Breach of the Soul continues the story of Richard T. Wilson’s Mad Shelley universe

Following the graphic novel series Halloween Girl and the Under the Flowers webseries, Richard T. Wilson’s latest entry into the Mad Shelley Universe is a YA novella. Breach of the Soul will be published on June 3^rd, 2026 (if you preorder, you can get a signed copy!).

The story focuses on Julie, a troubled runaway who discovers her town and its inhabitants aren’t what they seem. Think “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne but with a lot more blood and guts. Other, established characters, like Charlotte (the “Halloween Girl” herself), Poe, and Simone the cat appear as well! The ragtag group of goths, some human and some...otherwise, must use magic to battle a cult called the Wood Devils and save their town, and by extension, the rest of the world. As Julie stands against a witch, the devil worshipers, and all the dark magic they have to offer, secrets about her own life come to light.

The story is tinged with Christian themes, including the characters’ struggle with disillusionment in a world where evil is very real. The characters cope with generational trauma in different ways, and dark forces are always looking to take advantage of the pain in their past. Breach of the Soul is full of small-town horror tropes and supernatural thrills.

This novella is self-contained, but it’s clear the last page isn’t the end of Julie, Charlotte, and their friends' story!