Michaela Riley, Award Winning Author
★ 11 Award-Winning Novels · Three Series
Dark fiction
that lingers
long after
For every story told in the light, there is a shadow waiting to be unmasked.
11 literary award wins. Three series. One promise — a story that never truly ends.
Whether you're stepping into the psychological maze of The Storyteller's Shadow or the haunted empire of The Witch's Rebirth, pick up a Michaela Riley novel and you won't put it down.
the last page
Author & Founder
Michaela Riley
Blackwell Spines
The Honors
A body of work, decorated.
Eleven literary wins. Critical recognition from juries who don't hand out praise lightly.
ONE STAR IS A DEATH SENTENCE 11 AWARD-WINNING NOVELS NEW RELEASE CRITICS' REQUIEM-AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON THE STORTELLER'S SHADOW SERIES - BOOK ONE
★★★★★
One Star Is A Death Sentence
Critics' Requiem
The Storyteller's Shadow Series · Book One
"What if the worst review of your life wasn't a critique — it was a threat?"
When a digital mob systematically dismantles Arthur Penwright's elite literary life, the line between fiction and reality begins to bleed. The trolls who destroyed him are turning up dead — each found with a scorched, annotated copy of his novel. Is Arthur a victim seeking justice, or a storyteller finally taking control of the plot?
-
A psychological thriller where every word matters and every reader is a suspect.
-
When online criticism turns deadly, the question isn't who the killer is — it's who deserves to be killed.
-
Detective Stephen Mercer follows a trail of literary breadcrumbs into a conspiracy no one saw coming
Literary Awards
In One Series
11
3
Major Series
Thriller, Fantasy, Children's
5 star
Critical Reviews
From respected outlets
Words Crafted
Worlds you can disappear into
1 MIL+
Award Winning Series
The Witch's Rebirth
Series
Dark Epic Fantasy · Historical Fiction
Books
3
11
Awards
Unforgettable
World
1
"A dark epic of witches, gods, and a dying empire. For readers of The Mists of Avalon and The Witcher."
This masterful series has captured eleven literary awards and nominations. Step into the world of Merona — where ancient power is reclaimed, shadows hold secrets, and every choice reshapes an empire on the edge of collapse.
Dark fantasy storytelling at its most immersive.
Battle of Tolbiac narrated by Abby Filsinger
Why Riley
Fiction that refuses to leave
the reader untouched.
Craft you can feel
Sentence-by-sentence prose written for readers who notice every word.
Critically decorated
Eleven literary awards. Recognition from juries who don't lower the bar.
Worlds that linger
Three immersive series — psychological, mythic, and intimate — that don't release you.
A reader's compass
If you read Tana French, Erin Morgenstern, or Marion Zimmer Bradley — you're home.
About the Author
The mind behind
the shadows.
Michaela Riley is an eleven-time award-winning novelist and the founder of Blackwell Spines — a publishing imprint dedicated to dark, literary, unforgettable storytelling.
Across psychological thrillers, dark epic fantasy, and cozy children's adventures, her work is bound by one obsession: the moments when characters — and readers — discover what lives just beneath the surface.
The Reader's Journey
Three stages
to a
spellbound
reader.
Every Michaela Riley novel is engineered for the same outcome: a reader who can't stop, can't predict, and can't forget.
Open the cover
Pick a series. Whether you crave a psychological thriller or a mythic epic, your entry point is one click away.
01
Disappear
Within the first chapter you'll forget the room you're sitting in. That's the contract.
02
Stay haunted
When the last page closes, the story keeps unfolding in your head. That's the legacy.
03
More from the Archive
Five-Star Voices
What Readers
are Saying
Praise from professional reviewers, literary critics, and the readers who refuse to put a Riley novel down once they begin.
★★★★★
"This masterful work deserves more than five stars. Great plot. Great villain. Great heroine. Great stakes. I seriously loved every word."
L.E.A. · Book Reviewer
★★★★★
"With its captivating plot, dynamic characters, and beautifully crafted prose, Labyrinth of Shadows is an unforgettable read. It's an honor to award this book five stars."
Meghan Soderholm · Book RevieweR
★★★★★
"Riley delivers an intricate and haunting tale filled with mystery, magic, and the resilience of those history sought to erase. If you love The Once and Future Witches — this is worth diving into."
Literary Titan · Literary Review
Questions
Before you
turn the page.
Stay in the Shadow
Join the inner circle.
Early chapters. First-look covers. Release announcements. Sent rarely, never sold, always worth opening.
Stay Updated!
Follow me:
