Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name comes a riveting novel about the risks we take to protect the ones we love in a world where crisis is always just around the corner.

On September 11, 2001, when Molly Fitzgerald was only two months old, her mother went to an appointment at the World Trade Center and never came home. Her father and the stepmother who raised her couldn’t have loved her more, but she still grew up with a healthy dread of disasters.

Now an adult, she runs the Rhode Island Department for Emergency Preparedness, mapping out ways to save lives during storms, epidemics, and airplane crashes. She and her husband, Jesse—a police polygraph expert with his own history of crisis—have found a love that is a solace in a dangerous world. But then the unexpected upends their new marriage, leading them both to question everything they thought they knew.

Moving between past and present, Hollow Bones is an epic story of the lies we tell ourselves as we write the narratives of our lives, the plans we design to protect ourselves at the worst moments, and the ties that bind mothers and daughters.

Hardcover, 464 pages

Published September 15, 2026

 by Ballantine Books

5/5 stars

I went into Hollow Bones almost completely blind. All I knew was that it had something to do with 9/11 and that was enough. I've read enough Jodi Picoult over the years to know that her books are twisty, emotional and deals with relevant subject matter.

Hollow Bones centers on Molly Fitzgerald, who was just two months old on September 11, 2001. Her mother went to a meeting at the World Trade Center and never came home. Now an adult, 25 year old Molly has a high paced and high pressure job in Rhode Island's emergency preparedness department, along with her husband Jesse, a police polygraph examiner, face the unexpected and life is shaken up - to put it mildly.

The story is told from two points of view, one in the present day and one in the past, they run together until finally meeting. The many layers to this book and the weaving back and forth is done smoothly. Another reason I love this author's writing.

Picoult is known for you research which yet again shines through.  I came away knowing more about 9/11 than I expected to, and her portrayal of the aftermath is still felt especially with the 25th anniversary on the pages.

This isn't just a story of 9/11 but also motherhood and at the struggles new mothers face in a world that wasn't ready to recognize or talk about them. I really can't say more on this subject (spoilers) suffice to say it was hard to read at times, but it needed to be said.  

Reading as a Canadian, I was struck by how much of that day belongs to all of us. I remember exactly where I was and I think most Canadians my age do. We lost some our own citizens that morning and opened the doors of our communities, like Gander, when the planes came needing to land. This book brought all of that back.

Longtime readers of Jodi Picoult will be surprised (and happy) to see familiar faces from the past.

Hollow Bones is a story of family,  it is an emotional, thoughtful and beautifully researched read. Picoult does it again.

This book was part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge - #39

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love in the start of a heartwarming and enchanting new fantasy series.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.

Paperback, 335 pages

Published October 24, 2023

 by Del Rey

3.75/5 stars

I'm always happy to pick up a book by a fellow Canadian, Heather Fawcett has come up with a premise I haven't seen before. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a clever idea and made for a fun read.

It's 1909 and Emily Wilde is a Cambridge professor who is far more comfortable with faeries than with people. She heads to Hrafnsvik, a remote, snowbound village in the far north to study the local Hidden Ones for the encyclopaedia she's been compiling. The story unfolds through her field journal, which gives a front-row seat to her observations, her frustrations and her very dry sense of humour. Her plans are thrown off when her academic rival, the charming and maddening Wendell Bambleby turns up uninvited.

I really enjoyed the world building. The faeries aren't the sweet, glittery kind. They're actually kinda strange, unpredictable and even downright scary. The cold, isolated setting adds to the atmosphere nicely.

The characters are easy to like, the townsfolk with their little quirks and the banter between Emily and Wendell was genuinely witty.  The story itself had that folklore feel, which I love.

This is the first book in a series, so far 4 books.  If you enjoy fantasy with a bit of academic flavour, a slow-burn dynamic between its leads, and a heroine who'd rather be left alone with her notes, I recommend giving this a go.

This book was part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge - #37

Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango

A novel in verse in which a lost dog helps a lonely girl find a way home to her family . . . only for them to find family in each other along the way.

Titi Silvia leaves me by myself to unpack,
but it’s not like I brought a bunch of stuff.
How do you prepare for the unpreparable?
How do you fit your whole life in one bag?
And how am I supposed to trust social services
when they won’t trust me back?

