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The Last Death Poet
Not yet published
Expected 9 Jun 26
'I know about the visions. I have your camera. Call me. Please.'
When Michael is uprooted to his mum’s hometown of Belfast, he isn’t just hoping for a fresh start. He’s determined to discover the truth about his dad’s mysterious absence. But from the moment he arrives, he’s plagued with visions of the city’s troubled past.
Michael begins settling into his new life and even meets a boy who helps erase the painful memories of his ex. But as the visions grow stronger and more intense, the only person he can really confide in is his new friend Meg.
As Meg delves into the supernatural source of the visions, Michael begins to question whether events of the past are linked to his dad’s disappearance.
Can he use his powers to find his dad before he’s gone forever?
When Michael is uprooted to his mum’s hometown of Belfast, he isn’t just hoping for a fresh start. He’s determined to discover the truth about his dad’s mysterious absence. But from the moment he arrives, he’s plagued with visions of the city’s troubled past.
Michael begins settling into his new life and even meets a boy who helps erase the painful memories of his ex. But as the visions grow stronger and more intense, the only person he can really confide in is his new friend Meg.
As Meg delves into the supernatural source of the visions, Michael begins to question whether events of the past are linked to his dad’s disappearance.
Can he use his powers to find his dad before he’s gone forever?
- GenresYoung AdultLGBT
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 9, 2026
2 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 20, 2026
Michael is fifteen going on sixteen when his mother uproots their family to move back to her hometown: Belfast. Not long ago, Michael's father vanished and no one will tell him anything about why. He misses his friend/sometimes more than friend, Ben, even if Ben wasn't the best and kindest in either role. His mother's family welcomes him in, and he meets Meg, who becomes a fast friend, and Paul, who has gorgeous dimples and a wicked smile. Most dramatically, however, Michael has started having dark visions of the past involving a screaming woman with long, dark hair. He's able to record his visions with a camera, if he's quick, but otherwise the memories fade. He has no idea what's happening to him, but is sure it has something to do with his father's disappearance and the secrets his family—his grandmother in particular—seem determined to keep from him.
The Last Death Poet is a beautiful, emotionally powerful story of grief, rage and discovery: of personal history as it merges with the political and the self. I was incredibly impressed by how well Stephen Daly weaves sophisticated ideas around the ways political rage interacts with morality and mental health, but presents them in ways that are accessible to a YA audience without ever feeling patronising. There are so many wonderful things to experience in this novel.
Michael is an instantly loveable character. He's sweet and brave and emotionally vulnerable and it was hard to see him go through some of the things he had to go through in this story, but wonderful to see him come through and grow in the end. I loved his friendships with Meg and Paul and his cousin Cormac (who are all great characters in their own rights). They felt very believable. I loved feeling embedded in Belfast's culture and history. The setting felt vivd and alive. The supernatural aspects were beautifully written and truly scary at times.
The story kept me hooked the whole way through. I loved seeing they mysteries unravel, I loved learning about Irish mythology. The Last Death Poet is a wonderful book with a whole variety of things to offer and I can't recommend it enough. Give it to the teenage readers in your life. Buy it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.
The Last Death Poet is a beautiful, emotionally powerful story of grief, rage and discovery: of personal history as it merges with the political and the self. I was incredibly impressed by how well Stephen Daly weaves sophisticated ideas around the ways political rage interacts with morality and mental health, but presents them in ways that are accessible to a YA audience without ever feeling patronising. There are so many wonderful things to experience in this novel.
Michael is an instantly loveable character. He's sweet and brave and emotionally vulnerable and it was hard to see him go through some of the things he had to go through in this story, but wonderful to see him come through and grow in the end. I loved his friendships with Meg and Paul and his cousin Cormac (who are all great characters in their own rights). They felt very believable. I loved feeling embedded in Belfast's culture and history. The setting felt vivd and alive. The supernatural aspects were beautifully written and truly scary at times.
The story kept me hooked the whole way through. I loved seeing they mysteries unravel, I loved learning about Irish mythology. The Last Death Poet is a wonderful book with a whole variety of things to offer and I can't recommend it enough. Give it to the teenage readers in your life. Buy it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.
January 22, 2026
i was so privileged to have been given a proof copy of this book from my ma after she interviewed stephen and oh my, she knewwwwww id love this. a queer urban fantasy based in belfast???? SIGN ME UP. i absolutely devoured this book & it was so fun reading about my wee hometown with such a fun twist. iv never read anything like it! it really struck me that even though the supernatural elements in this were telling one story, i couldnt help but compare the parallels to the divide we (STILL!!!!) have up north. 😭 it really was so brilliantly done. its so true how we grow up here and the history of our country gets brushed aside, no matter what side ur on. the story needs to be told and its so important!!!!!! i cant fault this book & i can only hope theres maybe more from these fab characters in the future? yeah ima recommend this to everyone when it comes out & im so excited to go to the book launch in april. 🥹🤍 UPPAAAA IRISH! ☘️🇮🇪
'𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘭í 𝘣á𝘪𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘵. 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦
𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵.'
“𝙎𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚, 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣.”
'𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘭í 𝘣á𝘪𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘵. 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦
𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵.'
“𝙎𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚, 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣.”
November 19, 2025
This contemporary coming-of-age YA explores the legacy of the Troubles in Belfast with sensitivity and a supernatural slant. I especially enjoyed the fascinating (albeit terrifying!) nod to Irish folklore.
A wonderful must-read debut from a fabulous new talent.
A wonderful must-read debut from a fabulous new talent.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
such an incredible mix of contemporary with supernatural horror elements, all the while mixing Irish folklore and mythology with the troubled past of Belfast and the current very relevant issues in the world today
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I can't think of a single other book this is like. Bit of contemporary, bit of paranormal horror, bit of history. Really well done and engaging all the way through.
October 26, 2025
Got an early proof and I’ve been raving about this to everyone, I haven’t enjoyed a book so much in ages. It’s a queer urban fantasy about a West Belfast boy who starts having visions of Belfast’s troubled past and photographing them with his missing dad’s camera. It’s so cleverly constructed, weaving together distant and modern Irish history, Irish mythology, and the recent race riots without ever becoming grim or losing the sense of adventure. It covers so much important ground but treads so lightly - perfectly pitched for teens. I’d have loved it even if I wasn’t from here, but it feels very special and I think it’s going to resonate with so many local people. The history is handled beautifully and respectfully, the writing is utterly charming, the mythology is fricking terrifying, the romance and friendships are a perfect balance for the serious stuff, and the tension escalates relentlessly as the twists just keep coming. It’s such a fun read and heartbreaking at the same time. I can’t say enough good things about this book, I really couldn’t put it down and I’m predicting big things for it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews