ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cameron Sullivan was born in Perth, Western Australia. He grew up with the dark fantasy and horror icons of the ’80s and went on to study classics and creative writing at the University of Western Australia.
After several years working and studying in Italy and the UK, he returned to Australia and settled in Melbourne. He will easily lose a weekend to a good book, a new recipe or games of any kind.
Publisher: Tor Books (February 24, 2026) Page count: 544 (Hardback) Formats: all
Sebastian Grave is a centuries-old occult practitioner, who makes a living off the dead. He shares his body with a demon, Sarmodel, who is extremely effective, provided you don’t forget what it is.
The story opens with a dead girl, a curse, and a misunderstanding involving a witch’s bone. It works because it’s fun, well-written but also shows that in this world the supernatural is not mysterious so much as procedural. Things happen for reasons and Sebastian’s job is to find them.
Soon, things get complicated. A young nobleman, Jacques d’Ocerne, arrives with a summons tied to an old, unfinished contract concerning a Beast of Gévaudan. Against his better judgement, Sebastian agrees to return there.
And so a journey starts, and it's not a cheerful one. It involves mud, infection, poor financial planning, and mayhem. From there we follow a few timelines, learn about demons, church politics, and follow a thread of doomed romance. The shifting timelines are handled well enough that you don’t feel lost, and there’s a steady drip of reveals that keeps things moving.
I enjoyed the business of the supernatural most. The scenes involving it are grim, and often carry a dry edge of humor that lands well with me. I also loved Sarmodel’s presence. I mean, he is Sebastian’s inner voice that has opinions about how edible his clients are. The conversations between them are some of the strongest parts of the book.
Jacques, on the other hand, functions as an obstacle with legs. His secrecy, pride, and general refusal to communicate make sense once explained, but the explanation arrives late. Until then, much of the interaction follows a familiar pattern where Sebastian asks a reasonable question, Jacques refuses to answer it, and both suffer for it. Repeatedly.
There’s also Livia - Sebastian's secretary (well, not really but I won’t spoil everything for you) and a succubus. She feeds on desire and leaves very little behind when she is done. Her chapters and scenes are some of the most entertaining in the story. She says what she wants, goes after it, and resents every rule that stops her halfway. On the page, she’s lively. In the audiobook, she’s something else entirely. Imogen Church narration is brilliant, rich, theatrical and over the top in the best way.
Structurally, the book is uneven. After an excellent opening, the middle section sags. Things happen, but they don’t always feel like they’re building toward something larger. The central threat (the Beast, the old contract) waits too long while the story circles smaller conflicts and Sebastien's history.
That said, the atmosphere is consistently good, the writing remains entertaining and both POV characters have strong and memorable voices. So yes, The Red Winter is carried by its characters.
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