Rottenheart, by Kat Dunn (hardback, english edition)

🇬🇧 This Book Is In English

Revenge me. For I am murdered.

Rottenheart by Kat Dunn
(Standalone)

A darkly intoxicating sapphic gothic horror novel — a queer, gender-swapped reimagining of Hamlet set in the 1890s, from the award-winning author of Hungerstone and Bitterthorn.

Odette and Cecilia are young women living between their grand homes in Hampstead and the imposing, ancient Herne House in Suffolk. Though Odette's artist mother Lydia keeps a tight grasp on her, she and her beloved Cecilia are mostly left free to roam, to learn, and to love. But when Lydia inexplicably sickens and dies, a dark veil falls over everything. As the funeral rites are performed, Odette's aunt — the cold and implacable Claudine — takes charge of the household, while Odette's father retreats to his study. Odette, lost in grief, disappears into the shadows.

But as Claudine is announced as Odette's new stepmother, a sinister presence in the house makes itself known. To her horror, Odette realises that despite her death, Lydia never really left. And now she wants revenge. Inspired by Hamlet, the ultimate revenge tragedy, Rottenheart is a story of love and grief, mothers and daughters, death and madness — and a haunting that will not rest until justice is done.

Why readers can't put it down:

• 🕰️ A sapphic gothic horror set in the atmospheric 1890s
• 🖤 A gender-swapped Hamlet retelling that turns the tragedy into something new and devastating
• 👻 A ghost who never truly left — and the daughter who must answer her call
• 🌹 Exquisitely written sapphic yearning woven through every page
• ❤️‍🔥 Praised by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Jennifer Saint, and Bea Fitzgerald

Perfect for readers who love:
gothic horror · sapphic romance · Shakespeare retelling · Hamlet · historical fiction · ghost story · revenge · Kat Dunn · Hungerstone · Bitterthorn

Her mother was dead.

But she had not gone quietly.

🖤 A Grief That Opens Into Something Darker
🖤 A Stepmother Who Should Not Have That Power
🖤 A Ghost Who Wants Justice
🖤 A Love That Survives Even the Shadows
🖤 A House That Holds Its Secrets Close
🖤 A Daughter Who Must Choose Between Grief and Revenge

At Dark Rose, we believe the most haunting stories are the ones where the dead refuse to be silent — and the living must decide whether to listen.

👤 Recommended Age: 16+

⚠️ Content Notes:
Death of a parent • Grief • Gothic horror • Supernatural elements • Psychological horror • Sapphic romance • Family trauma • Madness themes

✨ Best for readers who love:
Gothic Horror • Sapphic Romance • Shakespeare Retellings • Ghost Stories • Historical Fiction • Revenge Narratives • Kat Dunn

⚠️ Probably not for readers looking for:
Light reads • Contemporary settings • Happy-go-lucky romance • No supernatural elements

“Feed this directly into my veins.” — Taylor Jenkins Reid
“A darkly intoxicating and fierce sapphic retelling of Hamlet. Extraordinary.” — Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb
“Sinister and devastating. I want to read it again and again and again.” — Bea Fitzgerald
“A dark, sensual delight.” — Heat, Book of the Week

📚 Format & Details

• Format: Hardback
• Pages: 480
• Genre: Gothic Horror · Sapphic Fiction
• Series: Standalone
• Publisher: Manilla Press
• Published: 4 June 2026