Neon Hemlock has another hit on its hands with The Dead Withheld by L.D. Lewis. Published in 2025, the sapphic paranormal neo-noir novella follows Desdemona “Dizzy” Carter in her quest to find the murderer of her wife, Lonnie, the Fallen Angels serial killer. Dizzy is a Private investigator and a deadwalker witch, one who can talk to the dead, and she gets a lead on Lonnie’s case for the first time in years. With the help of her dolls, I, II, and III, she travels all over the Vegas-inspired city of San Guin, determined to finally put her past behind her and bring peace to Lonnie’s ghost. The Dead Withheld is an uproarious story of grief and the community that loves us through it all.
At the heart of The Dead Withheld, you see a woman who is struggling to process the death of her love. The way Lewis writes of grief and its ability to be all-encompassing envelops the reader in Dizzy’s mourning and memory. It adds so much emotion, grounding the story with as much force as the levity of the drunken violence and hilarious shenanigans. It was healing to see Dizzy surrounded by a community that was patient and didn’t ask or require more than Dizzy could give, while still holding her accountable.
Every character was intriguing and lovable. Dizzy’s first impression is a riotous one, striking an incredible likeness to Valykrie’s MCU entrance. You remember the one: in a drunken stupor, walking straight off the ship’s ramp? Luckily for Dizzy, she has the good sense to be in a drunken stupor in a bar owned by an old lady who’d con you into buying artisanal glass bottles filled with her backwash and grain alcohol if she didn’t like you. Dizzy is a mess, but she quickly becomes a mess you love to be around. Much like Valkyrie, she is a leader and fiercely protective of her people. The people in Dizzy’s community are loving and see Dizzy for who she is, don’t want or ask for more than Dizzy can give. Even the dead respect her…kind of. My favorite characters are the dolls, I, II, and III. Every loud guffaw and cackle was because of those creepy little creatures and their shenanigans during missions…or that one time Dizzy locked them in a car.
The world of witches, magicians, demons, vampires, and other supernatural beings was done so well. The neon imagery was easy to envision, as were the darker, grimier parts of the city. I found myself intrigued by the different parts of town and who is in control of them. I have annotations depicting just how much the Dracs, or vampires, unsettled me, and I couldn’t figure out if the interaction with the kids next to the Colorman mural reminded me of the song Teenagers by My Chemical Romance or the Kindergartners in the Disney show, Recess. Either way, I was appropriately terrified of them. This world could easily be turned into a comic or TV Show… but only in an animated format. I don’t trust live-action adaptations.
“She grabbed a set of brass knuckles with silver-tipped spikes from her bedside drawer, just in case. Silver bullets were fucking expensive.”
-The Dead Withheld by L.D. Lewis, page 25
What frustrated me was the ending, but I do understand, as contrary as it seems, the ending made sense for Dizzy and the story. I won’t call the ending a cliffhanger because the conflict is resolved at the end of the story. Lewis just leaves open possibilities in the resolution. I was looking forward to that part, but I’m trying to find the silver lining, like Lewis returning to this world. I do think that if Dizzy had made any other decision, it would have shifted the tone and atmosphere of the story too much in a different direction. What we are left with is a perfect story, and I’m okay with that.
L.D. Lewis did an amazing job with The Dead Withheld, so much so that I preordered her upcoming Saga Press release, The Year of Mer, coming out in April 2026! And I’m even more excited because it’s an adult reimagining of The Little Mermaid. You know how much I love a reimagining!!!
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