Celina Myers’s 2023 paranormal romance novel, Hollow, introduces Mia Adair, a young woman whose mundane life is irrevocably shattered when she is killed in a car crash and reborn as a vampire. Thrust into a hidden world of ancient supernatural rivalries, Mia must navigate the complex politics of two warring vampire clans, the Bellamys and the Suttons, while uncovering a conspiracy that places her at the center of their destiny. The novel explores key themes such as Reclaiming Agency in a World of Exploitation, The Enduring Legacy of Unresolved Trauma, and Found Family as an Antidote to a Predatory World.

Author Celina Myers is a prominent social media personality, widely known on TikTok for her paranormal-themed and comedic content, who has amassed a following of over 30 million. Hollow is a direct product of this online community; Myers developed the novel’s world and characters through live sessions with her followers, who provided real-time feedback. This collaborative creative process mirrors the book’s own narrative of a lost individual finding her place within a new community. Upon release, Hollow became an instant number one New York Times bestseller and is the first installment in a planned series.

This guide refers to the 2026 Hanover Square Press edition.

Content Warning: The source text and guide feature depictions of graphic violence, child death, sexual content, cursing, illness, death, pregnancy loss, substance use, and suicidal ideation.

Plot Summary

The story opens in 1725 in the village of Black Creek, which is suffering from a devastating drought and famine. Eli Bellamy, raised by his Aunt Aggie, falls in love with Elenora Sutton, a newcomer who can perceive people’s auras as colors. They marry, but their happiness is short-lived as they endure a series of tragedies, including the deaths of Eli’s father, Elenora’s family, and a miscarriage. As winter approaches, a stranger named Gregor convinces the villagers to journey to a prosperous town nearby. Three days into their journey, a deadly plague breaks out. Eli discovers Gregor’s body nearby and realizes he infected them. The villagers quarantine, but soon only Eli and Elenora are left alive. When Eli falls ill, a despairing Elenora attempts to die by suicide by jumping from a cliff. She is stopped by an old woman named Thea, who offers a cure. Thea and her son, Alexander, give Elenora a dark liquid, which she drinks before administering it to Eli. Immediately after, Alexander stabs them both, revealing they are being turned into vampires.

The narrative shifts to the present day, introducing Mia Adair, a woman nearing her 25th birthday who feels her life is mundane. In her childhood, Mia possessed the ability to see ghosts, a Gift that has since faded. Her mother, Elizabeth, is a world-renowned parapsychologist who documented Mia’s abilities in a famous book, referring to her as “Case 37.” After Mia’s father, Ben, died in a car accident when she was seven, Elizabeth became emotionally distant, leaving Mia to care for her younger sister, Sasha. A traumatic childhood event occurred when a 10-year-old Mia set a fox trap that inadvertently caused the death of her elderly neighbor, Mr. Charles. His spirit later visited to forgive her, which was her last major ghostly encounter. Mia wears her father’s wedding band, a silver ring with a black obsidian line inside it.

While working at a bookstore, Mia becomes intrigued by a mysterious, blue-haired regular named Cordelia. One day, Cordelia arrives with a blonde woman named Kris. Later, while driving home in the rain, Mia notices Cordelia and Kris’s car, along with several others, following her. When her dog, Cooper, runs into the road, Mia swerves to avoid him and crashes into a tree. As she lies dying, she sees a group of strangers, including Cordelia, Kris, and a red-haired woman, watching her. Cordelia approaches and injects a syringe of dark fluid into Mia’s chest.

Mia awakens inside a casket during her own funeral. She is met by Cordelia and others, whom she initially believes are members of a cult who have kidnapped her. Kris bluntly informs her that she is now a vampire. The leaders of two vampire Families, Elenora of the Suttons and Eli of the Bellamys, introduce themselves. Elenora recounts their origin story from 1725, explaining they were turned by the witch, Thea, and her son, Alexander. Mia learns she will undergo a trial period with each Family before choosing one.

The members of both Families introduce themselves and their turning stories. Mia begins her trial with the Bellamys at their home, Noir House. She drinks human blood from a blood bag for the first time, and her senses heighten. Margo explains more about vampire existence, revealing they have reflections and heartbeats but can be killed by a large quartz crystal to the heart. Margo evades questions about why Mia was chosen. The Bellamys take Mia to a club to celebrate her new life. Mia and Margo feel a strong mutual attraction, while Kris warns Mia not to trust Elenora.

Feeling disconnected from her old life, Mia sneaks out of Noir House to see her family one last time. She finds her mother and sister bonding in their grief. Her dog, Cooper, attacks her, not recognizing her new scent, and the wound on her arm heals almost instantly, confirming she can never return. On her way back, her cabdriver, Gary, is brutally killed by Elenora, who shoves a horrified Mia toward the body; driven by her new vampire instincts, Mia drinks his blood. Margo, Kris, and Toby arrive and dispose of the evidence.

Back at Noir House, the Bellamys reveal a growing threat: Someone is creating unsanctioned new vampires and then killing them for their uniquely potent, healing blood. Later, at a club, Mia witnesses Elenora murder two women during their turning process in the basement. That night, Mia and Margo become intimate, and Margo shares her tragic human past involving her executed lover, Emma.

The next day, Mia moves to the Suttons’ residence at the Bruce Hotel. She meets Thea, the ancient and frail matriarch of both Families. Thea identifies the obsidian in Mia’s father’s ring as a material that suppresses psychic gifts and instructs her to remove it. In the car, Thea reveals that Mia is destined to be the next matriarch; Thea’s power began to fade when Mia was born, and she plans to transfer her remaining energy to Mia at a ceremony. Thea also recounts Elenora’s violent past, including the murder of Eli’s pregnant human lover centuries ago. At the hotel, Luca, a Sutton, has recreated Mia’s childhood bedroom, which deeply moves her. Mia confronts Elenora at dinner about murdering Gary, but Elenora denies it and attempts to use a mind-control power called a Veil on Mia, who decides to play along.

With her ring removed, Mia’s Gift returns, and she sees the ghost of Alison, Margo’s deceased girlfriend, who warns her against listening to “him.” At the beach with the Suttons, Luca kisses Mia, and she realizes he is using a Veil to manipulate her feelings. She confronts and rejects him. Alexander and Kris secretly visit Mia and confirm Elenora is dangerous, giving Mia a panic button.

The ceremony takes place at an abandoned theater. When asked to choose a Family, Mia chooses the Bellamys and publicly accuses Elenora of being the rogue killer. Elenora confesses, revealing she sells new vampire blood to wealthy humans and has been drinking it herself to gain immense power. She transforms into a monstrous creature, and Luca is revealed as her accomplice. Elenora murders several Suttons, decapitates Thea, and kills Eli. The Bellamys arrive, alerted by Mia’s panic button. Kris gives Mia her father’s ring. When Mia puts it on, Thea’s full power transfers to her. Now the matriarch, Mia uses her new abilities to kill Elenora and Luca before setting the theater ablaze.

In the aftermath, the few survivors, including Mia and her remaining friends, flee the city in two cars. Mia feels emotionally empty despite her immense power. She discovers the obsidian in her father’s ring has transformed into amethyst, the same stone as Thea’s power-transferring pendant. Their car is pulled over by a police officer, who Mia recognizes as her supposedly dead father, Ben.