Laura Rodríguez Colón has a plan: no matter what the grown-ups say, she will live with her parents again. Can you blame her? It’s tough to make friends as the new kid at school. And while staying at her aunt’s house is okay, it just isn’t the same as being in her own space.

So when Laura finds a puppy, it seems like fate. If she can train the puppy to become a therapy dog, then maybe she’ll be allowed to visit her parents. Maybe the dog will help them get better and things will finally go back to the way they should be.

After all, how do you explain to others that you’re technically a foster kid, even though you live with your aunt? And most importantly . . . how do you explain that you’re not where you belong, and you just want to go home?

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published September 12, 2023

 by Random House Books for Young Readers

4.5/5 stars

The more I read books in verse I shouldn't be surprised with how much they can say in so few words, Something Like Home is a great example. It's a middle grade book, that deals with some very grown-up realities, Andrea Beatriz Arango handles them with real care.

Eleven-year-old Laura is living with an aunt she barely knows. Her parents are in rehab, and Laura is convinced it's all her fault. And now if she can just make the right choices, she can fix everything and get her family back. When she finds a lost dog, it becomes part of her plan to do exactly that. 

The guilt Laura feels is woven through letters she writes to her parents, they are full of hope one moment and desperation the next. The author herself was a teacher and it shows that she can clearly understands kids as it shines through on the pages.

Something Like Homes is a book that opens up conversations that don't come up often enough in children's fiction: what it's like to have a parent struggling with addiction, when sometimes you have to rely on yourself at such a young age and even how a therapy dog can help a child who can't find the words for what she's feeling. 

This would be a wonderful choice for a young reader, a classroom, or anyone who works with kids going through upheaval at home. And for adults like me, it's a gentle reminder that children often carry far more than we realize.

This book is part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge #38

The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Newly-moved to the English Cotswolds, Gemma Brown finds a job at the village’s general store and acceptance into a community she soon considers family. With a sharp eye and lively mind, molded by her insatiable love for detective novels, Gemma quickly catches the eye of the local police constable, Harry Charles, and helps him solve cases over pints or sherries at the local pub.

But when Gemma, determined to learn all the “skills” she missed out during a childhood ravaged by WWII, asks the village’s star baker, Ursula Beurton, to give her baking lessons, she starts to notice things that belie the woman’s image as a typical housewife. Is Ursula hiding something or is Gemma’s imagination running away with her?

Yet Gemma knows she does not imagine the two-way radio, uncommon in 1950 and very rare outside military offices, nor she does imagine all the strange places Ursula goes, or the fact that Ursula drops encrypted notes in a tree trunk and pulls envelopes from the same hole. And what about those men she’s seen walking with out the in countryside? Pulling along her new best friend, Peggy, as her faithful sidekick, Gemma begins an investigation of her own to answer a single Is Ursula Beurton a spy?

Following her instincts, and a few skills learned through fiction, Gemma and Peggy soon get on the wrong side of the local constabulary, putting Gemma’s budding romance with P.C. Charles at risk, and become embroiled in an international intrigue involving the village’s mysterious benefactor, Lady Beatrice, British Secret Intelligence Services, and the Soviet KGB.

In an unexpected twist, however, Ursula Kuczynski Beurton, KGB codename AGENT SONYA, turns the tables on Gemma and slips through MI5’s fingers, escaping to East Germany on February 27, 1950. But before leaving, she asks Gemma for a favor which may endanger all their lives.

Kindle Edition, 315 pages

Expected publication October 6, 2026

 by Harper Muse

4/5 stars

You know by now that I'm drawn to bookish books, The Undercover Bookshop is my latest bookish read.  Katherine Reay has a knack for building stories around books and people who love them. This time she pairs that with a slice of real Cold War history and the combination makes for a charming and clever read.

It's the winter of 1950, Gemma Brown has recently moved to a Cotswold village. She's read enough mystery novels to know exactly what kind of idyllic village life she wants. The trouble is, she's far better at spotting clues and setting up the village's first bookstore than she is at baking cakes or navigating small-town social rules. When she befriends Ursula Beurton, the village's best baker and a favourite topic of local gossip, Gemma starts to wonder if Ursula might actually be a Soviet spy or if all those novels have gone to her head.

