The Secret Market of the Dead

 

The Secret Market of the Dead is a beautifully atmospheric gothic fantasy (and debut) by Giovanni De Feo. Released 8th July 2025 by Simon & Schuster on their Saga Press imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. 

This is a richly woven tapestry set in a town in Italy. In 1747, the Catholic church reigns supreme, but there's a strong undercurrent of pagan superstition and belief. Twins Oriana and Oriano are pitched against one another over the apprenticeship and inheritance of their father's blacksmithy and their future. Oriana dares to reach out for the power to change her own destiny.

It's an immersive and beautifully told story, with a deeply intricate magical world building and three dimensional characters. It's ostensibly a YA story, however, sensitive readers should be aware of potentially distressing content (animal abuse/harm, rampant sexism, failure of care). 

There's a distinctly folkloric feel which reminds a bit of Diana Wynne Jones (Howl's Moving Castle), or Neverwhere/Sandman sort of thing (and yes, he's out of favor, but NG was a huge part of everyone's life - just giving reference points).  

The translation work is seamless and the prose flows perfectly well in English and doesn't feel like a book in translation.

Four stars. It would be a good choice for library acquisition, home library, or buddy read.  If there's a follow up, it would be neat with more stories from the actual market (and less about how loathesome Oriana's townsfolk and family are). 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.