An Evil Premise

by T. Marie Vandelly

Overview

From T. Marie Vandelly, author of the acclaimed horror novel Theme Music, An Evil Premise is a mind-bending, thrilling metanovel about possession, insanity, and the lengths a writer will go to find inspiration.

When a bizarre accident leaves her sister, bestselling author Deidre Baldwin, in a coma and suffering from a grotesque skin malady, Jewel rushes to her bedside. Though the sisters are not close, she is determined to do what she can for Deidre. Staying at her sister’s apartment, Jewel stumbles upon an unfinished manuscript, the one that Deidre was rushing to complete for her publisher. When Deidre’s literary agent calls in a panic, Jewel—a self-published writer herself, desperate for a break—suggests she can finish it by the deadline.

But the story is unsettling. It begins with a writer looking for inspiration, who finds an unclaimed manuscript. But said manuscript is just a series of protagonists who feel compelled to act out their heinous contributions to the grisly plot.

Jewel is determined not to be scared off, but the novel hits a little close to home. She tries to tell herself she’s being paranoid, but swears she can hear someone typing when she’s not at the desk, and somehow the word count of the novel keeps going up. Her skin begins to itch.

Terrified of losing her sanity, but equally terrified of losing her one shot at success, Jewel tries to find a story somewhere in the carnage, even as her rash becomes worse and she starts to have not-so-neighborly thoughts about her neighbors. Is this what happened to Deidre? Did the manuscript drive her mad? Infect her somehow? Jewel finds herself hoping her sister never wakes up. And fearing what will happen if Deidre does …

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798874710828
Publisher:	Blackstone Publishing
Publication date:	08/12/2025
Pages:	362
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

T. Marie Vandelly has wanted to write her entire life but (after a career change) has only recently been granted the freedom to pursue her dream full-time. She lives on Gwynn's Island, in the Chesapeake Bay, with her husband. Theme Music is her first novel.

Table of Contents

Preface Part One: Tuesday - One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Part Two: Wednesday - Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One Part Three: Thursday - Twenty-Two Twenty-Three Twenty-Four Twenty-Five Twenty-Six Twenty-Seven Twenty-Eight Twenty-Nine Thirty Thirty-One Thirty-Two Thirty-Three Thirty-Four Thirty-Five Thirty-Six Thirty-Seven Part Four: Friday - Thirty-Eight Thirty-Nine Forty Forty-One Forty-Two Forty-Three Forty-Four Forty-Five Forty-Six Forty-Seven Forty-Eight Forty-Nine Epilogue

Editorial Reviews

T. Marie Vandelly’s An Evil Premise reads like a literary Venus flytrap. First she lures you in with such a devilish premise…but before you know it, the pages seal up all around and swallow you whole. Pray you survive long enough to reach the mind-bending end.”

bestselling author of Ghost Eaters Clay McLeod Chapman

This delicious mix of horror, ghost story, and mystery marks Vandelly as a writer to watch.”

Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Theme Music

The scariest book since The Haunting of Hill House.”

New York Journal of Books on Theme Music