Jill Dearman reads from The Uncanny Case of Gilles/Jeannette
Author Jill Dearman reads from her short novel, The Uncanny Case of Gilles/Jeannette, published by The Shortish Project.
The Uncanny Case of Gilles/Jeannette is a gender-swapped take on Jekyll and Hyde. Set in Hudson, NY during the Great Depression, it follows the story of 20-year-old Jeannette, the daughter of John Darby, a widower, failed inventor, and proprietor of The Diamond Inn. Longing for her friend Dahlia, and traumatized by her father’s sudden illness, Jeannette experiments in his basement laboratory with the purpose of transforming herself into a man. She unleashes Gilles, her male alter-ego, thinking he will successfully seduce Dahlia, but Gilles cannot be controlled, and has other plans—which include murder. The story is framed by the modern tale of a queer Brooklyn couple, who have inherited the property, one of whom has a dark ancestral tie to the Inn. This gothic thriller explores the complex issues of gender, homophobia, race, and the Pandora’s box hidden within each of our natures, all while weaving in a disturbing episode of Depression-era history involving one ofAmerica’s most beloved singers.
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“Cleverly pushes the Jekyll and Hyde premise toward an exploration of gender and desire ... A pointed contemporary twist on a classic horror setup." - Kirkus Reviews
JUNE’S MOST ANTICIPATED LGBTQIA+ BOOKS - Lambda Literary
“Cinematic and seductive. This bold novella will tear at your heart.” — Rob Schmidt, director, Fran K: Frankenstein and Wrong Turn
“An exploration of psycho-sexual duality propelled by a narrative engine that drives this expert updating of the classic Jekyll and Hyde paradigm. Ripe with intrigue and invention."— Scooter McCrae, director, Saint Frankenstein and Shatter Dead
Jill Dearman writes socially-engaged crime fiction. She is the author of several books including Jazzed, which was selected by Kirkus as a “Best Indie Historical Fiction Novel of 2022.” Jazzed is a gender-swapped take on the iconic 1924 Leopold and Loeb murder case. Kirkus gave it a starred review, as well, and singled it out for praise in a Kirkus Magazine article: Indie Crime Novels With Unforgettable Leads. The audiobook also recently received an Earphones Award. Dearman is also the author of a book on the history of feminism for teenagers. She is a Part-Time Writing Professor in Liberal Studies at New York University. For more: www.jilldearman.com.
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