Boston, MA — April 7, 2026
Ruadán Books is delighted to announce that it will publish speculative historical mystery novella Ferry-Loupers by author Molly Tanzer, via Cameron McClure of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.
“We are so lucky to have Molly on board here at Ruadán,” says CEO R. B. Wood. “She seamlessly blends genres to create exciting narratives. I’m a huge fan of her award-winning The Diabolist’s Library series and it is a privilege to publish a new original novella of hers!”
Set in early nineteenth century Scotland, Ferry-Loupers follows the newly appointed sheriff of Orkney after a tenant farmer from the mainland has destroyed a beloved local monument, the Odin Stone, and is pulling down the nearby ancient Standing Stones of Stenness—to build a cowshed. Stopping the destruction of the Stones should have been an end to the matter, but in an insular community such as Orkney, where outsiders are viewed with suspicion and traditions can go back millennia, the sheriff has reason to believe that some townsfolk—who may be more than they seem—might take the law into their own hands.
“While planning my trip to Scotland in 2024, I was excited to tour the Heart of Neolithic Orkney and maybe see some seals and puffins,” said Molly. “I had no idea I would encounter the local story of the destruction of the Standing Stones of Stenness, or that it would captivate me to the point that I just had to write a story about it. On the advice of R. B. Wood, I expanded Ferry-Loupers into a novella, and I couldn’t be happier to be publishing this true tale of Orkney (with a few speculative elements…) with Ruadán Books.”
Ferry-Loupers is tentatively scheduled for release in Summer 2027.
About Ruadán Books
Ruadán Books, founded in 2024 to publish unique stories from underappreciated talent, is bringing readers character-driven storytelling in dark speculative fiction, including dark fantasy, horror, thrillers, and crime fiction.
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About Molly Tanzer
Molly Tanzer is the author of five novels, including Creatures of Want and Ruin, winner of the Colorado Book Award for Historical Fiction, as well as many works of shorter fiction. Her official Jirel of Joiry stories can be found in New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine, and her novella, And Side by Side They Wander, is forthcoming from Tordotcom in May 2026. Follow her on Instagram @molly_tanzer, or on BlueSky @mollytanzer.bsky.social. She lives outside of Boulder, CO with her many houseplants.
