Till Death

Gr 10 Up–Howard, a queer high school senior, is counting down the days until college, where he hopes to escape the relentless bullying and harassment he endures at school. Alongside his best friend Sue, a trans man, he dreams of leaving a legacy of change—only to be met with resistance from the school board. At home where he lives with his grandmother, Howard finds solace in volunteering at a local nursing home, where a chance encounter with the charmingly old-fashioned George changes everything. George is visiting James, a new resident, and soon, George and Howard strike up a romance—one that not only faces the harsh realities of homophobia but is also complicated by a startling revelation: George is an 80-year-old vampire in a decades-long relationship with non-vampire James, Sue’s grandfather. As James’s health declines, the situation grows even more tangled. With Howard caught between his newfound love and his best friend’s family ties, past and present collide in unexpected and heartbreaking ways. McDaniel masterfully blends genres in this novel, which seamlessly intertwines queer romance, historical queer glimpses, and erotic vampire fiction. With nods to queer history and beloved films across generations, the story delivers moments of tenderness, longing, and profound loss, while confronting homophobia and the painful realities of family denialism. The use of vampire fiction to metaphorically address homosexuality, AIDS references, and hidden love is done with sensitivity and a light hand.