Twist of Cain: A Coming Age Horror Novel

2026 American Fiction Awards Finalist - Coming of AgeChris Beckwith's life sucks. His parents' marriage is crumbling, he hasn't been out in weeks, and now Donnie, the boy who used to be his closest friend, is dead.After the funeral, the whispers begin. Donnie made one last mix tape before he died. A tape with something terrible on it. It's already spreading, passed hand to hand. Played in basements, parked cars, and bedrooms late at night. People say it changes you. People say Donnie left behind something he shouldn't have.Chris doesn't believe the rumors, until he starts seeing things he can't explain. The closer he gets to the truth, the clearer it becomes: the tape demands something from those who listen - and it's getting what it wants.Following the tape's path leads to the biggest party of the year. One night. One reckoning that will leave no one unchanged. To get there, Chris is forced to confront a past he's spent years trying to bury, and the secrets Donnie was keeping.Twist of Cain is a coming-of-age horror novel about cursed objects, buried guilt, and the terrible price of forbidden knowledge. Perfect for fans of Grady Hendrix's We Sold Our Souls, Nick Roberts, and slow-burn supernatural suspense where the past refuses to stay buried."A brisk, engaging read, equal parts comic and sinister, with a compelling twisty plot."- Steven L. Jones, author of Murder Ballads Old & New: A Dark & Bloody Record"The tension is drawn just right - you get that tightness in your gut and keep turning the pages."- Haly Hoards Books