Gemma is an easy character to root for. She's a bit awkward, very determined and her love of mysteries shapes how she sees everything around her. The cozy village setting, complete with nosy neighbours and a brand-new bookshop, balances nicely against the very possibility of real danger simmering beneath the surface.

The Undercover Bookshop has a cozy mystery vibe with a bookish heroine.  There is real historical events taking place, I didn't need to google anything afterwards, the author notes completed this book nicely.

My thanks to Haroer Muse for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

Getting Away with Murder by Shari Lapena

She loves her husband.
But she might love their house more.

Jill and Ted adore their New York brownstone the way others adore their children. They have carefully, expensively, made every inch of it their own. It reflects who they are, their status and tastes. With the grand mahogany staircase and state-of-the-art kitchen, it is the stuff of glossy magazines and real-estate dreams. It is their sanctuary.

So when Ted’s inheritance runs out and he makes a bad investment, they panic. How can they protect their beloved home and enviable lifestyle?

The answer is obvious. Or at least, it is obvious to Jill and Ted. The death of one wealthy family member could solve all their problems. Together, they will get away with murder.

As long as they trust each other.

And as long as there are no surprises . . .

Paperback, 368 pages

Published July 28, 2026

 by Doubleday Canada

4/5 stars

Shari Lapena is an auto-read for me, a Canadian author, I always love seeing her name pop up with something new. 

Getting Away with Murder follows Jill and Ted, a couple whose devotion to their perfectly styled New York brownstone runs a little too deep. When financial problems can no longer be hidden Ted and Jill need a plan for a big influx of cash, that's how obsessed they are with this brownstone.  The steps they take are chilling and what sounds like a good, if not great plan doesn't always go as planned.

What makes this one work is that Lapena doesn't play coy about who's behind the scheme. Instead of building toward a whodunnit, she flips the formula and lets us watch Jill and Ted plan and execute their plot in real time, which somehow makes it more unsettling, not less. Watching two people talk themselves into justifying something so awful and then having to trust each other completely to pull it off, adds a different kind of tension than her usual mystery setup.

This was a twisty story with some genuinely unlikeable characters, but that's part of what made it work. Neither Jill nor Ted is particularly sympathetic and I found myself rooting against them just as much as I was watching to see how far they'd go. I felt like a deer in headlights the whole way through- I struggled to put it down.

Though a reverse of Lapena's usual writing style, this was equalling captivating with its unique story and characters that lack feeling.  

This book was part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge, #32

Stay Buried by Jennifer McMahon

From bestselling author of Children on the Hill comes a queer folk horror in which a woman must confront decades of secrecy and superstition to learn the truth about her mother’s death.

Some towns stay isolated for a reason.

1919: Frankie O’Massey has always been the black sheep of isolated Boone’s Ferry, Vermont. Her uncle, Dr. Thomas Endicott, has been training her in the science of medicine, something the townspeople are wary of. When a mysterious illness strikes the town, and the community suspects supernatural forces, the two desperately search for a logical explanation. Patient zero seems to be the town’s knackerman—a recluse who collects dead and dying farm animals to make use of their parts.

2016: Siblings Ashley and Malcolm lost their mother two years ago. When their grandmother dies, they inherit a property in Boone’s Ferry—a place they’ve heard of but their grandmother has always refused to talk about—and embark on a trip to their ancestral home. The idyllic town is full of autumnal décor, picturesque farmland, and small-town charm. But some of the townspeople aren’t very welcoming—and they have some unsettling traditions, like leaving offerings to a vengeful spirit four times a year.

Kobo Edition, 400 pages

Audiobook, 13 hours, 11 minutes

Published August 11, 2026

 by Gallery Books

3/5 stars

I was lucky enough to grab this one through CloudLibrary the day it was released. Jennifer McMahon is an author I keep coming back to, I like the way she always weaves in that slight supernatural, almost ghostly undercurrent to her stories. It's become something of a signature for her and Stay Buried is no exception.

This story moves between two timelines. In 1919, taking place in the isolated town of Boone's Ferry, Vermont. Frankie O'Massey works alongside her uncle, a doctor, as a mysterious illness sweeps through the town. One the townspeople are quick to blame on supernatural forces rather than anything medical. 

Nearly a century later, in 2016, siblings Ashley and Malcolm inherit a property in that same town after their grandmother's death, a place she'd always refused to talk about. What starts as a quaint, fall visit quickly reveals unsettling traditions the locals have kept alive for generations.

My feelings on this one are mixed.  The opening chapters hooked me right away, it had that creepy, small-town atmosphere vibe.  But the supernatural element itself felt different from what I've come to expect from McMahon, and the book grew repetitive in parts as it went on. There were a few twists and spooky moments but by the end I was left wanting more closure than I got, with some questions still unanswered.

Not my favorite Jennifer McMahon read, but not a read that will stop me reading more of her books.  

My copy was obtain through my local library (cloudlibrary) and the audio through Spodify.

The House with No Keys by Lindsay Currie

This the to The Mystery of Locked Rooms follows the famous Deltas as they race to complete the most challenging escape room they've ever faced...and confront their fears in order to save their friendship.

It's been just over a year since Sarah, Hannah, and West made it through the epic funhouse that changed their lives forever. Since then, the three best friends have been working for Mr. William Taters, the owner of that very funhouse, renamed The Delta Game, and completing every challenging escape room they can.

But then a strange invitation shows up from the ominous and cryptic owner of a new funhouse—The Mystery Mansion.

The Mystery Mansion claims to be the biggest and best escape house ever, and it's opening just miles away from The Delta Game. The mysterious owner has invited the trio to come test it on opening day, offering a ten-thousand-dollar prize if they successfully escape. The prize is exciting, but the three friends don't want to be a walking advertisement for a competitor to their beloved The Delta Game.

But maybe the only way to keep their funhouse in business is to accept the invite, escape the mansion in record time, and show just how boring and easy it is by comparison. The trio arrive on opening day, armed with their "fortune favors the bold" attitude. 

Unfortunately, their plan quickly goes awry. Secrets threaten their friend group, nothing in the house is as it seems, and this time, not everyone is playing fair…

Kindle edition, 250 pages

Published September 30, 2025 

by Sourcebooks Young Readers

3/5 stars

I'll admit up front, this one's been sitting in my queue for a while. It published back in September 2025, and I'm just now getting to it, so consider this fashionably late. Sometimes the back-list wins.

It's been just over a year since Sarah, West and Hannah escaped the funhouse that changed their lives in book one, The Mystery of Locked Rooms. Since then, the trio has been working for William Taters, owner of that same fun house, now branded as The Delta Game.  They tackle every escape room challenge they can find. 

In this sequel, a mysterious invitation pulls them into testing a brand-new escape house nearby, one that claims to be the biggest and best in the business.

This time around, we get a lot more insight into West and Hannah, to what's  actually going on in their lives and why the cash prize for beating this new escape house matters so much to them. Without giving too much away, it adds a layer beyond "can they solve the puzzles."

Overall, The House with No Keys is a solid follow-up that gives its sequel the room to breathe rather than just retreading the first book's formula.  It's a quick read, but not a shallow one, and it left me curious about where the Deltas go next.

My thank you to Sourcebooks Kids for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering," 

announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. 

He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood from Kwame Alexander

Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published March 18, 2014

 by Clarion Books

5/5 stars

I don't reach for verse novels very often, the ones I have read, I have enjoyed.  Such is the case with The Crossover. 

Kwame Alexander tells the story of 12-year-old Josh Bell, aka "Filthy McNasty" to his teammates and his twin brother Jordan. Two basketball phenoms following in the footsteps of their former-pro-player father. On the surface it's a sports story, full of rhythm and swagger on the court. But underneath it's really about family, sibling rivalry with first crushes pulling the twins in different directions. Add in a father whose health is quietly unraveling in the background and you've got a powerful story packed in.

It did't take long to get drawn into this story and I can see why it was the John Newbery Medal winner for 2015.  The short, punchy lines still produced depth and emotions as the story progressed. It's a fast read on paper, but it doesn't feel slight, there's real weight packed into those verses.

It's easy to see why this one took the 2015 Newbery Medal. It's the kind of book that works for reluctant readers and poetry lovers alike and it earns every bit of its reputation as a modern classic in middle-grade fiction.

