Benandante
A gothic Edwardian fantasy of love, loss, and the war against darkness.
Book Snapshot
Genre
Gaslamp Fantasy
Historical Fantasy
Christian Fantasy
Setting
Edwardian London, 1903
Tropes
Reluctant allies
He falls first
Secret societies
Ancient evils
Story Summary
In Edwardian London, a widowed socialite and a pianist who sees spirits join forces to confront ancient evils rising from the Abyss — and discover a fragile, unexpected love in the shadows.
London, 1903. The Abyss has risen.
Beneath the glitter of Edwardian society, shadows stir and old powers awaken. Euphemia Beaufort, a widowed socialite with impeccable poise, hides a dangerous truth: she is a Benandante, a good walker tasked with keeping London safe from supernatural threats. Her life is a careful balance of social obligation and secret duty, guarding the city from the unseen forces that press against its edges.
Ezra Morgan, a gifted pianist with a nonchalant air, carries a secret of his own — he can see spirits. His ability has long been a burden, something he hides behind music and joviality. But when ancient evils rise from the Abyss to claim London’s streets, his sight becomes a vital weapon.
Reluctantly united, Mrs. Beaufort and Mr. Morgan confront horrors born from the dawn of creation. As danger mounts and darkness spreads, their partnership deepens, and a flicker of love begins to glow in the shadows.
In Benandante, the supernatural collides with Edwardian elegance in a gothic fantasy of love, loss, and the war against darkness.
Meet the Characters
Mrs. Euphemia Beaufort
Widow, Socialite, Benandante
Poised, dutiful, and burdened by the weight of London’s safety.
Welsh, Gifted pianist, Spirit-seer
Mr. Ezra Morgan
His music is a refuge - his sight, a useful gift.
Themes
Grief
Duty and sacrifice
Love in the midst of danger
Folklore vs modernity
Atmosphere
Mist-soaked streets, gaslit parlors, spectral encounters
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Elemental, dream-rooted.
God bestows knowledge in the womb.
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A boon to those born as the seventh son of a seventh son.
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A plane of reality between our world and the Abyss.
If You Like…
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Penny Dreadful TV Series by Showtime
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Jonathan Strage & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
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The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
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A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
“While the format of Benandante may not be everyone's cup of tea, I think it adds to the depth of the experience! A journal format is really unique and it gave a cool insight to the FMC! The supernatural mixed with the spiritual/faith based concept was really refreshing, me reading from a Catholic/Christian point of view!”
GQuinata, ARC Reader“A captivating, stylish read perfect for fans of gothic fantasy, Edwardian mysteries, and strong female leads facing the paranormal with grace and grit.”
Daniel, ARC Reader“One of my favourite aspects of the book was A.J. Titter's writing style. It captures the atmosphere of gaslamp fantasy perfectly, creating a world that feels mysterious, magical, and wonderfully immersive.”
Jacky, ARC Reader“Overall, this was a good read, but some more detailing and a different ending would have made this a 5-star read for me. I would still recommend this book to readers who enjoy a fantasy with a Gothic feel with a female demon-hunter.”
Michelle, ARC ReaderAuthor’s Note
Benandante was born out of a love for the gothic literature that came before: Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstien, Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan. After watching the Penny Dreadful series by Showtime, I wanted a different relationship arc/ending for Vanessa and Ethan.
As I conducted historical research about witches and guardians of the supernatural, I found the Benandanti of the Friuli region of northern Italy. Learning about the claims they made of fighting and feasting in a dream world, made me think of the Russian fantasy film, Night Watch. This is where the Netherworld was born.
You may wonder why I chose the diary format. Many of the books mentioned above are also told in the epistolary format, so I was keeping with tradition. But the main reason was because I wanted to challenge myself.
Signed Copies
London, 1903. The Abyss has risen.
Beneath the glitter of Edwardian society, shadows stir. Euphemia Beaufort is a widowed socialite and Benandante, or good walker, tasked with keeping London safe. Ezra Morgan is a gifted pianist with a secret of his own: he can see spirits.
When ancient evils rise from the Abyss to claim London’s streets, Mrs. Beaufort reluctantly joins forces with Mr. Morgan to confront horrors from the dawn of creation. As they risk their lives, love flickers in the shadows.
In Benandante, the supernatural collides with Edwardian elegance in a gothic fantasy of love, loss, and the war against darkness.
Each signed book comes with a sticker, a character art print, and a bookmark.
London, 1903. The Abyss has risen.
Beneath the glitter of Edwardian society, shadows stir. Euphemia Beaufort is a widowed socialite and Benandante, or good walker, tasked with keeping London safe. Ezra Morgan is a gifted pianist with a secret of his own: he can see spirits.
When ancient evils rise from the Abyss to claim London’s streets, Mrs. Beaufort reluctantly joins forces with Mr. Morgan to confront horrors from the dawn of creation. As they risk their lives, love flickers in the shadows.
In Benandante, the supernatural collides with Edwardian elegance in a gothic fantasy of love, loss, and the war against darkness.
File Type: Epub
There is a limited quantity of book boxes available.
The box includes
Signed hardcover special edition with
Gold Foiling
Sprayed Edges
Character Art End Pages by FramedFantasy
Chapter Artwork
Edwardian gilded lace bookmark
Butterfly soap
Votes for Women pin
Plus the bookmark, character art card, and sticker included with the regular edition
London, 1903. The Abyss has risen.
Beneath the glitter of Edwardian society, shadows stir. Euphemia Beaufort is a widowed socialite and Benandante, or good walker, tasked with keeping London safe. Ezra Morgan is a gifted pianist with a secret of his own: he can see spirits.
When ancient evils rise from the Abyss to claim London’s streets, Mrs. Beaufort reluctantly joins forces with Mr. Morgan to confront horrors from the dawn of creation. As they risk their lives, love flickers in the shadows.
In Benandante, the supernatural collides with Edwardian elegance in a gothic fantasy of love, loss, and the war against darkness.
ISBNs: 978-1-7369090-4-1, 978-1-7369090-3-4, 978-1-7369090-5-8
Formats: Paperback, Hardcover, Ebook
Publisher: Mythic Swine Press LLC
Release Date: 09/15/2026