The Thirteenth Child

Delacorte Press

Cover Design by Casey Moses, Artwork Designed by David Seidman

Drawing on the Grimm Brothers’ dark fairytale, “Godfather Death,” this new novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows is a sweeping, fantastical saga of actions and consequences.

This is the story of Hazel, a young healer navigating a ruthless court to save the life of the king, grappling with a pantheon of gods with questionable agendas as she fights for agency and true love in her own life as the goddaughter of none other than Death himself.

All gifts come with a price.

Hazel Trépas has always known she wasn’t like the rest of her siblings. A thirteenth child, promised away to one of the gods, she spends her childhood waiting for her godfather—Merrick, the Dreaded End—to arrive.

When he does, he lays out exactly how he’s planned Hazel’s future. She will become a great healer, known throughout the kingdom for her precision and skill. To aid her endeavors, Merrick blesses Hazel with a gift, the ability to instantly deduce the exact cure needed to treat the sick.

But all gifts come with a price. Hazel can see when Death has claimed a patient—when all hope is gone—and is tasked to end their suffering, permanently. Haunted by the ghosts of those she’s killed, Hazel longs to run. But destiny brings her to the royal court, where she meets Leo, a rakish prince with a disdain for everything and everyone. And it’s where Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet—to save the life of a king marked to die. Hazel knows what she is meant to do and knows what her heart is urging her toward, but what will happen if she goes against the will of Death?

From the astonishing mind of Erin A. Craig comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for— what does a life well-lived mean, and how do we justify the impossible choices we make for the ones we love? The Thirteenth Child is a must-read for fans of dark fairy tales, romantasy, and epic fantasy alike.

First published in the United States on September 24, 2024

Buy the Book

  • "A haunting, deeply romantic tale of life and death, and one girl who walks the fragile cord between them. Steeped in folklore and rich in atmosphere, I was enchanted from the very first page.”

    —Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning

  • “I have loved every one of Erin A. Craig's novels, and THE THIRTEENTH CHILD is now my favorite. A dark, delicious treat from start to finish."

    —Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns

  • "At once a deliciously dark fairy tale full of complicated families, dysfunctional deities, and impossible bargains, and a candle-lit journey of love, sacrifice, and becoming, "The Thirteenth Child" is a brooding, sensuous delight, told with the brambly magic of a woodland spell and the gilded grace of a royal masquerade. "

    —Kiyash Monsef, New York Times bestselling author of Once There Was

  • "Craig delivers yet another enrapturing masterpiece. I loved every minute of it!"

    —Lauren Blackwood, New York Times bestselling author of Within These Wicked Walls

  • “Sumptuous, gothic, ornate--yet bracingly fresh and alive. Erin Craig writes fairy tales that feel both magical and real, marrying epic arcs with intimate, human stories, each making the other more potent and thrilling.”

    —Mellisa Albert, New York Times bestsellng author of The Hazel Wood

  • "Utterly enchanting. There are few greater pleasures than setting off with Craig’s clever heroines through glittering Gothic realms."

    —Kirsten Miller, bestselling author of The Change

  • “I think I speak for everyone when I say we want Erin A. Craig to tell us bedtime stories every night. Until that happens, at least we can lose ourselves in the darkly wondrous fairytale romance of Hazel and her deathly godfather.”

    —Kiersten White, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the And I Darken series

  • "Sinister and beautiful, this dark fairytale swept me away to a decadent world of capricious gods and gold-limned danger."

    —Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge

  • "All hail the queen of gothic fantasy! "The Thirteenth Child" is Erin Craig at her very best, bestowing readers with a compelling heroine, ruthless gods, and forbidden romance. Beating fiercely within its gilded cage, the dark heart of this brilliant and sinister reimagining will haunt you long after you close its pages."

    —Mara Rutherford, author of A Multitude of Dreams

  • "Death and life interweave in this lush, glittering fairytale, showing us that they maybe aren’t so opposed. Erin Craig’s "The Thirteenth Child" is a masterful story that suspends time—and makes us think about how valuable it is."

    —Autumn Krause, author of Before the Devil Knows You're Here

  • “A stellar, eerily enchanting journey that feels like it was written with rosewater on black pages, "The Thirteenth Child" features dark, adoring gods, hungry spirits, palace intrigue, and much more. All centered on death's goddaughter, Hazel, a resilient young woman who might have too much heart for her and her kingdom's own good."

    —​Johnny Compton, author of Bram Stoker nominated Spite House

Honors and News

  • "All hail the queen of gothic fantasy! "The Thirteenth Child" is Erin Craig at her very best."

    Mara Rutherford, author of A Multitude of Dreams

Foreign Sales

Arabic: Jarir Bookstore

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Brazil: Galera Record

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France: Casterman

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Germany: Ullstein

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Hungary: KÖNYVMOLYKÉPZŐ

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Italy: Fanucci

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Lithuania: Alma Littera

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Poland: NieZwykłe

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Portugal: Gailivro

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Russia: Clever Media Group

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Spain: Urano

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UK: Oneworld Publications

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Arabic: Jarir Bookstore 〰️ Brazil: Galera Record 〰️ France: Casterman 〰️ Germany: Ullstein 〰️ Hungary: KÖNYVMOLYKÉPZŐ 〰️ Italy: Fanucci 〰️ Lithuania: Alma Littera 〰️ Poland: NieZwykłe 〰️ Portugal: Gailivro 〰️ Russia: Clever Media Group 〰️ Spain: Urano 〰️ UK: Oneworld Publications 〰️