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Salome
1885.
Salome is a novice Benedictine nun who discovers her true purpose when she murders another sister inside her convent in Turin.
After she makes her confession, she awaits the gallows, but she is spared and instead brought to Liverpool to join a clandestine order.
The training is relentless, and she struggles to prove her worth when she is plagued by a recurring nightmare. Every time she sleeps, she is haunted by an enemy she doesn’t know how to fight. Her guardians cannot help her, she must find the way forward alone.
Salome has a rare gift, one that the Church hopes will help them in the enduring battle against the forces of Evil.
Her guides hope she will use her gift for good, but it is not up to them.
God has made her suffer. Demons promise comfort.
The road ahead is still unpaved, but all the signs point to temptation.
Salome is a Victorian era Gothic/Religious horror inspired by classic Gothic Literature such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula, John Polidori’s The Vampire and religious horror novels such as The Exorcist. It is an occult mystery novel about faith, the enduring battle between good and evil, found family, and making the right decision, even if it is the most painful one.
Salome is a novice Benedictine nun who discovers her true purpose when she murders another sister inside her convent in Turin.
After she makes her confession, she awaits the gallows, but she is spared and instead brought to Liverpool to join a clandestine order.
The training is relentless, and she struggles to prove her worth when she is plagued by a recurring nightmare. Every time she sleeps, she is haunted by an enemy she doesn’t know how to fight. Her guardians cannot help her, she must find the way forward alone.
Salome has a rare gift, one that the Church hopes will help them in the enduring battle against the forces of Evil.
Her guides hope she will use her gift for good, but it is not up to them.
God has made her suffer. Demons promise comfort.
The road ahead is still unpaved, but all the signs point to temptation.
Salome is a Victorian era Gothic/Religious horror inspired by classic Gothic Literature such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula, John Polidori’s The Vampire and religious horror novels such as The Exorcist. It is an occult mystery novel about faith, the enduring battle between good and evil, found family, and making the right decision, even if it is the most painful one.
264 pages, ebook
Published October 16, 2026
About the author
Hanna Delaney
6 books51 followersHanna Delaney is a Gothic horror author from Liverpool. She specialises in horror with an eerie, unsettling atmosphere and gritty, historical accuracy even when there are vampires lurking in the shadows. She is the creator of the Muldoon supernatural thriller series, Gothic mystery novels set in 1890s Liverpool.
Salome, her latest Gothic novel, is a religious horror mystery about a Benedictine novice who becomes a vampire slayer in 1880s Liverpool.
She lives with her husband and three kids.
Salome, her latest Gothic novel, is a religious horror mystery about a Benedictine novice who becomes a vampire slayer in 1880s Liverpool.
She lives with her husband and three kids.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 21, 2026
Delaney's best book so far. Salome, a gentle girl, faces evil that threatens not only her own soul, but everything she holds dear. Called to service to fight a seemingly unbeatable foe, she learns a hard truth and yet, somehow, holds onto the faith that, after a great battle, sets her on her life's path. Sensitivity, forgiveness, love and strength. Salome is a read you won't soon forget.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely devoured this.
Following Salome , we get to watch her journey from her convent in Italy to a clandestine convent in Liverpool, England, alongside her mentor, Father John. But things get very strange when Salome starts ‘dreaming’ and keeps seeing the same shadowy figure, with her dreams taking her back to a place from her childhood and towards a church that feels like something, or someone, is desperately trying to pull her towards it.
And I was HOOKED. if i didnt have to care for my toddler and needed sleep to survive, i would of finished this in a day!
the atmosphere of this book that just sucked me in. It’s dark, creepy, mysterious and has that delicious Gothic feeling where you know something is very wrong, but you’re desperately trying to figure out what it is before Salome does.
Add in vampyres, demons, religious horror, a mystery surrounding Salome and the question of exactly who or what is trying to get to her, and I was absolutely on board.
It’s gripping, bingeable and exactly the kind of Gothic horror I want to get my hands on.
And now I absolutely need to pick up more of hannas works as i am absolutley in love with her writting.
Following Salome , we get to watch her journey from her convent in Italy to a clandestine convent in Liverpool, England, alongside her mentor, Father John. But things get very strange when Salome starts ‘dreaming’ and keeps seeing the same shadowy figure, with her dreams taking her back to a place from her childhood and towards a church that feels like something, or someone, is desperately trying to pull her towards it.
And I was HOOKED. if i didnt have to care for my toddler and needed sleep to survive, i would of finished this in a day!
the atmosphere of this book that just sucked me in. It’s dark, creepy, mysterious and has that delicious Gothic feeling where you know something is very wrong, but you’re desperately trying to figure out what it is before Salome does.
Add in vampyres, demons, religious horror, a mystery surrounding Salome and the question of exactly who or what is trying to get to her, and I was absolutely on board.
It’s gripping, bingeable and exactly the kind of Gothic horror I want to get my hands on.
And now I absolutely need to pick up more of hannas works as i am absolutley in love with her writting.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"Those who meet the Devil are closest to God."
