Book Series Guide
Sunyi Dean

Author guide

Sunyi Dean Books in Order

Sunyi Robin Dean is a US-born, Hong Kong-raised author of speculative fiction with a gothic and weird-fiction sensibility. Her debut novel, The Book Eaters (2022), was an instant number-two Sunday Times bestseller. Her second novel, The Girl with a Thousand Faces (2026), is a historical urban-fantasy horror story set partly in Hong Kong. Dean also writes short fiction, including the Tor.com Originals The Thief of Memory and How to Cook and Eat the Rich. She founded and co-hosts the Hugo-nominated Publishing Rodeo Podcast with Scott Drakeford.

fantasyspeculative fictiongothic horrorscience fictionshort fiction

Catalog record updated .

Sunyi Dean's Newest Book

Cover of The Girl with a Thousand Faces

The Girl with a Thousand Faces

novel · First published 2026

When Mercy Chan washes up on the shores of Hong Kong with no family, no money, and no memories, the only refuge she finds is the infamous, ghost-infested slum of Kowloon Walled City. Since then, she has rebuilt her life, working for the local triad as a ghost talker and dealing with the angry and bitter spirits who haunt the district. The filthy gutters and cramped alleyways of Kowloon have become her home. But the past Mercy can’t remember isn't done with her. An unusually powerful ghost has infested Kowloon’s waterways, drowning innocents and threatening the district. It claims to know Mercy—and secrets from her past that are best left forgotten. As Mercy is drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with this malignant spirit, she begins to realize that the monster she fights within these walls may well be one of her own making.

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Cover of The Book Eaters

The Book Eaters

Dean's debut novel and principal introduction to her fiction.

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

Novels (2)
  1. The Book Eaters

    novel · 2022

    Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book's content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can…

  2. The Girl with a Thousand Faces

    novel · 2026

    When Mercy Chan washes up on the shores of Hong Kong with no family, no money, and no memories, the only refuge she finds is the infamous, ghost-infested slum of Kowloon Walled City. Since then, she has rebuilt her life, working for the…

Short fiction (2)
  1. The Thief of Memory

    short story · 2022

    The Hero journeys across the desert to capture The Thief Of Memory and retrieve her stolen memories. What she finds in the end may destroy her.

  2. How to Cook and Eat the Rich

    short story · 2023

    A man is offered the opportunity to partake in an exclusive, subscription-based eating club for those who wish to dine on human flesh. But he may have bitten off a little more than he can chew.

Frequently asked questions about Sunyi Dean

Where was Sunyi Dean born, and where did she grow up?

Sunyi Dean was born in Texas, grew up in Hong Kong, and now lives in Yorkshire, England.

Sources: us.macmillan.com (opens in a new tab)sunyidean.com (opens in a new tab)

How does Sunyi Dean describe her identity?

She describes herself as a biracial, autistic author of speculative fiction.

Sources: us.macmillan.com (opens in a new tab)lapl.org (opens in a new tab)

What influences Sunyi Dean’s writing?

She has cited an interest in vampire ethics, family relationships in speculative fiction, and the idea of books as food as inspirations for The Book Eaters. She has also described The History of Western Philosophy as a life-changing book.

Source: lapl.org (opens in a new tab)

How did Sunyi Dean’s writing career break through?

Her debut novel, The Book Eaters, became an instant number-two Sunday Times bestseller. She also co-hosts the Publishing Rodeo Podcast with Scott Drakeford.

Sources: dhhliteraryagency.com (opens in a new tab)sunyidean.com (opens in a new tab)

What awards or major recognition has Sunyi Dean received?

The Book Eaters was nominated for the 2023 Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer, and Publishing Rodeo was a 2024 Hugo finalist for Best Fancast. Dean was also listed as a 2024 Astounding Award finalist.

Sources: britishfantasysociety.org (opens in a new tab)glasgow2024.org (opens in a new tab)