Pre-order Releases Dec 1, 2026
This Vital Absence
From $20.50 / copy at 25+ copies; lower per-copy prices at higher quantities (see Volume pricing) As low as $18.17 at 1,000+
Volume pricing
The more copies, the less each one costs
Applied automatically in your cart. No code needed.
About the book
This Vital Absence
Seductive, unsettling, and impossible to put down, This Vital Absence is a novel about inheritance that transforms into an uneasy reckoning with the stories we tell to survive.
Sylvia is the daughter of two loving mothers, but she has always wanted to know her father. When she moves back to New York City, a dossier arrives from her moms, with a new lead: Dean, an anesthesiologist who may bear some responsibility in the death of a pop star. At the same time, Sylvia meets Molly, a woman with her own family mysteries, with whom she makes a deal: they will help each other in the search for each other’s biological families. These three are drawn into a series of narrative games, games that leave Sylvia and Molly reeling and faced with a choice about the kinds of stories in which they are willing to participate. With the propulsive prose and psychological intensity of Patricia Highsmith, Veltfort probes questions of inheritance and intimacy, the allure of obsession, and misunderstandings that shape our lives.
What readers are saying
Details
- Publisher
- Deep Vellum Publishing
- Author
- Sophia Veltfort
- Format
- Hardcover
- Release date
- Dec 1, 2026
- ISBN-13
- 9781646054480
- ISBN-10
- 1646054482
- Pages
- 288
- Carton quantity
- 3 copies
Who it's for
Made for sharing
Pre-order copies for everyone on your list, and they ship on release.
- Book clubs A copy for every member, on one order. Get a quote
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- Author events and signings Copies at the venue in time for the day. Get a quote
- Gifts For clients, staff, members or volunteers. Get a quote
Before release day
Need them before Dec 1?
Books ship on release and usually arrive around the release date. Early delivery is common, and we arrange it often. It needs the publisher’s OK, so tell us why you need them early and we’ll make the request for you.
- Tell us the date and the reasonA class unit, an event, a program launch: one line is enough.
- We ask the publisherWe make the request on your behalf. It’s a routine part of what we do.
- We confirm with youYour specialist confirms the date by email before anything ships.
Other times a quote is the better path
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- Custom touchesBookplates, belly bands, gift notes or packaging for your copies.
- Purchase ordersSchools, libraries and agencies can pay by PO.
This Vital Absence for groups: pricing
Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart. No codes, no account needed.
| Copies | Price per copy | You save |
|---|---|---|
| 25 – 99 | $20.50 | 21% off list |
| 100 – 249 | $19.72 | 24% off list |
| 250 – 499 | $19.46 | 25% off list |
| 500 – 999 | $18.68 | 28% off list |
| 1,000+ | $18.17 | 30% off list |
Where can I buy 100 copies of This Vital Absence?
BookPal sells This Vital Absence in quantity. At 100 copies the price is $19.72 a copy, against a list price of $25.95, and the cart applies the volume tier automatically. Free shipping on most orders over $95 in the contiguous US. A specialist can quote a larger or mixed order.
- New books only, straight from the publisher
- Volume prices apply automatically in the cart, with no code needed
- Order at least 10 business days before you need the books (11 from mid-November through December)
What does This Vital Absence cost when I buy for a group?
Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart, with no code needed. Price per copy: 25 to 99 copies, $20.50 (21% off list); 100 to 249 copies, $19.72 (24% off list); 250 to 499 copies, $19.46 (25% off list); 500 to 999 copies, $18.68 (28% off list); 1,000+ copies, $18.17 (30% off list). Need a different quantity, or a quote to forward for approval? Ask a specialist and we will confirm pricing before you pay.
How fast can I get copies of This Vital Absence?
This title is not released yet. Pre-orders ship when it is, currently scheduled for December 1, 2026. Need them by a specific date? Request a quote and we'll confirm timing before you pay.
Can you ship to several locations or people's homes?
Yes. We ship group orders to one address, to multiple sites, or to individual recipients, in the US and internationally. See fulfillment options.
Can I get a formal quote for approval before ordering?
Yes. Request a quote and we'll send a PDF you can forward for approval.
Do you accept purchase orders and tax-exempt orders?
Yes. We accept purchase orders upon approval, as well as cards, PayPal, ACH, wire transfers and checks. BookPal is a tax-exempt supplier in all 50 states. See purchase orders and sales tax exemption.
What if I find a lower price?
Send us the link. We match prices from other booksellers and distributors on a new copy in the same edition, available to ship in the quantity you need. Clearance sales and pricing errors are the exception, and we'll tell you quickly if that's the case. Start a price match.
Turn this order into a program
Groups that order together often pair the copies with something more. We handle the extras so you don't have to.
Bookplates, tipped-in pages, belly bands or author signatures. Subject to publisher approval.
Customization options Ship to every readerOne address, many sites or individual recipients' homes, in the US and abroad.
Fulfillment options Pair it with a branded journalJournals with your logo or each reader's name, for the same group.
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