A New York Times and #1 IndieBound bestseller
Both romantasy and murder mystery; perfect for fans of Divine Rivals and The Fourth Wing.
Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.
Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir – otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu – who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien’s great-grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu’s ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.
But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.
But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest challenge: learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.
Praise for The House Saphir
“Meyer takes the classic French folktale “Bluebeard” and expertly sprinkles in ghosts and otherworldly creatures to create an eerie tale with a side of steamy romance. The characters are full-bodied, possessing either winsome or terrifying auras, while the setting beautifully conveys a bewitching ambiance….Bloody brilliant!” ―Kirkus, starred review
“The House Saphir is a spellbinding Bluebeard retelling, complete with a coterie of ghosts, a gutsy heroine, a mysterious, handsome count, and a satisfying amount of gore.” ―Shelf Awareness, starred review
“This spirited retelling of the Bluebeard myth is full of slight scares and an undercurrent of humor (Saphir’s first wife, Triphine, is hilarious as a ghost)….Meyer has been a commercial success in every genre she’s tried (especially fairy tale retellings), and this is no exception.” ―Booklist
“A decaying manor in a quasi-Victorian setting is an ideal backdrop for witchery, murders, and light romance, and the brisk, propulsive pace makes the four hundred plus pages fly by.” ―BCCB
“Meyer fans and new readers alike will find much to love in this spooky, atmospheric read. A welcome addition to any library collection.” ―School Library Journal
“Marissa Meyer’s lush, immersive prose depicts a vibrant world populated with charming characters from which readers won’t want to tear themselves away.” ―BookPage