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The House of the Three-Headed Dog
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26Devon O’Brien has a few secrets: He is an assassin who must find the Crown of the Undying, and he killed the sire of the vampire he must serve.
Living on an isle overtaken by an imperial power, Devon is tasked with traveling to a dreary, peculiar, and seashell-filled coastal manor in Etierre, and he must retrieve a necromantic artifact called the Crown of the Undying from the vampiric lord of the manor, Naberius, who rules over three other vampires. When Devon, undercover, is assigned to serve the fastidious and dry-humored vampire musician Cillian Gallowglass, the two, despite themselves, grow closer and keep each other moored—but never one to let anyone truly know him, he finds himself in a dilemma: Years ago, Devon murdered Cillian’s true sire, and therefore he’s responsible for all the pain Naberius inflicts on Cillian after he took him in. The discovery of that truth may unravel everything, or in their colliding paths toward freedom, penance, and vengeance, Devon and Cillian may find a way to embrace the worst parts of themselves.
The House of the Three-Headed Dog is an M/M dark, sensual, and gothic vampire romance with a trans man assassin lead.
Living on an isle overtaken by an imperial power, Devon is tasked with traveling to a dreary, peculiar, and seashell-filled coastal manor in Etierre, and he must retrieve a necromantic artifact called the Crown of the Undying from the vampiric lord of the manor, Naberius, who rules over three other vampires. When Devon, undercover, is assigned to serve the fastidious and dry-humored vampire musician Cillian Gallowglass, the two, despite themselves, grow closer and keep each other moored—but never one to let anyone truly know him, he finds himself in a dilemma: Years ago, Devon murdered Cillian’s true sire, and therefore he’s responsible for all the pain Naberius inflicts on Cillian after he took him in. The discovery of that truth may unravel everything, or in their colliding paths toward freedom, penance, and vengeance, Devon and Cillian may find a way to embrace the worst parts of themselves.
The House of the Three-Headed Dog is an M/M dark, sensual, and gothic vampire romance with a trans man assassin lead.
Paperback
Expected publication October 13, 2026
About the author
Morgan Dante
22 books340 followersHorror, fantasy, and romance writer. Vampire and angel enjoyer. They/Them. Read more on morgandante.com.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 22, 2026
Thank you to BookSirens, and Morgan Dante for an ARC of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Content Warnings: Rape/Sexual Assault, Violence/Abuse, Blood, Gore, Death, Torture, Minor Transphobia/Trans Sexualization/Trans Fetish, Sexual Encounters, and Toxic Relationships
"The House of the Three-Headed Dog" is the first novel by Morgan Dante that I have read, although I have personally purchased a few of the author's other novels. I was very excited to dip into their world, to read their writing. Morgan Dante is an author I have heard a lot of buzz about, especially in LGBTQIA+ book circles.
Unfortunately, I have to say that I was not a fan of the novel.
Devon O'Brien is a trans masc assassin. He has been sent into the den of a very powerful vampire lord in order to both help one of his fellow assassins and to retrieve an artifact known as the Crown. Upon arriving, Devon is tasked with pretending to be a servant to the broody musician vampire, Cillian. Over time, the two begin to understand one another, maybe even fall in love--all the while Devon holds a secret about Cillian's original master that could spell doom for their budding romance.
I should put out there, right now, that I am also a trans man. Devon deals with a lot of people in the book fetishizing his body for being 'different.' He has taken the equivalent of HRT potions to aid in his transition, but he has not undergone any kind of surgery. There are a lot of scenes in the novel that deal with him having sexual relations with other characters, and at least 85% of the time, they remark on how 'unique' or 'different' his body is. It made me extremely uncomfortable. This is more of a 'me' thing, I think, as unfortunately, a lot of trans people like me are often fetishized for our bodies.
Author Morgan Dante uses a flowery type of prose in "The House of the Three-Headed Dog" that I first enjoyed. I loved the amount of detail, the looks and glimpses inside of Devon's head as he tried to survive in the home of an extremely powerful vampire. After a few chapters, though, the language started to become dull. There was lace everywhere. Literally every person, every window, everything in that damned house wore lace of some kind. That, and the amount of times I had to read the word 'shells.' Certain words and phrases were overused. Sentences ran on. There were entire pages that were all one paragraph. At some point, I felt like I had stopped reading a story and was, instead, reading a heap of lists. Well written, gorgeous lists, but lists all of the same. (I am also aware that my copy was an uncorrected proof, but there were so, so many sentences that started and then simply stopped, right in the middle, sometimes without punctuation. I think another pass with an editor would help to tidy those parts up.) Much of "The House of the Three-Headed Dog" could be summarized in just a few pages, instead of going on and on for chapters.
I don't think "The House of the Three-Headed Dog" is a bad book. I think it may need to be edited and cleaned up a bit--it felt more unfinished than anything else, like a first or second draft. I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys gay vampires and lush prose, but maybe wait until the finished, final copy is out before picking it up. I look forward to reading more of Morgan Dante's work.
