In person at Brookline Booksmith! Celebrate the release of Beholder with author Ryan La Sala, in conversation with Sara Farizan.

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Beholder

From Ryan La Sala, author of the tantalizingly twisted The Honeys and riotously imaginative Reverie, comes a chilling new contemporary fable about art, aesthetic obsession, and the gaze that peers back at us from behind our reflections.

No one survived the party at the penthouse. Except Athan.

Athanasios “Athan” Bakirtzis has made it far in life relying on his charm and good looks, even securing an invitation to a mysterious penthouse soiree for New York City’s artsy elite. But when he sneaks off to the bathroom, he hears a slam, followed by a scream. Athan peers outside, only to be pushed back in by a boy his age. The boy gravely tells him not to open the door, then closes Athan in.

Outside the door, the party descends into chaos. Through hours of howls, laughter, and sobs, Athan stays hidden. When he finally emerges, he discovers a massacre where the corpses appear to have arranged themselves into a disturbingly elegant sculpture—and Athan’s mysterious savior is nowhere to be found. Athan—the only known survivor—is now the primary suspect.

In a race to prove his innocence, Athan is swept up in a supernatural mystery, one of secret occult societies and deadly eldritch horrors with rather distinctive taste. Something evil is waking up in the walls of New York City, and it’s compelling victims toward violence, chaos, and self-destruction. Bound to him by a mysterious hereditary power, Athan has felt this evil hiding behind his reflection his entire life, watching him. Waiting. Now, it’s taking over.

Ryan La Sala writes about surreal things happening to queer people. He is the author of Reverie, Be Dazzled, The Honeys, and the forthcoming Beholder (on sale October 3). He lives in New York City. Visit him online at ryanlasala.com.

Moderator Sara Farizan (she/her) is the award-winning author of the young adult novels Here to Stay, Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel, If You Could Be Mine, and the ‘90s fantasy thriller Dead Flip (Algonquin). Time magazine named If You Could Be Mine one of the best YA books of all time. Sara also wrote the DC Comics middle-grade graphic novel My Buddy Killer Croc, and the Scholastic middle-grade novel Opportunity Knocks. She has a short story in Macmillan’s new horror anthology release, Night of the Living Queers. She lives in Massachusetts, where she watches ‘90s cartoons and reads Ryan La Sala books.

EVENT ACCESSIBILITY

This event will take place at street level. If possible, the event will be livestreamed to YouTube. ASL interpretation may be provided (based on the availability of interpreters) but must be requested at least 2 weeks in advance of the event. Seats are limited. Please email us at tickets@brooklinebooksmith.com as soon as possible if you require ASL interpretation, guaranteed seating, or other accommodations. We will do our best to serve your needs!