This book is part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge - #31

Plot Twist: Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft: A Memoir on Writing by Harlan Coben

Bestselling author Harlan Coben offers a look behind the curtain at his own writing process in an inspiring, candid memoir filled with indispensable insights and techniques.

 With 100 million books in print world-wide and over a dozen blockbuster television and film adapations of his work, Harlan Coben has much to teach us about the creative process. Part deeply personal memoir, part masterclass in storytelling, Plot Twist is a refreshingly honest look at the life of a writer whose stories have thrilled us for decades.

Plumbing memories from his suburban childhood and his early years trying to break into publishing, Coben tells his own story for the first time, revealing the real-world inspirations for some of his most beloved characters as well as the innovative plots that drive his propulsive novels. 

Filled with useful tips and techniques on the creative process, Coben does away with the traditional "categories" of writing—characters, plot, setting, etc—and looks at the process holistically. Plot Twist is a masterclass on the act of being a writer, and everything that comes with it: the self‑doubt, the hubris, the contradictions, the passion and dedication. 

At the end of the day, his calculus is a simple one: “If it helps me produce pages, good. If it doesn’t, bad.” This book will help every aspiring writer produce pages. Honest, funny, insightful, and at times deeply moving, this is both a captivating memoir and an essential guide for anyone looking to master the art of storytelling from one of our most beloved authors.

Kindle Edition,312 pages

Published September 8, 2026 

by Grand Central Publishing

4.5/5 stars

I have been a fan of Harlan Coben ever since reading The Boy From the Woods, and have slowly been making my way through both his current releases and his backlist ever since. So getting a look behind the curtain at how he actually writes felt like a real treat.

This is part memoir and part masterclass on writing, and Coben blends the two seamlessly. He talks about his life, how he got started, and where his ideas actually come from, offering real insight into a career that has spanned decades and dozens of bestsellers. There was something genuinely relatable about reading his reflections on certain books, recognizing titles I had already read and getting the backstory behind them added a whole other layer to the experience.

He does away with the idea that there is one correct way to write a book. He rejects the traditional categories some writers try to follow - characters first, then plot, then setting, and instead shows that the process can be messy, nonlinear and different for everyone.

It was such an enjoyable read from start to finish, full of ideas, honest reflection, and a genuine sense of what it takes to build a writing life. This is a book I can absolutely see myself purchasing and reading again.

Whether you are an aspiring writer or simply a longtime fan of Coben's novels, this memoir is entertaining.

My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for a digital arc (via Netgalley) in exchange for a honest review.

Spotlight: Falling for Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Welcome to Peachtree a sweet, cozy small town where family is everything. 

The “go-to for elevated beach reads,”

Kristy Woodson Harvey, returns just in time for pumpkin spice season.

Kindle Edition, 320 pages

Expected publication September 15, 2026 

by Gallery Books

The air is crisper, the water is calmer, but, when it comes to the Murphy family, nothing is ever quite as simple as it seems.

Youngest sister Emerson is busy planning her dream wedding to Kyle. But her difficulty expanding her family is overshadowing her joy. Pregnant middle sister Sloane and her husband Adam’s dream house has turned into a nightmare. Everything is over time, over budget, and Sloane is over it. Eldest sister Caroline, as always, is there to swoop in and get her sisters’ lives under control. Until her focus is more than a little shifted by Emerson’s hunky costar who manages to sweep her right off her feet—just as her not-quite-ex-husband decides it’s high time he begged Caroline for a second chance.

Matriarch Ansley and her new husband Jack have finally hit their stride. But when a scandal that would affect every single Peachtree Bluff citizen comes to light—and it seems like Jack just might be at the center of it—Ansley questions whether he is actually the man she thought he was.

Through it all, these women must rely on their powerful family bonds, and the quirky characters and small-town charm of the place that, no matter what, always calls them home.

Spotlight: The Lost Perfumes of Paris by Christine Wells

Set against the backdrop of mid-century Parisian glamour and the timeless art of perfumery, a captivating tale of resilience, love, and the intoxicating pursuit of passion.