Content Warnings: Rape/Sexual Assault, Violence/Abuse, Blood, Gore, Death, Torture, Minor Transphobia/Trans Sexualization/Trans Fetish, Sexual Encounters, and Toxic Relationships
"The House of the Three-Headed Dog" is the first novel by Morgan Dante that I have read, although I have personally purchased a few of the author's other novels. I was very excited to dip into their world, to read their writing. Morgan Dante is an author I have heard a lot of buzz about, especially in LGBTQIA+ book circles.
Unfortunately, I have to say that I was not a fan of the novel.
Devon O'Brien is a trans masc assassin. He has been sent into the den of a very powerful vampire lord in order to both help one of his fellow assassins and to retrieve an artifact known as the Crown. Upon arriving, Devon is tasked with pretending to be a servant to the broody musician vampire, Cillian. Over time, the two begin to understand one another, maybe even fall in love--all the while Devon holds a secret about Cillian's original master that could spell doom for their budding romance.
I should put out there, right now, that I am also a trans man. Devon deals with a lot of people in the book fetishizing his body for being 'different.' He has taken the equivalent of HRT potions to aid in his transition, but he has not undergone any kind of surgery. There are a lot of scenes in the novel that deal with him having sexual relations with other characters, and at least 85% of the time, they remark on how 'unique' or 'different' his body is. It made me extremely uncomfortable. This is more of a 'me' thing, I think, as unfortunately, a lot of trans people like me are often fetishized for our bodies.
Author Morgan Dante uses a flowery type of prose in "The House of the Three-Headed Dog" that I first enjoyed. I loved the amount of detail, the looks and glimpses inside of Devon's head as he tried to survive in the home of an extremely powerful vampire. After a few chapters, though, the language started to become dull. There was lace everywhere. Literally every person, every window, everything in that damned house wore lace of some kind. That, and the amount of times I had to read the word 'shells.' Certain words and phrases were overused. Sentences ran on. There were entire pages that were all one paragraph. At some point, I felt like I had stopped reading a story and was, instead, reading a heap of lists. Well written, gorgeous lists, but lists all of the same. (I am also aware that my copy was an uncorrected proof, but there were so, so many sentences that started and then simply stopped, right in the middle, sometimes without punctuation. I think another pass with an editor would help to tidy those parts up.) Much of "The House of the Three-Headed Dog" could be summarized in just a few pages, instead of going on and on for chapters.
I don't think "The House of the Three-Headed Dog" is a bad book. I think it may need to be edited and cleaned up a bit--it felt more unfinished than anything else, like a first or second draft. I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys gay vampires and lush prose, but maybe wait until the finished, final copy is out before picking it up. I look forward to reading more of Morgan Dante's work.
Review of advance copy
When I saw this book by Morgan Dante, it was an immediate yes - I have read Dante's Sacrament and I loved it so this was a no-brainer.
Overall, the book is really good and is their best book yet - the writing style has improved immensely and the characters are so much better crafted than in Sacrament. I found a few parallels running in both books but that didn't detach me from appreciating The House of the Three-Headed Dog at all. I understood that I like how Dante writes vampires - as they should be written. They're scary, tortured, sad, vicious, vengeful. They're not knights on white horses, so it's such a refreshing read in-between my other vampire reads which I enjoy. I like how all characters were built in this book, especially Devon. I loved the creepy atmosphere of the narrative, where darkness and violence is never too far from the glitzy facade - it is expected. I enjoyed the world-building but just wish there was more of it - the book is built on the characters developing the story rather than world events happening around them and influencing their decisions. I love complex worlds so this was my only misgiving which shouldn't deter anyone from reading this book. If you want tension, constant danger hanging about in the air, hurt and comfort going hand in hand, violence and kindness mixing, this is for you.
*an arc for an honest review*
Overall, the book is really good and is their best book yet - the writing style has improved immensely and the characters are so much better crafted than in Sacrament. I found a few parallels running in both books but that didn't detach me from appreciating The House of the Three-Headed Dog at all. I understood that I like how Dante writes vampires - as they should be written. They're scary, tortured, sad, vicious, vengeful. They're not knights on white horses, so it's such a refreshing read in-between my other vampire reads which I enjoy. I like how all characters were built in this book, especially Devon. I loved the creepy atmosphere of the narrative, where darkness and violence is never too far from the glitzy facade - it is expected. I enjoyed the world-building but just wish there was more of it - the book is built on the characters developing the story rather than world events happening around them and influencing their decisions. I love complex worlds so this was my only misgiving which shouldn't deter anyone from reading this book. If you want tension, constant danger hanging about in the air, hurt and comfort going hand in hand, violence and kindness mixing, this is for you.
*an arc for an honest review*
Review of advance copy received from Author
gay vampires
September 27, 2026
I received an ARC from the author. Thank you!
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