Pay the Piper
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In 2019, while sifting through University of Pittsburgh Library's System's George A. Romero Archival Collection, novelist Daniel Kraus turned up a surprise: a half-finished novel called Pay the Piper, a project few had ever heard of. In the years since, Kraus has worked with Romero's estate to bring this unfinished masterwork to light.
Alligator Point, Louisiana, population 141: Young RenÊe Pontiac has heard stories of "the Piper"âa murderous swamp entity haunting the bayouâher entire life. But now the legend feels horrifically real: children are being taken and gruesomely slain. To resist, Pontiac and the town's desperate denizens will need to acknowledge the sins of their ancestorsâthe infamous slave traders, the Pirates Lafitte. If they don't . . . it's time to pay the piper.
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GEORGE A. ROMERO is often considered the greatest horror director of all time. His classic âDeadâ movie cycle began with the groundbreaking Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead. He also directed Creepshow, The Dark Half, The Crazies, and created the TV series Tales from the Darkside. George A. Romero died in 2017 after a fifty-year career in film.
DANIEL KRAUS is a New York Times bestselling author. With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus co-authored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. Krausâs The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch was named one of Entertainment Weeklyâs Top 10 Books of the Year, and he has won two Odyssey Awards (for Rotters and Scowler) and has been a Library Guild selection, YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, Bram Stoker finalist, and more. Krausâs current project is The Living Dead, a posthumous collaboration with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. Krausâs work has been translated into over 25 languages. His feature films as director include Musician (New York Times Criticsâ Pick) and Sheriff (PBSâs Independent Lens). He lives in Chicago. Visit him at danielkraus.com.
