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The Last Daughter of Usher Isle
Not yet published
Expected 17 Nov 26The Fall of the House of Usher meets The Death of Jane Lawrence in this gothic historical horror romance about a remote seaside estate, a mysterious illness, and a family legacy that has always demanded something of its daughters.
Six years have passed since Aurelia last set foot on Usher Isle, a remote island off the coast of Maine that once felt like a second home. But when a letter arrives from her childhood friend, Madeline Usher—written in the grip of a mysterious illness—Aurelia cannot refuse the plea to return.
Upon her arrival, she is drawn once more into the rhythms of the isolated Usher household. But Madeline is not the girl she remembers, her condition worsening in ways no physician can explain. And Roderick—the man she left behind—has been changed by time and grief.
It is not long before something feels wrong. The air hangs heavy, the rooms oppressive, and sleep brings vivid, disquieting dreams. At night, she glimpses Madeline wandering the grounds in her nightdress, though by morning no one speaks of it.
As Aurelia searches for the cause of her friend’s decline, she becomes increasingly uncertain whether what she’s experiencing is illness, madness, or something more nefarious. And the longer she remains, the more it feels as though the house might not let her leave.
Six years have passed since Aurelia last set foot on Usher Isle, a remote island off the coast of Maine that once felt like a second home. But when a letter arrives from her childhood friend, Madeline Usher—written in the grip of a mysterious illness—Aurelia cannot refuse the plea to return.
Upon her arrival, she is drawn once more into the rhythms of the isolated Usher household. But Madeline is not the girl she remembers, her condition worsening in ways no physician can explain. And Roderick—the man she left behind—has been changed by time and grief.
It is not long before something feels wrong. The air hangs heavy, the rooms oppressive, and sleep brings vivid, disquieting dreams. At night, she glimpses Madeline wandering the grounds in her nightdress, though by morning no one speaks of it.
As Aurelia searches for the cause of her friend’s decline, she becomes increasingly uncertain whether what she’s experiencing is illness, madness, or something more nefarious. And the longer she remains, the more it feels as though the house might not let her leave.
320 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 17, 2026
About the author
Amelie West
9 books78 followersAmelie West is an author and fiction editor from Toronto, Canada, who crafts dark, atmospheric gothic mysteries featuring strong, complex heroines. She draws inspiration from authors like Simone St. James, Deanna Raybourn, and Ava Reid. When she isn’t lost in her latest manuscript, Amelie can be found wandering old bookstores or enjoying the company of her two loyal companions—a French bulldog and a pug mix.
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
💐💐💐💐💐
Your flowers, Amelie West, for a stunning gothic read. AHHHHH! I can't believe it's over 😭. I slowed down my reading at the end because I wanted it to last for as long as possible.
Where to start gushing about this book?? The descriptions and scene setting were so impactful. I could see each part in my mind so clearly. I could practically smell the sea air. Every word was placed with intention, every line written to be obsessed over.
The otherness and weirdness (complementary) of the book make the reading experience, in my opinion. The tension you feel as the reader is palpable. You feel what Aurelia feels. The silence? You hear it. The fear? You feel it. The shadows move in the periphery of your vision as you follow the words on the page.
This book has definitely put me back in my Poe fan fever mood. I think I need West's twists on more of his stories immediately.
Your flowers, Amelie West, for a stunning gothic read. AHHHHH! I can't believe it's over 😭. I slowed down my reading at the end because I wanted it to last for as long as possible.
Where to start gushing about this book?? The descriptions and scene setting were so impactful. I could see each part in my mind so clearly. I could practically smell the sea air. Every word was placed with intention, every line written to be obsessed over.
The otherness and weirdness (complementary) of the book make the reading experience, in my opinion. The tension you feel as the reader is palpable. You feel what Aurelia feels. The silence? You hear it. The fear? You feel it. The shadows move in the periphery of your vision as you follow the words on the page.
This book has definitely put me back in my Poe fan fever mood. I think I need West's twists on more of his stories immediately.
August 28, 2026
How is Amelie West so good at knocking things out of the park like this? Everything I’ve read of hers has been fantastic and beautifully written. I love Edgar Allan Poe and I think this retelling of the fall of the house of Usher was incredible. It stayed close enough to the story but also different enough to make it her own. The mystery behind Madeline’s illness really had me glued to the pages. The “unnatural“ phenomena happening around the house had me theorizing all the way through. The EPILOGUE!!! I need another book just to answer all the questions that I know may never be answered just like how Poe left his short story with unanswered questions.
I will be thinking of this book for a very long time and can’t wait to read it again.
I will be thinking of this book for a very long time and can’t wait to read it again.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was an interesting read. Started on a violently stormy night, surrounded by thunder and lightning, I was initially gripped! Another retelling of the Usher tale, but with such delicious prose, how could it fail?
And so the book went, as I enjoyed the gothic mystery of Usher Isle. Until... it ended. Suddenly and rather unexpectedly, as if the story had simply run out of steam.
Two-thirds of a great book, let down by its abrupt conclusion.
And so the book went, as I enjoyed the gothic mystery of Usher Isle. Until... it ended. Suddenly and rather unexpectedly, as if the story had simply run out of steam.
Two-thirds of a great book, let down by its abrupt conclusion.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews