When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee

by Gus Moreno, Jakub Rebelka (Illustrator)

Tarantino meets The Exorcist in this thrilling descent into Hell itself from rising star author Gus Moreno, whose debut novel was awarded “Best Book of 2021” by NPR.

Father Barrera is a disgraced priest, haunted by his part in the tragic death of a child. As penance, he is exiled to the remote South American island town of Puerto Cristina to apprentice under the enigmatic Father Stygian, controversial exorcist.

Exorcists are normally trained in the Vatican, but Stygian has his own way of handling demons... methods that predate even the Church. As Barrera seeks to unlock the mysteries of Stygian's strange practices, he uncovers an island rife with evil and supernatural phenomena.

What do these possessions mean, and how are they connected to a mysterious hospital patient, one who's been in a coma for nearly half a century without aging a single day?

Rising star author Gus Moreno, whose debut novel This Thing Between Us was awarded a "Best Book of 2021" recognition by NPR, joins forces with visionary artist Jakub Rebelka (Cyberpunk) for a mesmerizing and thrilling descent into Hell itself.

Collects When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee #1-5.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 6, 2026

About the author

Gus Moreno is the author of This Thing Between Us (MCD Books). His stories have appeared in Aurealis, Pseudopod, Bluestem Magazine, LitroNy, and the Burnt Tongues anthology. Some of his favorite books are American Psycho, Battle Royale, and Under the Skin. Some of his favorite writers are Margaret Atwood, Lucia Berlin, and Amy Hempel. He likes denim jackets, professional wrestling, neighborhood pizza, and anything by The xx. He lives in the suburbs with his wife and dogs, but never think that he's not from Chicago for one second.