Home › Juvenile Fiction › Thirst

Thirst

by Darren Simpson

A village bound to a river’s demands

Regular price $15.19 USD
Regular price $25.32 USD Sale price $15.19 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

A village bound to a river’s demands

In Maimsbury, an annual offering to the River Yeelde is treated as the price of a plentiful year. When tragedy brings Gorse to a disturbing discovery, the village’s long-standing bargain takes on a more dangerous meaning. Darren Simpson builds this young teen horror novel around folklore, communal ritual and the question of who bears the cost when a tradition is defended. The river’s hold over Maimsbury gives the story a setting where silence and obedience are part of the village’s way of life.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Young teen readers interested in horror rooted in folklore and village secrets.
  • Readers who enjoy stories about unsettling traditions and communities under pressure.

Themes

Folklore and ritualSacrifice and collective benefitChallenging harmful traditionsSilence and conformity

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Perfect for fans of Stranger Things, this chilling new Young Teen Lit novel uncovers a cursed river and a village's dark secret.

The North American debut of 2-time UK Carnegie Medal nominee Darren Simpson.


Nobody talks about the strange happenings in Maimsbury. No one speaks of the hooded figures glimpsed in the woods, nor the children's game that went so horribly wrong. But most of all, nobody dares whisper their doubts about the river they have worshipped for centuries.

Like everyone in Maimsbury, Gorse is used to the sacrifices made every spring to the River Yeelde. The life of a farm animal - in return for a year of plenty - seems a fair trade. That is, until a tragedy leads him to a blood-curdling discovery.

Because this year is a Brim Year, and after giving so much, the river needs more than an animal's life to sate its thirst...

Thirst is a gloriously spooky, folklore-inspired novel perfect for YA horror fans. Blending page-turning storytelling with powerful social commentary, 2-time UK Carnegie Medal nominee Darren Simpson delivers a savage critique on how we justify sacrificing others for our own good, and the importance of pushing back against the status quo when it is harmful or outdated.

Brilliant and bloodthirsty, this breathless narrative creeps up on you just like the infernal river that encaptures Maimsbury's inhabitants in its deadly thrall.
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews