Laura R. Samotin's THE CURSED CROWN duology comes to Mirari

"If I die first, I'll tell you the secrets of Heaven."

We can finally share what we have been hinting at for months! Mirari Press has snatched up the South African print rights to The Sins on their Bones and its sequel The Lure of their Graves, by Canadian author Laura R. Samotin. The Sins on their Bones will be available nation-wide in October 2025.

“There isn't a box this book didn't tick for me,” says Marius du Plessis, CEO and Publisher. “The Sins on their Bones is dark, crushing, tender, hot, queer-normative, full of folklore and magic and imperial court politics, and is built around a found family of five profound characters. Samotin's writing transports and moves - there are scenes that will stay with me forever. I couldn't ask for a more perfect addition to the Mirari list.”

More about The Sins on their Bones

Dimitri Alexeyev used to be the Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo. Now, he is merely a broken man, languishing in exile after losing a devastating civil war instigated by his estranged husband, Alexey Balakin. In hiding with what remains of his court, Dimitri and his spymaster, Vasily Sokolov, engineer a dangerous ruse. Vasily will sneak into Alexey’s court under a false identity to gather information, paving the way for the usurper’s downfall, while Dimitri finds a way to kill him for good.

But stopping Alexey is not so easy as plotting to kill an ordinary man. Through a perversion of the Ludayzim religion that he terms the Holy Science, Alexey has died and resurrected himself in an immortal, indestructible body—and now claims he is guided by the voice of God Himself. Able to summon forth creatures from the realm of demons, he seeks to build an army, turning Novo-Svitsevo into the greatest empire that history has ever seen.

Dimitri is determined not to let Alexey corrupt his country, but saving Novo-Svitsevo and its people will mean forfeiting the soul of the husband he can’t bring himself to forsake—or the spymaster he’s come to love.

Inspired by Jewish mysticism and folklore, this queer dark fantasy debut is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, C.S. Pacat, Ava Reid, and Katherine Arden, set in a fantastical reimagining of 19th century Eastern Europe.

The Sins on their Bones was originally published by Penguin Random House Canada.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura R. Samotin and her spouse live with two enormously large felines. When she’s not pursuing her academic research on military tactics, power politics, and leadership, she relishes her role as a full-time cat servant.

Laura is represented by Sophia M. Ramos of New Leaf Literary.