Turn-of-the-century England becomes a little more magical with the release today of David Rae’s latest novel, The Lepidopterist’s Beautiful Daughter.
Born to wealth and stifling privilege, Tito lives a cocooned life of luxury and dull Edwardian convention. Groomed to follow a career in the church, he finds joy in the unlikeliest of places: Vanessa Agnew, the daughter of a once renowned professor who studies butterflies and moths.
Yet, just as Tito wins her hand, he breaks a vow to her and a terrible secret rips her from his arms. Heartbroken, he follows a trail of bread crumbs left by his former tutor seeking his bride. His attempts to recover Vanessa take him across England and Europe, ensnaring him in a devious plot to find the birthplace of angels, led by a seductive darkness that challenges his faith and his love.
Can Tito stay true to himself in the face of evil and his own failings? Or will his mistakes keep him forever from happiness and the woman he loves?
The Lepidopterist’s Beautiful Daughter is now available in trade paperback (338 pages, ISBN 978-1-998795-32-1, $28.99 CAD) and ebook (ISBN 978-1-998795-33-8, $7.99) formats. A virtual launch party is being held on Sunday, October 18 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.
The free event is open to the public via the publisher’s Twitch stream and will feature an interview of the author, readings, and a Q&A. With a free Twitch account, viewers can ask questions or share feedback with the author.
Rae lives in Scotland and grew up in a world where hordes of workers spill out of factories, a world where fog and smoke shroud all kinds of creatures, a world where ruined castles, factories and houses are haunted by ghosts, gangs and memories. Since a child, he has tried to capture that world in words, poems, and stories. He is married and has four lovely children and now lovely grandchildren. And he continues to read and to write and marvel at the world he lives in.
The Lepidopterist’s Beautiful Daughter is Milton, Ontario-based SFF publisher Brain Lag’s fourth release of 2026 and fourth from Rae. His dark fantasy Sun Thief trilogy, comprising Crowman, Crowtower, and Crowbait, concluded in 2023.
Media inquiries and requests to contact the author can be directed to publishing@brain-lag.com.
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