We’re thrilled to share the cover of C. N. Vair’s debut horror novel The Devil Knows Her Name, available August 25, 2026 from Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
A hundred years ago, a witch sold her soul to save her life—but now she must stop the devil from collecting his due in this gripping and nuanced debut horror novel.
The devil was as my mother and grandmother had always described him: polite enough that you might forget yourself, so beautiful that you’d want to, so dangerous if you did.
Attacked by a man she trusted and at the brink of death, Tess Wynn vowed she would do anything to live—and the devil heard her. Their bargain meant she would remain unaging and tethered to the land she nearly died on, near the isolated Appalachian town of Burrsville. Her home is now a wildlife sanctuary, and the spells she’s woven keep the land and the community safe.
Every autumn, the devil returns, gentle but perilously offering Tess more power in exchange for a foothold from which to corrupt the human world. And every autumn, the witch refuses. But when a new pastor comes to town and begins chipping away at the trust she’s gained with the people there, threatening the sanctuary and its animals, the careful edges of Tess’s world begin to fray.
The devil whispers in her ear that it’s time to pay his price—and Tess must decide if she will fight for everything she holds dear—or succumb to his will.
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The Devil Knows Her Name
C. N. Vair (she/her) is a horror and dark fantasy author living in western New York. A former journalist, she’s interested in the history and haunted corners of small towns, the magic and malice of the natural world, and power in all its forms. When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering in woods and cemeteries, growing poisonous plants in her garden, or spending time with her husband and dogs.
