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Incarnate
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26From beloved horror maven Alma Katsu comes a terrifying reimagining of The Picture of Dorian Gray for the internet age.
Beauty doesn’t fade. It feeds.
Marion Wagner has spent her whole life wanting nothing more than to be seen. But after failing to make her mark (any mark, really) as an influencer, she takes a job at a company focused on cutting-edge deepfake technology. And there, in secret, is where creates her salvation.
Isabella. An impossibly gorgeous girl who takes social media by storm. Marion’s code is brilliant, and Isabella seems real. So real that she garners millions of followers. Brands beg to partner with her. Everyone wants to meet her IRL. The adoration—and the cash—flows in. Marion is finally happy. She's getting all the attention she ever wanted—isn't she?
Then the cracks begin to show. Marion can barely stay ahead of the partnership requests, and love letters and the rabid fans filling her DMs trying to track Isabella down. All this time working in secret with all this pressure is getting to Marion—she can’t tell where she ends, and her creation begins. And when someone gets a little too close to her secret, a violent confrontation sends Marion on the run, forcing her to confront what she’s willing to sacrifice to keep her secrets.
A modern reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Alma Katsu’s Incarnate is an illuminating, haunting tale of algorithmic worship and beauty that can kill.
Beauty doesn’t fade. It feeds.
Marion Wagner has spent her whole life wanting nothing more than to be seen. But after failing to make her mark (any mark, really) as an influencer, she takes a job at a company focused on cutting-edge deepfake technology. And there, in secret, is where creates her salvation.
Isabella. An impossibly gorgeous girl who takes social media by storm. Marion’s code is brilliant, and Isabella seems real. So real that she garners millions of followers. Brands beg to partner with her. Everyone wants to meet her IRL. The adoration—and the cash—flows in. Marion is finally happy. She's getting all the attention she ever wanted—isn't she?
Then the cracks begin to show. Marion can barely stay ahead of the partnership requests, and love letters and the rabid fans filling her DMs trying to track Isabella down. All this time working in secret with all this pressure is getting to Marion—she can’t tell where she ends, and her creation begins. And when someone gets a little too close to her secret, a violent confrontation sends Marion on the run, forcing her to confront what she’s willing to sacrifice to keep her secrets.
A modern reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Alma Katsu’s Incarnate is an illuminating, haunting tale of algorithmic worship and beauty that can kill.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 22, 2026
About the author
Alma Katsu
39 books3,601 followers"Hard to put down. Not recommended reading after dark." -- Stephen King
"Makes the supernatural seem possible" -- Publishers Weekly
Award-winning author of eight novels, including historical horror (The Hunger, The Deep, The Fervor) and spy novels (Red Widow, Red London). Coming September 2025: FIEND (Putnam)
"Makes the supernatural seem possible" -- Publishers Weekly
Award-winning author of eight novels, including historical horror (The Hunger, The Deep, The Fervor) and spy novels (Red Widow, Red London). Coming September 2025: FIEND (Putnam)
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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May 18, 2026Reading for review in a future issue of Booklist
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
'Perception trumps reality. Perception IS reality.'
In the context of Incarnate--IRL too, really--how I wish this statement wasn't true. I picked up this novel because I have no idea what's it's like living in the kind of world Dot does, how the pressure, exposure, and isolation of the attention economy may slowly be eroding the souls of a generation who don't know life without its invisible tentacles. Man, this story was an eye-opener for me. I know what a 'hype house' is now.
Synopsis and spoilers aside, we begin with an 'incident,' something that happened to a twelve-year-old girl named Dorothy... something that will haunt her for the rest of her life. It's ten years later and Dot is working in the VFX field, an intern for an artist she admires, doing work she's proud of. But this dreadful sense of loneliness, of maybe feeling unappreciated, of having more knowledge and insight than those above her pushes her to create something that will eventually change her entire world. Her identity, even.
Long story short, Dot makes some horrible choices throughout this story, even to the end, but she's not entirely unsympathetic. You feel for her, the way she sees herself in the world, up to a certain point, because the nightmare journey she takes, it's not something that unfairly just happens to her--she's not Reagan playing with Ouija board. She makes choices. Makes a deal with an entity she thinks she can escape. Great line here: 'It wouldn't have been possible without your ego, your greed, your desire.'
Katsu puts the reader at a crossroads of sorts, begging the question: Is this supernatural, a malevolent entity doing all this, or not? Is it skewed perception? Trauma from what happened ten long years ago? And, based on the 'changes' Dot goes through, I think you can come to a concrete conclusion, and it's frightening. The whole read, you get a sticky feeling, like what you're reading is clinging to you, and the sense of dread you catch from the very first chapter is unavoidable. In a lot of ways, this story gets under your skin. The pacing is perfect, the close POV deft, and the tension leading up to the ending is inevitable--you will be compelled to keep turning pages. It's a 'bargain' story along the lines of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray,' but so much more timely and informative. About: 'Attention, the most precious and fragile substance in the world. Doled out by capricious algorithms, subject to the whims of the masses.'
While the last few pages left me wanting more, scratching my head, hoping for more of a collision, it works well, I think. Incarnate is like watching a car crash while someone keeps telling you it isn't real. It isn't real. It isn't real. Until you feel shards of glass imbedded in your face, smell the bodies burning.
Big thanks to NetGalley, Putnam, and Alma Katsu for the experience. Highly recommended.
In the context of Incarnate--IRL too, really--how I wish this statement wasn't true. I picked up this novel because I have no idea what's it's like living in the kind of world Dot does, how the pressure, exposure, and isolation of the attention economy may slowly be eroding the souls of a generation who don't know life without its invisible tentacles. Man, this story was an eye-opener for me. I know what a 'hype house' is now.
Synopsis and spoilers aside, we begin with an 'incident,' something that happened to a twelve-year-old girl named Dorothy... something that will haunt her for the rest of her life. It's ten years later and Dot is working in the VFX field, an intern for an artist she admires, doing work she's proud of. But this dreadful sense of loneliness, of maybe feeling unappreciated, of having more knowledge and insight than those above her pushes her to create something that will eventually change her entire world. Her identity, even.
Long story short, Dot makes some horrible choices throughout this story, even to the end, but she's not entirely unsympathetic. You feel for her, the way she sees herself in the world, up to a certain point, because the nightmare journey she takes, it's not something that unfairly just happens to her--she's not Reagan playing with Ouija board. She makes choices. Makes a deal with an entity she thinks she can escape. Great line here: 'It wouldn't have been possible without your ego, your greed, your desire.'
Katsu puts the reader at a crossroads of sorts, begging the question: Is this supernatural, a malevolent entity doing all this, or not? Is it skewed perception? Trauma from what happened ten long years ago? And, based on the 'changes' Dot goes through, I think you can come to a concrete conclusion, and it's frightening. The whole read, you get a sticky feeling, like what you're reading is clinging to you, and the sense of dread you catch from the very first chapter is unavoidable. In a lot of ways, this story gets under your skin. The pacing is perfect, the close POV deft, and the tension leading up to the ending is inevitable--you will be compelled to keep turning pages. It's a 'bargain' story along the lines of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray,' but so much more timely and informative. About: 'Attention, the most precious and fragile substance in the world. Doled out by capricious algorithms, subject to the whims of the masses.'
While the last few pages left me wanting more, scratching my head, hoping for more of a collision, it works well, I think. Incarnate is like watching a car crash while someone keeps telling you it isn't real. It isn't real. It isn't real. Until you feel shards of glass imbedded in your face, smell the bodies burning.
Big thanks to NetGalley, Putnam, and Alma Katsu for the experience. Highly recommended.
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April 25, 2026Incarnate authored by Alma Katsu
This was my first read of Alma Katsu and I really enjoyed it! Dot is our protagonist and we begin to follow her in childhood. She has developmental trauma that may help us understand more about her actions. Or perhaps not. The book is fast-paced, well-written and the main characters are thoughtfully fleshed out. There’s a good bit of body horror and it’s the perfect amount of gore for the fabulous story that it is; it is never intrusive enough to take us away from the heart of the book. There was an interesting mystery at the beginning of the book that stuck with me and Alma had spot on timing about when to reveal it.
As a tech-phobic Gen X-er it was really interesting to me to learn more about AI and do an Influencer deep dive into a world that I know so little of. Alma has lead a very interesting life that she calls upon to come up with much of the information in this book. What stuck with me through this book was the insanity of Influencers and what a devastatingly cruel life they can have, the obsessive need Dot to feels to belong, and how far she will go to get external validation. She is obsessed and acts like someone in the throes of addiction. I don’t think I liked Dot, but I felt for her. This is a cautionary tale through and through.
My thanks to Putnam for allowing me to read this ARC. Look for it on shelves near you on September 22, 2026, it’s a great read.
This was my first read of Alma Katsu and I really enjoyed it! Dot is our protagonist and we begin to follow her in childhood. She has developmental trauma that may help us understand more about her actions. Or perhaps not. The book is fast-paced, well-written and the main characters are thoughtfully fleshed out. There’s a good bit of body horror and it’s the perfect amount of gore for the fabulous story that it is; it is never intrusive enough to take us away from the heart of the book. There was an interesting mystery at the beginning of the book that stuck with me and Alma had spot on timing about when to reveal it.
