Acclaimed ‘California Bear’ Author Duane Swierczynski Uncovers Secrets of the Deadly Aztec Hotel in New Graphic Thriller ‘DEAD FLOWERS’

A Serial Killer Unmasked During a Once-In-A-Lifetime Tour of the Historic Route 66 Hotel

The Aztec Hotel is a mysterious landmark off Route 66, once a golden example of Mayan Revival architecture but now a long-forgotten relic of the past, rumored to be riddled with ghosts and a cursed past.

DEAD FLOWERS begins with a gruesome murder in 1949 that shakes the small town that’s home to the notorious Aztec Hotel. Now, over 70 years later, the new owners of the hotel claim to have solved the famous case and promise to reveal the killer’s true identity to anyone who takes their special tour.

Laney, new to town and curious about the infamous local attraction, decides to join this once-in-a-lifetime tour but soon finds that someone—or something—will go to deadly lengths to keep the secret hidden forever, no matter the cost.

Dive into this twisted thriller from Edgar Award-nominated Duane Swierczynski, the NYT bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including California Bear and the Charlie Hardie series, as well as co-authored works with James Patterson, Audible Original The Guilty (starring John Lithgow and Bryce Dallas Howard), private eye thriller Lion & Lamb, and the newly released bestseller Billion Dollar Ransom.

“The first time I had my hair cut in a haunted hotel in Monrovia, California, I knew I’d be writing about it. My barber would tell me ghost stories about the former… um, residents… he encountered,” Swierczynski said. “But it wasn’t the supernatural that spoke to me; in fact, DEAD FLOWERS isn’t supernatural at all. I was inspired by the idea of supposedly ‘historical’ events that very much impact us — sometimes violently — in the present.”

Debuting February 10, 2026 in comic shops, bookstores, and the Storm King Comics website, DEAD FLOWERS is a graphic novel thriller full of twists and turns for fans of true crime and murder mysteries.

Features art by Andrea Mutti, an Italian comic book illustrator who has worked with publishers worldwide, including Marvel, DC, Image, and Dark Horse on series such as Star Wars, X-Men, Batman, Punisher, Wolverine, George A. Romero’s Empire of the Dead, and many more.

“Despite its perpetual sunshine, Los Angeles is home to some of the most haunted locations in the world, proving that even the brightest lights can cast the deepest, darkest shadows,” said Sandy King, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Storm King Comics. “That’s what makes Duane’s story so compelling, and gives us the opportunity to dive into the history and legacy of the century-old Aztec Hotel. This is a story that combines the most suspenseful elements of true crime, horror, and mystery into a singular experience that’ll leave you guessing for a long time to come, making it the perfect fit for our Dark & Twisted line.”

DEAD FLOWERS is the newest release from Storm King Comics’ imprint Dark & Twisted which brings horror to the streets with mystery, thriller, and crime graphic novels from the darkest and most twisted minds on the scene. Acclaimed titles from the imprint include Long Haul by Cullen Bunn & Andrea Mutti, Death Mask by Amanda Deibert & Cat Staggs, and The Killing Hole by Steve Niles & Trevor Denham.

DEAD FLOWERS will be available in local comics shops (findyourcomicstore.com), bookstores (bookshop.org), Storm King Comics (stormkingcomics.com), and everywhere books are sold on February 10, 2026.

Author Profile

Al Mega: I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!