The Mysteries of Thorn Manor

Thorn Manor has sealed itself against the world: thorny hedges lash the sky, topiaries prowl like guard animals, and the wind itself hisses disapproval. Elisabeth Scrivener and Magister Nathaniel Thorn need to get these ancient wards under control before the city’s biggest event—the Midwinter Ball—arrives on their doorstep. Their best ally? Silas, Nathaniel’s demon servant, who cooks like a saint and threatens like an angel. Together, they untangle dusty family grimoires, chase down a long-lost muniment room, and accidentally unleash Aunt Clothilde’s cursed wardrobe on the entire house. The solution isn’t brute force. It’s tradition—old sorcerous courtship rites that ask for three impossible deeds. Between healing old hurts, confronting Nathaniel’s nightmares, learning to dance in a hidden ballroom, and crossing a frozen garden that hasn’t existed in years, Elisabeth and Nathaniel discover that the wards aren’t just testing their magic. They’re testing their promises. The question isn’t whether they’ll make it to the ball. It’s whether they’ll choose each other when they get there.

• Fans of cozy, character-driven fantasy with a strong romantic thread
• Readers who loved Sorcery of Thorns and want a warm, witty return
• Listeners who enjoy found family, banter, and magical houses with opinions

Margaret Rogerson is the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens, Sorcery of Thorns, and Vespertine. She studied cultural anthropology at Miami University and lives near Cincinnati, Ohio, where she sketches, games, makes pudding, and watches more documentaries than people tell her is reasonable. Her books blend rich worldbuilding, sharp humor, and swoony romance.