Paul Simard's life is a mess. When his mother dies, and his boyfriend moves out, the only thing Paul has left is his hoarder house cleaning business, and that's not exactly a recipe for dating success. But after Paul gets a call to clean out the home of some elderly biologist, nothing will ever be the same. You see, 928 Avirosa isn't just your normal cleanout. Something in the house is. . . alive. It's not just the fungal carpet or the mushrooms growing over every surface, or even the disturbing smell. It's the woman's voice he hears inside his head. The creeping sense he's been invaded. The powerful connections to memories and people he's never seen. Yes. Something in that house is alive. And it wants to speak to him. Before long, Paul understands the house hoards more than just secrets - and Paul's life depends upon uncovering its answers.

R.A. Busby's profile page

R. A. Busby is the 2020 Shirley Jackson Award recipient for short fiction, and the author of the horror novella Corporate Body (Cemetery Gates, 2023). She is a member of the Horror Writers Association. In her spare time, R.A. Busby watches cheesy gothic movies and goes running in the desert with her dog.

"I was captivated by You Will Speak For The Dead and its lyrical examination of loss and connectedness. It was poignant, with just the right touches of humor and ick, and so well written that I could feel the words - sensations, scents, emotions. I loved this novella and I'll be thinking about it for a long time." - Zoje Stage, USA Today bestselling author of Baby Teeth and Dear Hanna
"R.A. Busby's You Will Speak For The Dead transcends spore horror and body horror, though both abound, torturing the reader with infectious dread. Protagonist Paul moves through the worst of both to confront the question of how much we're willing to give up of ourselves to experience connection, if the outermost parameters of grief are this very yearning for loss of self, and if anything is ever truly lost. With its surprisingly happy ending, I'm a little worried that the book is a hoarder's fantasy and that I've been unwittingly converted. Excuse me while I grab the disinfectant." - Joe Koch, author of The Wingspan of Severed Hands and Invaginies
"No one writes body horror better than R.A. Busby. This book had me shuddering, in full-on cringe mode, wanting to get in the shower and scrub my skin off as I checked every crease of my body for mysterious growths. But this book is more than just its incredibly visceral scenes of shock and disgust. It is also emotional, connecting you to the raw pain and grief of the characters. You suffer with them, become one with them - almost as if you're part of a mycelial network. An absolutely unforgettable book." - Jill Girardi, Author and Owner of Kandisha Press