In Vacuo

A queer gothic coming of age novel about a young boy confronting the ghosts of the past and the restless, obsessive pursuit of immortality. Perfect for fans of Susannah Clarke and Kelly Link.

All bones have a story.

Henry arrives at the vast estate of Dr Robertson Hammond alongside his pregnant mother one rain-soaked night. But after a sudden tragedy, the young boy finds himself orphaned and the ward of the enigmatic doctor.

But stories surround Dr Hammond. There are those who call him an alchemist, those who accuse him of murder. And the more Henry hears, the more he questions his life at the house. Why won't Dr Hammond talk about his mother's sudden death? Why are the entire household staff sent away on the anniversary of the event? And what is the truth of the wild woman who roams the woods, whispering the names of the dead?

As the years pass Henry starts to explore the land upon which he lives, from the wilds of Bald Mountain to the impossible revelations of the towers that he climbs with the enigmatic Xavier. And when the truth behind Dr Hammond's research is finally uncovered, Henry will have to make a decision that will affect everyone he cares about, and which has the power to change reality as we know it.Andrea Morstabilini was born in Lodi, in the misty middle of the Po Valley, in Northern Italy. He studied Modern Literature at the University of Milan with a thesis on the Fantastic in late 19th century Italian literature. He (predictably) loves Gothic novels and architecture, the theatre, cats, and cemeteries. He also works as an editor. He lives in Milan, and sometimes Kraków, with his husband.