One Dark Window: the gothic and spellbinding million-copy bestseller (The Shepherd King)
£23.70£28.50 (-17%)
A special edition hardback of the million-copy bestselling TikTok sensation One Dark Window – the dark, lushly gothic fantasy about a maiden who must unleash the monster within to save her kingdom.
‘One Dark Window is enthralling from beginning to shocking end’ Hannah Whitten, bestselling author of For the Wolf
ELSPETH NEEDS A MONSTER. THE MONSTER MIGHT BE HER.
An ancient, mercurial spirit is trapped inside Elspeth Spindle’s head – she calls him the Nightmare. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic.
When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, she is thrust into a world of shadow and deception. Together, they embark on a dangerous quest to cure the town of Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. As the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.
Discover the dark gothic fantasy taking the world by storm, from one of the most exciting voices in romantasy: the million-copy bestselling Rachel Gillig.
Praise for One Dark Window:
‘An enchanting tale with sharp claws and teeth – Gillig’s prose will pull you in and won’t let you sleep. Pulse-pounding, darkly whimsical and aglow with treacherous magic, One Dark Window is everything I love in fantasy and more’ Allison Saft, author of A Far Wilder Magic
‘An evocative tale of romance, mystery and alluring monsters, told in beautifully lush prose’ Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge
‘The steamy romance that emerges between Elspeth and Ravyn delights’ Publishers Weekly
‘A beautifully dark fairy tale of blood, rage and bitter choice, that whisked me away to mist-wreathed woods ripe with romance and menace’ Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer
The Shepherd King duology:
One Dark Window
Two Twisted Crowns
The Stonewater Kingdom
The Knight and the Moth
Read more
Additional information
| Publisher | Orbit (23 Sept. 2025) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 432 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0356528758 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0356528755 |
| Dimensions | 23.4 x 15.3 x 0.1 cm |
by Josie C
One Dark Window follows Elspeth, a maiden with a secret nightmare and her exposure to
the royal courts and the secret rebellion within. This book is part of a duology which is
finished known as The Shepard King.
I have read this book twice. It’s punchy, it’s fast paced, the magic system (to me) is original
and well developed, I loved the tarot card theme throughout, the plot line was fantastic, and I
loved that Gillig made the world moody and dull which fit in so well with the atmosphere and
was maintained throughout the book.
Elspeth and Raven were phenomenally written characters. I adored reading about their
interactions with one another and how they gradually got more and more comfortable with
sharing their secrets, their fears and their hopes with one another. Elspeth is easily one of
my favourite characters purely because she is so interesting.
I don’t have anything bad to say about this book because I enjoyed it so much. I loved every
aspect of it. I liked that the majority of the side characters you were introduced to played an
integral part to the plot line and set everything up for book 2, I liked the writing style of Gillig
as it was descriptive but very easy to follow.
Overall, I think this would be a phenomenal read for those who like a slow-burn romance, a
dangerous quest, an original magic system and a moody atmosphere. One of the best re-
reads I’ve had.
by Karen Irwin
This book has been on my TBR for a while now but due to its mixed reviews, I hadn’t reached for it. So I seized the opportunity when I needed to choose a book as part of our ‘Travelling Book Club’.
I actually really enjoyed this. The book has one of the most unique magic systems that I’ve come across, which took my head a while to grasp, but it is very clever.
I liked both the FMC and the MMC and the side characters were also of interest and their stories well written.
The writing style is slightly different in that some of it is written in poetry/rhymes, which form part of a puzzle, which is easy to follow.
The gothic fantasy world building is definitely atmospheric, with the mist, the forests and the ancient castles. The slow burn romance is just right in my opinion, with a few other surprises along the way!
I wish the book didn’t end on a cliffhanger as now the second book in the series has jumped to the top of my pile.
by Havtorn
This book was a page turner! I loved it!
by Martina C.
Eine der besten Romantasy ich habe je gelesen. Tolles Magie System, super Charaktere, fantastische Geschichte. Empfehlenswert.
by Emma
Damn. Just. Like no words. It’s so good.
So good in fact that l’ve had to buy the next book and get it delivered on the same day.
This series is unlike anything l’ve ever read. The story, the lore and the world building is so unique and well thought out. The magic in the duology comes through the power of a deck of cards and the lore behind their origin is so brilliant and so well delivered. You don’t just get thrown all the information at the start of book 1, it is slowly explained and therefore easy to follow, with more of the origins and details being revealed as the books go on.
The story itself is simple but it’s all of the additional aspects that make these books so wonderful. The characters have so much depth, and those who you think you will dislike, you may end up changing your mind as the series goes on.
Elspeth and Ravyn, the main characters for the majority of the series, have amazing character development.
Although the romance is a subplot in both books, the slow burn and way the relationships are written is just wonderful. There’s enough sexual tension, protective ‘touch her and die’ that you will still feel fed if you want the romance.
I truly believe this series is something that every single fantasy lover should read. You will not be disappointed.
by Erin | erinsreadingroom
— 5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“A heart of gold can still turn to rot. What he wrote, what he did, was all done for naught. His Cards are but weapons, his kingdom now cruel. Shephard of folly, King of the fools.”
📖 | 396 pages
👤 | author Rachel Gillig
🏢 | publisher Orbit, UK
📅 | release date 27 September 2022
What you can expect:
— Third-person POV
— YA Gothic Fantasy
— Book one in a duology
— Unlikely-allies
— Fake courtship
— Enemies-to-lovers
— Found family
— Unique magical-system
— Political scheming and intrigue
Trigger warnings include: scenes of terror, general violence/gore, child in peril, blood, mention of self-harm for magic, moderate sexual content, mention of parental neglect, alcohol consumption.
