Ghanaian American cardiologist, cartoonist, and author Shirlene Obuobi has announced a new novel My Soul to Take, to be published by Viking Books in 2026.

Obuobi made the announcement by sharing the deal report from Publishers Marketplace, which describes the novel as “Twilight for adults, in which a Black interventional cardiologist in her 30s must choose between following her desire or listening to her instincts when she falls for an alluring, much-younger man with a dark secret.”

My Soul to Take was pitched to publishers as “a feminist, trope-subverting novel with a paranormal twist, perfect for a book club audience,” the novel “explores power dynamics in relationships, how society gaslights black women, and what a healthy relationship with a supernatural being would actually look like.”

This will be her third novel, following her debut On Rotation (2023) about a Ghanian-American medical student and Between Friends & Lovers (2024), a will-they-won’t-they romance. This will also be her first book published by Viking Penguin. Her previous two works were published by HarperCollins: Avon.

Obuobi also shared the initial notes from when the idea for this book came to her, noting the idea’s ease of execution (“easy”), her enthusiasm for it (“high”), and concerns (“maybe not marketable right now”).

She posted her excitement at sharing this news and the forthcoming release:

This was my “screw it” book. My “let me just write something wild” book. My “I just reclaimed my life after burning it all down, so I might as well write exactly what I want” book. The only person who read it before it went on sub was my agent, @helmliterary . Editors have described it as “spicy speculative,” “horror romance,” “upmarket paranormal romance,” etc, and I think all of those things work! I’m just so proud of this one, and can’t wait for you to read.

We can’t wait to hear more and read the book next year! Congratulations to Obuobi! See her full Instagram post below: