The Secret Market of the Dead
#6333.58 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 2025 Reading commitment Low Giovanni De Feo Last reviewed 2026-09-02
Overview
The Secret Market of the Dead is a standalone gothic historical fantasy novel by Giovanni De Feo (2025, Saga Press). Set in an 18th-century Neapolitan town, it follows a young woman navigating shifting power and obligation between the world of the living and a nocturnal realm ruled by immortals, where the dead are traded like currency. Drawing on Italian folklore and myth, the novel was a finalist for the 2026 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.
Historical fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
The Secret Market of the Dead (2025) core · 3.58 (774 ratings)
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Secret Market of the Dead? The Secret Market of the Dead's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is The Secret Market of the Dead finished? Complete (2025).
- How much reading does The Secret Market of the Dead take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book · ~323 pages).
- How is The Secret Market of the Dead ranked? #633 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 774 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #633?
Ranked #633 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 3.58 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (774 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.01 behind #632, Kull of Atlantis.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
- A single standalone novel: ranked on that one book alone.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 1 book · Complete · 774 ratings · Ranks #633 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment historical fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- World Fantasy Award (Best Novel), 2026: nominated: The Secret Market of the Dead
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- The Melancholy of Untold History Mythic fantasy / Historical fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.59
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.58 across 774 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Admit The Secret Market of the Dead (Giovanni De Feo) accepted 2026-09-02
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Secret-Market-of-the-Dead/Giovanni-De-Feo/9781668077368
- https://reactormag.com/here-are-the-2026-world-fantasy-award-finalists/
Last reviewed: 2026-09-02
Rule: Core Canon is the single published novel, The Secret Market of the Dead (2025).