A Study in Drowning,

Fantasy literature often draws upon folklore and historical mythology to examine sociopolitical tensions, a tradition central to the young adult fantasy novel A Study in Drowning. Ava Reid entered the publishing world with dark speculative fiction that weaves folklore, academic rivalries, and institutional power dynamics into narrative frameworks across both young adult and adult fantasy genres.

Career & Background

Ava Reid was born in Manhattan and raised across the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey. She earned a degree in political science from Barnard College, where her academic research focused on religion and ethnonationalism. Prior to becoming a full-time novelist, her professional background included work for a refugee resettlement organization, service in the office of a United States senator, and employment at an artificial intelligence robotics startup. Her academic study of religious and national identity directly informs the political systems and ideological conflicts present in her fiction, which has been published in over fourteen territories. Reid has lived in Palo Alto as well as the New York area.

Writing Style & Themes

Reid's writing frequently explores the intersection of myth, historical conflict, and gender dynamics through dark, atmospheric fantasy. Drawing upon fairytales such as those of the Brothers Grimm alongside Eastern European and regional folklore, her stories examine institutional corruption, religious fervor, and the survival of marginalized characters within hostile social structures. Her works range from gothic dark fantasy to dystopian young adult fiction, characterized by detailed worldbuilding, moral ambiguity, and a strong thematic focus on mythmaking and personal agency.

Major Works

• A Study in Drowning — A young adult gothic fantasy novel following an architecture student who travels to a coastal estate to design a memorial for a national literary icon, only to uncover dark secrets and competing narratives surrounding his legacy.
• Lady Macbeth — A dark historical fantasy reinterpretation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, examining power, agency, and survival from the perspective of the Scottish queen.
• The Wolf and the Woodsman — Reid's debut fantasy novel inspired by Hungarian history and folklore, detailing the tense alliance between a hidden pagan woman and a disgraced prince in a religious kingdom.
• Juniper & Thorn — A dark gothic fantasy inspired by the Grimms' fairytale The Juniper Tree, set in a monster-filled city and exploring family trauma, magic, and escape.