Paperback, 368 pages

Expected publication September 8, 2026

 by William Morrow

Élodie Limeaux's beloved mother, Aurore, was the most legendary perfumer in France before World War II, renowned for the exquisite fragrances she created for the family company, the House of Limeaux. Now in her twenties, Élodie longs to join the family business. Her father, however, has refused to let her follow in her late mother's footsteps and Élodie has had to fight to become a mere lab assistant at Limeaux. But Élodie plans to enter the Essence of Paris contest run by the French Perfume Institute, hoping that a win will secure investment from Swiss banker Monsieur Caspari, who is looking to launch a new scent for women—and possibly to buy the House of Limeaux. Impressed with Élodie's drive and talent, Caspari agrees to back her, provided that she collaborates with his son, Marcelo. Élodie is forced to agree, although Marcelo strikes her as a wealthy dilettante—albeit an extremely charming one.

When they join forces, though, Élodie is surprised to discover Marcelo's passion for perfume is genuine, his obsession as deep as hers. With Marcelo by her side, Élodie battles family betrayals and corporate sabotage, searching for that elusive essence of Paris that will launch her career...and possibly the love of a lifetime.

Spotlight: Mother Daughter Sister Stranger by Hank Phillippi Ryan

What if your own family history turns out to be a terrifying lie?

Every family has its story, and this one’s deadly.

Two sisters. One secret.

And a race against time to find the explosive truth in this twisty and captivating thriller by USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan.

 

Hardcover, 352 pages

Expected publication September 1, 2026

by Minotaur Books

The sole survivors of the fiery plane crash that killed their parents, Eliza Ramsey and her sister Bea share an unbreakable bond. But now, on the eleventh anniversary of the tragedy, Bea fails to retrieve her pre-teen daughter from a sleepover at Eliza’s.

Eliza knows her sister would never leave her precious Piper behind, and fears the worst. But did Bea plan her own disappearance?

The Ramsey’s lives have already crashed and burned once. Now, Eliza discovers she's the only one who can protect her niece from the horrifying legacy of her family’s sinister history. Together, the two must prevent their lives from going up in flames once again.

A missing mother. Her frightened daughter. And a sister on a desperate search for a happy ending. But someone knows the deadly key to their shared past, and won’t stop until they’ve written a devastating final chapter. Mother, daughter, sister—stranger.

A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin

Two women, bound by blood and betrayal, must break silence across centuries—or be silenced forever.

Lilith Legare’s life is unraveling. Since her mother’s death, strange things have been happening - plants turn toward her touch, animals linger in her path, and the birthmark on her arm has started tingling. Worse still is her recurring nightmare of being burned alive at the stake.

Her search for answers brings her from Savannah to England, to the decaying Brackenmere Manor where the past blurs with the present. There, Lilith discovers a legacy she never asked for and along with it, the threat of peril. History must be rewritten, or she too will die.

In 1645 Suffolk, Sybil Brantham stands accused as a witch. An educated, wealthy widow, she is branded a threat by men who fear her independence. As arrests begin and suspicion abounds, Sybil must protect her younger sister, even as betrayal takes root within her household.

Across centuries, Lilith and Sybil are bound by blood and by danger. To save themselves, and each other, they must confront the silence that has stolen women’s power for generations—and dare to claim their voices before it’s too late.

Kobo Edition, 380 pages

Expected publication September 1, 2026 

by Hanover Square Press

3.5/5 stars

Madeline Martin steps away from her usual World War II historical fiction with A Time of Witches,  trading the battlefields of the war for the witch hunts of 1645 in Suffolk, England. It is a big departure and for the most part it works.

The story moves between present day Lilith Legare and Sybil Brantham in the 1600s, two women connected across centuries by legacy neither of them chose. I enjoyed the present day storyline and how the links between Lilith and Sybil slowly came together. 

That said, something felt like it was missing for me, though I cannot quite put my finger on what.  Maybe I wanted more time with Sybil before her arrest. We meet her already caught up in accusation and suspicion, and I would have liked the chance to know her as a person first - an educated widow living her life before everything changes for her. That groundwork felt a little thin.

Still, this was an enjoyable read overall. Martin clearly did her research into the witch hunts and the atmosphere she builds is good throughout. 

My thanks to Hanover Press for a digital ARc in exchange for a honest review.