As a tech-phobic Gen X-er it was really interesting to me to learn more about AI and do an Influencer deep dive into a world that I know so little of. Alma has lead a very interesting life that she calls upon to come up with much of the information in this book. What stuck with me through this book was the insanity of Influencers and what a devastatingly cruel life they can have, the obsessive need Dot to feels to belong, and how far she will go to get external validation. She is obsessed and acts like someone in the throes of addiction. I don’t think I liked Dot, but I felt for her. This is a cautionary tale through and through.
My thanks to Putnam for allowing me to read this ARC. Look for it on shelves near you on September 22, 2026, it’s a great read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✦•┈๑⋅⋯ Incarnate by Alma Katsu ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
⭐️ 4.5 •
Incarnate is a slow burn psychological thriller that focuses on identity, memory, and the unsettling gaps between who we are and who we want to be. Katsu thoughtfully explores how those early fractures shape Dorothy's choices, and how obsession can blur into something that feels almost compulsive. There’s also a sharp look at influencer culture and the pressure to constantly shape how they’re seen online, which adds a grounded edge to the story.
Dorothy isn’t always easy to like, but her need for belonging, shaped by early experiences and a deep hunger for external validation, makes her unraveling feel believable and quietly affecting. Her descent into obsession is gradual and compulsive rather than sudden, which fits the tone well.
It’s eerie and thoughtful, with a quiet emotional restraint that suits the subject matter. More introspective than explosive, more atmospheric than action driven, but consistently engaging in the way it slowly settles in rather than demands attention.
If you like:
✔️ identity driven thrillers
✔️ psychological tension
✔️ slow burn pacing
✔️ morally complex characters
✔️ atmospheric fiction
✔️ obsession
📅 Pub Day: Sep 22 2026 📚
💌 ARC gifted via NetGalley from G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishing. All opinions are my own.
🗣 QOTD: Which 2026 release are you most excited for?
⭐️ 4.5 •
Incarnate is a slow burn psychological thriller that focuses on identity, memory, and the unsettling gaps between who we are and who we want to be. Katsu thoughtfully explores how those early fractures shape Dorothy's choices, and how obsession can blur into something that feels almost compulsive. There’s also a sharp look at influencer culture and the pressure to constantly shape how they’re seen online, which adds a grounded edge to the story.
Dorothy isn’t always easy to like, but her need for belonging, shaped by early experiences and a deep hunger for external validation, makes her unraveling feel believable and quietly affecting. Her descent into obsession is gradual and compulsive rather than sudden, which fits the tone well.
It’s eerie and thoughtful, with a quiet emotional restraint that suits the subject matter. More introspective than explosive, more atmospheric than action driven, but consistently engaging in the way it slowly settles in rather than demands attention.
If you like:
✔️ identity driven thrillers
✔️ psychological tension
✔️ slow burn pacing
✔️ morally complex characters
✔️ atmospheric fiction
✔️ obsession
📅 Pub Day: Sep 22 2026 📚
💌 ARC gifted via NetGalley from G.P. Putnam's Sons Publishing. All opinions are my own.
🗣 QOTD: Which 2026 release are you most excited for?
May 15, 2026
thanks to Putnam and Net Galley for a copy of this ARC
3.5 rounded up for good reads
Incarnate is a fun little novel that mixes machine and magic in a very interesting way.
Personally I was more interested in the becoming than the finished creature and wished we could have spent a little more time on that aspect as opposed to the actual influencer part
This is a very timely horror that plays on the fears of ai, identity and of being unable to tell whats real and whats fake and if you are interested in any of those subjects I’d recommend.
In a lot of ways this reminded me of the substance in a very fun way.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Fantastic! Alma Katsu has done it again!
A modern suspenseful novel sent in our current world revolving around the digital arts, social media , influencing, and control.
Premise:
Dorothy starts working for a famous lone wolf of the digital arts world who has created a new process to achieve realness in computer images.
While working for him, in walks in an internet influencer, who requests work be done on making a perfect digital replica of herself so she can be in multiple places at once.
From there, it becomes an internal fight of morality and selling ones soul.
A beautiful dash of "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
I was on the edge of my seat, unraveling this story that kept my attention. I was obsessed with the destruction, the art, and the current social commentary that was woven seamlessly around our main character.
This is a must-read banger.
A modern suspenseful novel sent in our current world revolving around the digital arts, social media , influencing, and control.
Premise:
Dorothy starts working for a famous lone wolf of the digital arts world who has created a new process to achieve realness in computer images.
While working for him, in walks in an internet influencer, who requests work be done on making a perfect digital replica of herself so she can be in multiple places at once.
From there, it becomes an internal fight of morality and selling ones soul.
A beautiful dash of "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
I was on the edge of my seat, unraveling this story that kept my attention. I was obsessed with the destruction, the art, and the current social commentary that was woven seamlessly around our main character.
This is a must-read banger.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
A great concept, well executed. Slower at some parts, and wish I had some more info by the end, but overall such a great read.
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