One Dark Window (Deluxe Limited Hardcover Edition)

by Rachel Gillig

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

This lush, dark fantasy debut delivers atmospheric world-building, witchy tarot-like magic, and a steamy romantic subthread. It's a loose reimagination of the English folk ballad "The Highwayman" and reads like a timeless fable. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Naomi Novik, Hannah Whitten, and those that want a little spice in their gothic monster fantasy.

LIMITED PRINT RUN―featuring stenciled edges as well as a bold new cover and other beautiful features. This breathtaking deluxe hardcover edition of Rachel Gillig’s sensational gothic romantasy debut​ is available for a limited time and while supplies last.

THE FANTASY BOOKTOK SENSATION!

A dark, lushly gothic fantasy, One Dark Window follows a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom—but the monster in her head isn't the only threat lurking.

Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King’s own nephew, Captain of the Destriers…and guilty of high treason.

He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

Look out for the special edition of Two Twisted Crowns, publishing simultaneously in September 2025.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316597234
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	09/23/2025
Series:	The Shepherd King Series , #1
Edition description:	Special ed.
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Rachel Gillig was born and raised on the California coast. She is a writer, with a BA in literary theory and criticism from UC Davis. If she is not ensconced in blankets dreaming up her next novel, Rachel is in her garden or walking with her husband, son, and their poodle, Wally.

Editorial Reviews

"Thick fog, shifting alliances, and clever magic make the perfect backdrop for a sweeping romance—One Dark Window is enthralling from beginning to shocking end."—Hannah Whitten, NYT bestselling author of For the Wolf

"An enchanting tale with sharp claws and teeth—Gillig’s prose will pull you in and won’t let you sleep. Pulse-pounding, darkly whimsical, and aglow with treacherous magic, One Dark Window is everything I love in fantasy and more."—Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic

"One Dark Window is an evocative tale of romance, mystery and alluring monsters, told in beautifully lush prose. Rachel Gillig has created a story which left me entranced."—Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge

"A tightly written duology that manages to build a dark, twisty world, unique magic system and well-written characters ... rich and fast-paced." 

—Seattle Times

“[T]he steamy romance that emerges between Elspeth and Ravyn delights. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Naomi Novik, and Hannah Whitten will want to check this out.”—Publishers Weekly

"A beautifully dark fairy tale of blood, rage and bitter choice, that whisked me away to mist-wreathed woods ripe with romance and menace."—Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer

"Elspeth’s slow-burn romance with a mysterious highwayman adds depth to the story ... A finely detailed magical system enriches Gillig’s debut; fantasy readers will enjoy."—Library Journal

"Readers will be enthralled with Elspeth’s—and Nightmare’s—riveting adventure."—Booklist

"Spooky, lush... Gillig executes familiar fantasy romance tropes with flair."—Paste Magazine

"One Dark Window is a page-turner. Gillig’s lush language is somewhat reminiscent of Alix E. Harrow’s excellent portal fantasy, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, as well as Robin McKinley’s redolent fairytale retellings such as Spindle’s End, Beauty, and Deerskin ... a richly detailed and decadent world that at once feels familiar, distinctive, and wistful to the reader."—Chicago Review of Books

From the Publisher