Nevin Holness is from North London. She has a degree in fashion journalism from London College of Fashion and currently works in womenswear. In 2018, she was selected as a finalist in Penguin’s WriteNow mentorship program. She is the author of the King of Dead Things duology.
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JLG Gold Standard Selection
"Narrator Troy Glasgow is a gift—a natural storyteller who knows how to pace this dynamic debut. Glasgow’s acting prowess is on full display as his baritone voice seeps into listeners’ ears—and into their souls. He carries listeners into, as described in this book, “the secret side of [London], full of winding, serpentine streets and back-alley bargains . . . It was the outer crust . . . [E]veryone here knew what it was to be on the outside.” Glasgow’s narration nimbly shifts between London English and Jamaican accents. This thrilling fantasy with its allusions to Caribbean mythology and legends is well suited for Glasgow’s voice. Listeners will feel fully satisfied with his performance and will eagerly search for more of his work."
– Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award, AudioFile Magazine
★ "Holness’ debut novel overflows with drama, culture, and fantastical realism. Anyone with roots in the Caribbean will chuckle at the familiar array of characters that populate this world. Readers will feel transported as the vivid scenes play out on each page, drawing them in with universal elements such as struggles with identity, family, and an uncertain future. Hopefully this will not be the last we see of Eli and Malcolm. An electrifying debut."
– Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
★ " Holness uses Afro-Caribbean mythology to create a vital and mysterious magical underside of London. Protagonists Eli and Malcolm are rooted in the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, and Holness's descriptions of their magic, community, food, and family fill the senses and strongly tie her story to cultural tradition and folklore. King of Dead Things is an outstanding, fast-paced adventure."
– Shelf Awareness, STARRED REVIEW
"Through Eli and Malcolm’s third-person perspectives, magics rooted in the Afro-Caribbean diaspora leap off the pages in a tangle of sensory and emotional touchstones: community, food, family, the way a neighborhood feels—all speak of a tangible power tied to cultural tradition and folklore. Eli, Sunny, Max, and Malcolm are each sympathetic and engaging. . . one crisis dealt with still leaves a multitude of lingering mysteries for (hopefully) future novels."
– The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Infused with Caribbean folklore, this fast-paced urban fantasy careerns from one idea to the next but manages to tie it all together in a surprise twist ending."
– Booklist
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