Let me begin by reminding you all that I have read the entirety of Delaney’s published work, praising her mastery of Gothic horror time and again as she delivers on the creeping dread of Victorian England that seeps into you like the damp, locking in your bones while never skimping on the enthralling mystery and suspense. So when I make the claim that Salome is her best work yet, I don’t do so lightly.
Salome is quite literally a voyage, taking the reader from Italy to England after the titular character is cast out of her convent following the murder of another sister. And on that journey, something dark and tantalizing stalks Salome every step of the way, making her question herself at every turn as she works to unravel the mystery of who she really is: exploring her past and the origins of her power, examining her present and the paths the lie before her, and questioning whether her miraculous abilities are a gift from God, a cross to bear, or a weapon to be wielded.
With her signature style of blending the supernatural in with the mundane, Delaney transforms a humble convent into the headquarters of a clandestine order of gifted nuns on a mission to fight Evil in its worst and truest forms. But as Salome struggles to embrace her new reality, training her gifts alongside her sisters, so too do those who work against God increase their efforts, haunted day and night by those who would have her stray from the light.
With skirmishes taking place in both the waking world and within dreams, readers get all the complex layers of this troubled nun, peeled back and laid bare without sparing on pain or benediction for our heroine. You’ll become engrossed in her internal struggles, but also in the old magics of religion and faith burning bright as Salome begins to walk the lines of ‘horror fantasy’ the deeper you delve into it. And Delaney absolutely shines as she unleashes the likes of vampyres and demons upon the reader; reminding us that where the dread ends, the gore begins. Entirely thrilling and delightfully macabre.
I can honestly say that Salome is my favourite Hanna Delaney novel to date. And while it crosses over with a certain someone her other fans know and love, it stands firmly on its own feet and cannot be denied.
Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. I lust for more of this tortured nun.
Let me begin by reminding you all that I have read the entirety of Delaney’s published work, praising her mastery of Gothic horror time and again as she delivers on the creeping dread of Victorian England that seeps into you like the damp, locking in your bones while never skimping on the enthralling mystery and suspense. So when I make the claim that Salome is her best work yet, I don’t do so lightly.
Salome is quite literally a voyage, taking the reader from Italy to England after the titular character is cast out of her convent following the murder of another sister. And on that journey, something dark and tantalizing stalks Salome every step of the way, making her question herself at every turn as she works to unravel the mystery of who she really is: exploring her past and the origins of her power, examining her present and the paths the lie before her, and questioning whether her miraculous abilities are a gift from God, a cross to bear, or a weapon to be wielded.
With her signature style of blending the supernatural in with the mundane, Delaney transforms a humble convent into the headquarters of a clandestine order of gifted nuns on a mission to fight Evil in its worst and truest forms. But as Salome struggles to embrace her new reality, training her gifts alongside her sisters, so too do those who work against God increase their efforts, haunted day and night by those who would have her stray from the light.
With skirmishes taking place in both the waking world and within dreams, readers get all the complex layers of this troubled nun, peeled back and laid bare without sparing on pain or benediction for our heroine. You’ll become engrossed in her internal struggles, but also in the old magics of religion and faith burning bright as Salome begins to walk the lines of ‘horror fantasy’ the deeper you delve into it. And Delaney absolutely shines as she unleashes the likes of vampyres and demons upon the reader; reminding us that where the dread ends, the gore begins. Entirely thrilling and delightfully macabre.
I can honestly say that Salome is my favourite Hanna Delaney novel to date. And while it crosses over with a certain someone her other fans know and love, it stands firmly on its own feet and cannot be denied.
Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. I lust for more of this tortured nun.
Review of advance copy received from Author
From beginning to end, Delaney draws her readers into the mystery and juxtaposition of desire: on one side to love God and the pursuit of power on the other. While Delaney's story features para-psychological nuns and vampires, the themes carry through the modern world. Readers can expect a solid story with compelling characters (including a familiar one from other of Delaney's books) and unexpected twists and turns.
October 16, 2026
Salome is about a nun with a calling a little different than your run-of-the-mill Sisters. She’s got some special gifts going on, that can easily be used for evil just as much as good, and nobody who is taking care of her and guiding her knows what’s going to happen. All they can do is hope for the best and do what they can.
The story is told from Salome’s perspective, so we as the reader looking in know just as little as she does, making for a damn intense mystery. I know Hanna is a master at weaving these kinds of stories, keeping me guessing and theorizing and desperate to know what’s going on. In this story, the most intriguing mystery imo is Salome’s journey of self discovery. What she’s capable of and why is integral to working out all of the external threats and it is gripping.
The occult vibes and the fact that most of the characters are in the church makes for such a good horror setting, especially as an 1800s historical. The stakes always feel so much higher with religious horror, the literal battles of good versus evil but on the nuanced playing field of the human soul.
The writing, of course, is absolutely gorgeous. There is so much between the lines, so much weight. I want to talk about them but I’m trying not to spoil you. I don’t want to spoil a single thing about this book.
