Salomé

“What begins as a tantalizing slow-burn transforms into a paranoia-fueled speculative thriller . . . This deserves credit for its ambition.” —Publishers Weekly

“Salomé reinvents the gothic for 2026, blending the moodiness and suspense of the genre’s origins with a modern social consciousness. Baird’s novel explores lust and friendship alongside the perils of today’s world: corporate and technological greed; the erosion of privacy; the widening wealth gap. The result is a smart, thoughtful, and sensual retelling of a classic tale.” —Chloe Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists

“Reading this book feels like sitting on a velvet couch and drinking absinthe. Part gothic seduction, part cult psychology, Salomé reckons with how easily smart, searching women can be pulled toward the promise of transcendence . . . and what it costs when the fantasy talks back. I loved it.” —Amanda Montell, New York Times bestselling author of Wordslut, Cultish, and The Age of Magical Overthinking

“Set in a secluded French town, Salomé is a hauntingly seductive exploration of desire, grief, and avarice. Baird’s lush, hypnotic prose had me in a trance from the very first page. A riveting debut!” —Monika Kim, internationally bestselling author of The Eyes are the Best Part

“Sexy, bold, and impossible to put down. Salomé is an exhilarating and original reimagining of the young American in France, told through a seductive friendship between two women. Leslie Baird builds suspense with remarkable control as she explores the delicious thrills and dangers of obsession.” —Sanaë Lemoine, author of The Margot Affair

“Baird’s prose is a bit like descending into a Parisian catacomb—at once darkly terrifying, and somehow simultaneously, bewitching. Salome is equal parts viscerally sharp and cloyingly subtle; scenes of swiftly fading girlhood, with its nostalgia and romances, are met by unexpected interludes on the science of immortality and the peril of extremist ideologies, all blurring elegantly into a scintillating balm which belies the desperate, cathartic, honesty at the novel’s center. The highest praise I can give any work of art, is that it has made me think. And Leslie’s novel has given me thoughts for many years to come.” —Eilish Quin, author of Medea

“Leslie Baird’s debut is an alluring exploration of ambition, friendship, and secrets. If you had the chance to go on an unexpected adventure in a gorgeous place, wouldn’t you consider taking it? Baird gives us this delicious opportunity from the first pages. This atmospheric, evocative novel will be a hit with readers everywhere. I can’t wait to read what Baird writes next!” —Saumya Dave, author of The Guilt Pill

“Leslie Baird’s Salomé is a gripping, sensual thriller about the perils of charm and unexpected connection. It explores the complicated space where hospitality threatens to tilt into control, where generosity cannot untangle itself from ulterior motives. Salomé is an engrossing debut novel about the impact of technological progress on family, mourning, and love.” —Isle McElroy, author of People Collide

“A thrilling story of desire and deception set against the intoxicating backdrop of Paris. . . . A wild ride in every way—a seductive thriller where astral realms collide with bodily desires, where beauty masks malevolence, where science borders on sorcery, where nefarious billionaires reach new depths of depravity, and the line between victim and willing participant vanishes completely. Breathless, electric, and utterly consuming. I was addicted.” —Lisa Gabriele, author of The Winters

“Wonderful and compelling, well-drawn and riveting. The book has everything—France, a mysterious town, a seductive friend/lover, a menacing mother, a cult—all moving toward a beautiful description of loss, being present, and how to live a life. A beautiful and original book!” —Karen E. Bender, author of Refund and The Words of Dr. L