What do you think?
Rate this book
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.
- GenresHorror
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 22, 2026
20 people want to read
About the author
Alma Katsu
38 books3,536 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)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
No one has reviewed this book yet.