The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael

A Novel

De: Paulette Kennedy

Narrado por: Shannon McManus, Connor Brannigan

A young woman, perceived dead, plots to reinvent herself in a gripping historical gothic about secrets, superstition, and murder by the bestselling author of The Devil and Mrs. Davenport.

South Carolina, 1853. Lillian Carmichael, privileged daughter of a disgraced Charleston family, is due to be hanged for the murder of her sister when fate gives her a second chance at life.

After a catatonic episode on the long walk to the gallows, Lillian is declared dead and entombed in the family mausoleum. She awakens days later, buried alive, and flees to the Lowcountry marshes to survive on her wits and reinvent herself. All the while, a series of exsanguination murders holds the terrorized city in thrall—as do the superstitions that the vanished Lillian is some craven creature, resurrected and out for blood.

Lillian finds sanctuary in a crumbling former plantation and a friend in Kate O’Malley, a charismatic actress adept at fashioning new identities. The two form an intimate and powerful alliance, but as the body count rises, the manhunt for Lillian reaches a fever pitch. It will take both women’s cunning for her to escape the gallows again, and to find her freedom, Lillian must first cross paths with the real killer and confront her own family’s deepest, darkest secret.

©2026 by Paulette Kennedy. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Kennedy is a mesmerizing force in this gothic tale of murder, sex, and self-discovery. The dark, marshy world of 1850s Charleston bursts to life as our heroine fights to survive and clear her name of the mysterious murders plaguing the city. But when she meets a charismatic stranger with secrets of their own, she’s faced with astonishing revelations, making her question everything."—Heather Levy, Anthony-nominated author of Hurt for Me

“A heart-pounding ride from start to finish, The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael balances equal parts gothic, horror, and thriller to bring you an incredible fresh take on the classic vampire tale that will leave you spellbound and reeling. Kennedy continues to produce literary masterpieces, making this book a must-read in 2026.”—Maria Tureaud, author of This House Will Feed

“Set in a richly detailed, pre-Civil War Charleston, this deliciously gothic tale twists through cobbled streets, shadowy crypts, and teeming marshes, seducing the reader with deaths that are not deaths, discoveries of literal and figurative disguises, and deftly written reversals. Kennedy is a maestro of subversive psychological suspense.”—Emily Carpenter, author of Gothictown

Good thing it was free

So much build up for nothing . None of the characters were relatable, likable or redeemable . Where was the horror ? I wish I could get 20 hours of my life back .