Clever Creatures of the Night

When Case’s best friend Drea goes missing, Case dives into the bizarre, cultlike—and possibly murderous—behavior of Drea’s roommates in this gripping literary horror novel for fans of The Honeys and Mexican Gothic.

WHERE IS DREA?
 
When Case shows up at the isolated West Texas house where her best friend, Drea, lives with friends from school, Drea is nowhere to be found. Why would she ask Case to visit and then disappear? With twenty-four hours until her ride home, Case intends to find out.
 
But Drea’s roommates can’t—or won’t—answer any questions. They leave Case to search alone, to find bits and pieces of Drea's life hidden in and around the house, while they continue playing out a rural utopian fantasy. Their bizarre behavior puts Case on edge, and she’s not the only one. The animals nearby are lashing out, strangely aggressive.
 
Something bad happened in this house. Something that must be connected to Drea’s disappearance—and if she gets too close to the truth, Case might just be next.

• "Haunting and atmospheric, with writing that crackles with a pulse of its own. A mystery that demands to be read in one sitting."—Kara Thomas, author of The Cheerleaders

• "Eerie, atmospheric, and simmering with dread, Clever Creatures of the Night puts Mabry's immense talent on full display. Not to be missed."—Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls

• "A riveting whiplash of a mystery set in a landscape full of threat and unsettling beauty. Clever Creatures of the Night ignites Samantha Mabry’s sinister skill in surrounding you in rising unease until you’re left trusting no one and nothing. I couldn’t put it down."

  —Nova Ren Suma, New York Times bestselling author of The Walls Around Us

• Praise for Samantha Mabry:
  
  * “Will haunt—and empower—readers." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review (Tigers, Not Daughters)
  
  * “Engaging, heartfelt.” —SLJ, starred review (Tigers, Not Daughters)
  
  * "It lays its characters utterly and unforgettably bare.” —Booklist, starred review (Tigers, Not Daughters) 
  
  * “Mabry speaks gracefully to the transformative power of grief.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review (Tigers, Not Daughters)
  
  * "Lyrical…empowering." —Shelf Awareness, starred review (Tigers, Not Daughters) 
  
  * "Quietly searing.” —BCCB, starred review (Tigers, Not Daughters) 
  
  * “In aching, luminous prose, Mabry crafts a story impossible to forget.” —Booklist, starred review (All the Wind in the World) 
  
  * “A fierce new world with high stakes.” —SLJ, starred review (All the Wind in the World) 
  
  * “Evocative, searing prose.” —BCCB, starred review (All the Wind in the World) 
  
  * “Gracefully written, mysterious.” —VOYA, starred review (All the Wind in the World)
  
  * “Will likely leave a mark on readers for days.” —BCCB, starred review (A Fierce and Subtle Poison)