One Dark Window is book one in The Shephard King duology by debut author Rachel Gillig. Elspeth Spindle is Infected. At nine-years-old Elspeth caught the Fever that, should the Infected survive, is gifted with a unique form-of magic. To be Infected is to be hunted by the King and his most-trusted guards and physicians, as magic gifted from the Fever cannot be controlled and thus instils fear and unrest within the community of Blunder. Elspeth’s aunt helps her run when the guards and physicians come to test her for magic which leads to Elspeth happening upon her Uncle’s Nightmare Card. Nine-year-old Elspeth is curious and touches the Card, and involuntarily absorbs the mind of the Nightmare. The Nightmare is an entity that resides within Elspeth’s head, keeping her secrets and keeping her safe when asked. Eleven-years later Elspeth is on her way home when she is ambushed by a group of Highwaymen who wish to steal any Cards within her household, and thus triggers an adventure like no other. Elspeth and her new companions go on a high-stakes journey filled with secrets and thievery as they seek to complete the twelve Deck of Cards to rid the town of Blunder of the mist that causes the Infection, and the Degeneration that is the price for such magic.
“Twelve blessings—twelve curses. Twelve Providence Cards.”
This book. Wow. I feel like hitting myself for waiting so long to read it. Gothic Fantasy is a genre that I need to read more of, and One Dark Window is a perfect example of why that is the case. I loved Elspeth as a main-character and the mystery surrounding the Nightmare in her mind. You truly are taken on a journey of hidden truths and forgotten history throughout this story, and I loved watching those truths unravel the further into the book I got. I wasn’t expecting to like the Nightmare as much as I did. The kinship between the Nightmare and Elspeth was complicated and unique, and despite everything you can still feel a sense of companionship between the two. I enjoyed the intricate aspect towards the Nightmare who, as a villain, has many layers to discover and is much more than he may seem.
“I see you, Elspeth Spindle. I see a pretty maiden with long black hair and charcoal eyes. I see a yellow gaze narrowed by hate. I see darkness and shadow. And I see your fingers, long and pale, covered in blood.”
This story and the lore of the world had me enraptured. The more you learn about the history of the twelve Cards the deeper you delve into the story itself. You can truly see how much work and time the author put into the magical properties of the Cards, alongside the negative affects of using them for too long. It made the world much more believable to follow, and I cannot express enough how amazing it is. The pacing was steady throughout and the descriptive writing was immersive and easy to follow.
“Nothing is free. Nothing is safe. Magic always comes at a cost.”
One Dark Window has bewitched me and solidified itself as a favourite of mine. A rich and compelling gothic story filled with magic, betrayal, romance, a strong-cast of side characters and a jaw-dropping cliff-hanger that has you desperate for more… what isn’t there to love? If you’re looking for a sign to pick up this book… this is your sign. And remember: Be wary. Be clever. Be good.
by Klara (mei_li_terature)
Honestly I don’t have much to say except HURRY UP AND READ THIS MASTERPIECE. The magic system, the setting, everything is so différent but also just perfect and refreshing. absolutely obsessed with all the characters
by Thelittlecornerdragon
It came in very good condition and I’m excited to read it since it’s a popular book on booktok so I need to see what’s the hype .
by OlafvonSnowman
I read a lot of books, all genres, and have for a long time.
This book I could tell was different than its counterparts at the start. It’s still magic and fantasy with a dash (tiny) of romance. The spice level is half a pepper at best.
Magic has always been something I’ve loved I’m 39 now but I’ve always loved the idea of it. And Rachel writes it by using what we know of magic but making it her own. In this case the magic is stored in cards and even those who are infected with magic, all of it comes at a price. And you slowly get fed the story of what happened through the voice that lived in the main characters head.
The main character is female and a badass in her own right, but with words and not fighting. That alone was a nice change since every book Ive read for the last 20 years, if the lead is female, she’s also capable of everything. And tho I am a solo human and enjoy my own company more often than not and am also a runner, I am not at all going to win a fight. So Elspeth, the main character, was more relatable rather than a true fantasy. And neither is wrong, I enjoy both tropes, but it was every nice to have a change of pace.
Gillig does a good job of character development, it’s probably why I kept reading. The story was very slow at first. I almost put it down and I’m really glad I didn’t. I am tired of authors alluding to things but never giving you the full story. And that did get old quick. Fortunately as the story develops, Rachel stopped “hiding” things from the reader and the story started moving quicker, giving you more detail to help you stay invested. She is pretty detailed, but not overly so, which may be why the first part dragged until the action kicked in. Obviously you need to hide somethings, you have a plot to build. It was more of that foreshadowing or just not fully detailing it out or alluding to something more that would get in the way of my enjoyment. Rachel isn’t alone in this, it’s an overly used writing technique right now, which may be why I noticed it more.
All in all, the writing was beautiful, different from anything I’ve read lately, took me a minute to get used to and I thoroughly enjoyed a shift from my normal pace. I loved that the story was familiar but also so different. And I am left ready to dive into book 2 and cannot wait.
If that’s what you’re looking for, and are also a fan of magical fantasy, try out One Dark Window, I don’t think youll regret it.
If you are looking for that,