I’ll say this. If you like deep twisty introspective horror, read this. If you like historical mysteries with supernatural elements, read this. If you like demon-hunting nuns, read this. If you like books you can deconstruct and explore, read this.
If you’ve ever read anything Hanna Delaney has written and got starry-eyed, read this. The Ring was my intro to Hanna and it blew my brain out of my head, I think because it was my first it will always have a special place as my favourite, but I think Salome is her absolute best work yet.
I received an advanced review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story is told from Salome’s perspective, so we as the reader looking in know just as little as she does, making for a damn intense mystery. I know Hanna is a master at weaving these kinds of stories, keeping me guessing and theorizing and desperate to know what’s going on. In this story, the most intriguing mystery imo is Salome’s journey of self discovery. What she’s capable of and why is integral to working out all of the external threats and it is gripping.
The occult vibes and the fact that most of the characters are in the church makes for such a good horror setting, especially as an 1800s historical. The stakes always feel so much higher with religious horror, the literal battles of good versus evil but on the nuanced playing field of the human soul.
The writing, of course, is absolutely gorgeous. There is so much between the lines, so much weight. I want to talk about them but I’m trying not to spoil you. I don’t want to spoil a single thing about this book.
I’ll say this. If you like deep twisty introspective horror, read this. If you like historical mysteries with supernatural elements, read this. If you like demon-hunting nuns, read this. If you like books you can deconstruct and explore, read this.
If you’ve ever read anything Hanna Delaney has written and got starry-eyed, read this. The Ring was my intro to Hanna and it blew my brain out of my head, I think because it was my first it will always have a special place as my favourite, but I think Salome is her absolute best work yet.
I received an advanced review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hanna had me hooked the whole time trying to figure out exactly what was going on with Salome. I love a religious story, and this one more than delivered. A classic page-turner (no spoilers here!) this novel really did force me to consider going onto the next chapter or going to bed.
The book opens on a really mysterious and realistic note that leads somewhere totally different by the end. And I loved it. What works is the nuns and characters driving the story (not quite Sister Act, but the nuns are developed an individualized!). You feel for them. You root for them. And the darkness of it was punctuated by some moments of lightness or levity that contrasted beautifully. There was a lot to love throughout.
The mystery was balanced, not leaving me too confused, but allowing me to get lost for a bit before throwing me a lifeline back to clarity. It made me uncomfortable in a good way as I started to understand exactly what Salome was up against. I've heard read other stories by Hanna and heard her do a lot of readings, and her style and pacing hit the right note in this one (yet again). If you want a moody, atmospheric story with just enough horror to make you look under the bed at midnight, check out Salome.
The book opens on a really mysterious and realistic note that leads somewhere totally different by the end. And I loved it. What works is the nuns and characters driving the story (not quite Sister Act, but the nuns are developed an individualized!). You feel for them. You root for them. And the darkness of it was punctuated by some moments of lightness or levity that contrasted beautifully. There was a lot to love throughout.
The mystery was balanced, not leaving me too confused, but allowing me to get lost for a bit before throwing me a lifeline back to clarity. It made me uncomfortable in a good way as I started to understand exactly what Salome was up against. I've heard read other stories by Hanna and heard her do a lot of readings, and her style and pacing hit the right note in this one (yet again). If you want a moody, atmospheric story with just enough horror to make you look under the bed at midnight, check out Salome.
October 8, 2026
Received an ARC directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a while to get into the writing style, but once I had I was absolutely hooked!
Salome is spared the gallows for the murder of her fellow novice nun. Instead, she is taken to Liverpool to train with a clandestine order…
Gothic horror is not my usual read, but I will absolutely be reading more by this author - a couple of late nights where I couldn’t put it down.
It took me a while to get into the writing style, but once I had I was absolutely hooked!
Salome is spared the gallows for the murder of her fellow novice nun. Instead, she is taken to Liverpool to train with a clandestine order…
Gothic horror is not my usual read, but I will absolutely be reading more by this author - a couple of late nights where I couldn’t put it down.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"Salome" is an exciting voyage. The story starts out quietly, so quiet that I almost missed the first death, but as the plot unfolds, the tale picks up momentum, rolling inexorably to a thrilling climax. The historical details don't feel like academic research, but seem like real life. As we travel with Salome through time and space, the supernatural elements flow naturally and unforced. The characters are realistically human enough to break your heart. "Salome" was so exciting, I had trouble putting it down long enough to finish my chores! I would highly recommend this book.
Full disclosure: l recieved a free ARC of Hanna Delany’s new book Salome in exchange for an honest review on Goodreads.
Full disclosure: l recieved a free ARC of Hanna Delany’s new book Salome in exchange for an honest review on Goodreads.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky enough to be part of the beta reader team, and at the end of the book I had so few notes. Beautiful writing, compelling story--a gothic world created by a wonderful human being. If you're unfamiliar with Delaney's work, start here.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews