Genre: Fantasy
Mallory and her sister have been trying their best to survive after their mother’s death, but unfortunately the magical gifts they inherited from her aren’t as lucrative as hers were. Mallory has the ability to see ghosts and her sister doesn’t even like talking about her gift, so they make due giving fake seances and tarot readings, and giving tours of the Saphir House to gullible tourists who are willing to buy anything. That is until Mallory gets caught by some police and must flee before getting arrested for fraud. Unbeknownst to her, one of the guests at her last house tour is actually the rightful heir to the Saphir Houses and lands and he ends up claiming she had permission to sneak onto his property to give these tours. In exchange, he wants Mallory and her sister to accompany him back to the country house in order to expel the ghost of Count Bastien, his murderous ancestor who supposedly murdered three of his wives before being killed himself. Since the ghost’s return, the ghost has been causing a lot of trouble which has led the house and vineyard to fall into disrepair as no one will work there. Mallory knows she needs to get out of the city before the police come looking for her again, but doesn’t believe she has the ability to banish a ghost. Meanwhile, she has become aware of some supernatural hunters who might be able to help for a price. Shortly after arriving at the country estate there is another brutal murder and she can’t help but feel like she knows exactly who the culprit is and it is not a ghost. Can she manage to help the current Count Bastien without revealing she is not as magical as her mother was? Will it be helpful that she can actually talk to the ghosts of the three wives that were murdered in the House Saphir houses that led to so many legends and myths to be spread about the family? Can they possibly break the curse that is holding the murdered ghosts in these ancestral houses? Will they be able to stop the murderer before more attacks occur?
This is another great story by Marissa Meyer. The retelling of Bluebeard is exciting, dramatic, and has many plot twists and turns that will keep readers intrigued. The characters are all really engaging too, especially the ghost Mallory meets at the House Saphir in town. The ending is full of surprises, but all the details make sense and feel satisfying. Readers of Meyer’s other series will enjoy this one as well. Recommended for fantasy readers.
Young Adult Book Reviews 