Publishing in September 2027, Weston’s debut into body horror is a “weird girl lit” trip through the beauty industry; The Substance meets Bunny by Mona Awad. In Delilah’s world, youth is currency, and her newly glowing skin from an experimental “vampire facial” treatment is proof enough as she quickly catches the attention of her elusive boss and is swept into a world of celebrity and luxury... and rotting body parts.
Hasan comments, “Kate has such a knack for turning the gristly and morbid into hilarious satire, so we were onboard from page one. It is clear she is exactly the person to tell a story as insane as this. The novel is about the fears we all share—of ageing, our ambitions, of our own bodies—and Kate rarely shies away from getting up close and personal with the delights and nastiness of all-things “woman”. The words fetid vaginal sweat have truly never felt more profound. And if you thought Miranda Priestly endorsed questionable workplace practices, just wait till you meet Bunty Ruiz. This is Kate’s comedy voice fully unleashed, so if you loved her work before, brace yourselves (and your stomachs) for Death Looks Good on You.”
Weston says, “I’m so thrilled to be working with Daphne, and Lee [Aleena] who I absolutely adore. Death Looks Good on You was born from the experiences I had in my late thirties after accepting that due to health issues I would not be able to have a baby. I started to notice the language used around women’s bodies and faces as they age. The tendency to accept a body for its wrinkles and weight gain only when it had created life. The 'sure I’ve changed but my body gave me these two beautiful children' narrative. As though ageing is a thing that must be earned, while on the other hand there is a collective panic to maintain ageless perfection. At forty, I feel I need to prove my worth more than women my age with children, whether that’s by being successful in my career, having a smoother face, or looking younger. That I need to apologise for the things I’m not doing.
“When I visited my GP because my mental health had become so bad that I was afraid of myself. That GP told me that I just needed to have a baby. That a baby would give me distraction and purpose. I was later diagnosed with OCD, PTSD, depression and anxiety. Death Looks Good on You was inspired by that GP and everything that is still expected of people born with a womb, whether it’s said blatantly or masked in science and the cute packages of the beauty industry.”
Seagar adds, “A Kate Weston book is acerbic and laugh-out-loud funny, with perceptive insights that expose the worst instincts in all of us, and an edge of completely disturbing. So when she sent me the proposal for Death Looks Good on You, I knew instantly that Kate plus horror made a perfect match. Prepare for everything that readers love about Kate’s writing and dial up the volume.”