dose of heterodox Christian and German folklore.

Genres: Horror

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2025

About the author

The Pilgrim Illustrated Limited Edition Kickstarter is launching in September 2024! Check it out here: https://t.ly/xsNeh

The limited edition includes 12 full-page illustrations by artist Tyrone Le Roux, 9 character illustrations by Filipe Pagliuso, full-colour book ends by Alicja Tereszczenko, an illustrated slipcase by Anthony Ventura, custom interior design, medieval chapter drop caps, metallic rose gold on the front, spine, and rear, gold-edged pages, and a ribbon bookmark.

Mitchell Lüthi is a writer and producer based in Cape Town, South Africa. He has written a number of scripts, short stories, and radio plays. "Pilgrim" is his first full-length novel.

In addition to his writing, Lüthi produces and scores the Sentinel Creatives Podcast. With a passion for storytelling, Lüthi has established himself as a versatile writer who can create compelling narratives across various genres.

His short story, "The Bone Fields", received an honorable mention in the 2020 L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Competition. The story is available in the Write Like Hell: Kaiju anthology.

Reviews

[Balthazarinblue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forget Biblically accurate angels. Mitchell Lüthi's historical horror novels give The Lesser Key of Solomon accurate demons. I can imagine this whole series as the illustrated marginalia of medieval monks, with all the weird and wicked beasties that conjures.

IN THE NAME OF THE WORM picks up the story of Pierre and Remi some time after the events of HIS BLACK TONGUE. They venture toward the Black Forest, following a trail of false relics and forged indulgences. There is more afoot than the simple exploitation of vulnerable believers, though. In Dunkelwald, pilgrims flock to a new prophet who preaches a dangerous gospel.

Can you read this as a standalone? Technically, yes.
Should you read this as a standalone? I wouldn't recommend it.

HIS BLACK TONGUE is the perfect introduction to these characters, a Franciscan monk and his saintly young ward. The events at Enfaire weigh heavily on Pierre and Remi and they are not quite the same in IN THE NAME OF THE WORM. So much so that it took me a while to place where Enfaire fit in the chronology of their partnership. To skip the ground work laid in the first story deprives you of experiencing the depth of their bond.

I highly recommend both stories for fans of medieval horror, particularly those interested in religious history and the heresies and schisms of the time.

[Lorenzo Benatti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new Mitchell Lüthi's novella left me hungry for more and, given how he wrapped things up, it seems there is plenty of room.

"In the name of the Worm" is a great sequel to the equally stunning "His Black Tongue" and, once again, the character of Pierre steals the scene with all the questions and doubts about his double nature.

Even with a 250-page story, the author masterfully depicts an accurate historical background, developing a plot that plays with the duality Evil-Good and the mistery behind Creation.

So... when are we getting the third book in the series? Because, we are getting a third book Mitchell... RIGHT?

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75/5

Overall, this was a fantastic book. One thing that has always fascinated and impressed me with Mitchell Lüthi's writing is the way he's able to incorporate diverse folklore, and we see that with this book. It serves as an excellent sequel to His Black Tongue, in that it follows Remi and Pierre after the events of the first book. It gives us more of their backstory, and adds new and compelling characters. It was dark, bleak, funny at times, and as with all of Lüthi's works, beautifully-written. If you've read and enjoyed His Black Tongue, I highly recommend In the Name of the Worm.

[Vrednik · Rating 5 out of 5]

i need the 3rd book ASAP..... im too invested in pierre. would also love to see lüthi's version of hell and everyone interacting with each other in it.

[S.J. Shank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mitchell Lüthi’s In the Name of the Worm is an absorbing medieval horror and a worthy successor to His Black Tongue. The squalid streetscapes and gnarly brawls remain, but the cast is broader, the backstories richer, and the diabolical terrors are now streaked through with the cosmic. Set in the desolate years after the plague, Remi and Pierre must navigate a world where faith has been perverted by heresy, reason by madness, and the line between good and evil has all but disappeared. At times touching, at times brutal, this well-researched and thought-provoking novel is further proof of Lüthi’s gift for exploring the darkest recesses of the Middle Ages.

[Mary Urban · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exquisitely set in 14th-century medieval Europe, with all its obscurantism, wars, and epidemics rampant from one end to the other. You can expect a medieval dark fantasy centered around religious themes. Like many series, it's difficult to read on its own, so I had to go back to His Black Tongue, and I'm glad I did because this series hooks you and makes you want more, though it reads more as fantasy than horror. Beautifully written, too, which is a plus.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

reading this at times felt like i was a short person in a crowded room towards the back- constantly straining to see what was happening. there are a lot of characters and descriptions that sometimes overwhelm the plot, so you strain to see the big picture. despite this however, the story was enough to save it- i love pierre and remi and the medieval horror plot going on. i love dark relics, evil monks, and dirty middle age era cities! the ending was a slight cliffhanger so i am very eager for the next one- if anything i think this could have been longer.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lüthi does it again, bringing medieval life to horrors doors. Less scary and more spooky than his prior novel, a must read for enjoyers of biblically fueled mystery horror.

A thrilling sequal to His Black Tongue, carrying on the tale of Pierre and Remi as they continue their hunt of blasphemies. But the same cliff hanger ending that leaves you upset this book was released last month and Amazon says its book 2 of 2 so you have no idea if you'll ever find out if Hell opens up again or not. If you need to commiserate let me know.

[ada · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.75☆'s) i enjoyed the characters and the world and writing A LOT, but i felt like the story took a little too long to start properly rolling and when it did it was over fairly quickly. i still reallt enjoyed the book, though, and can't wait to (hopefully) read more about these characters~

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great to see Pierre and Rumi again.

I feel like I've missed a story or two somewhere cus I mentioned places they had been before or after the first book so was a bit confused.

Regardless, looking forward to the next installment.