Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson
Publication Date: January 17, 2023
Summary from NetGalley:
In this delightful sequel novella to the New York Times bestselling Sorcery of Thorns, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas must unravel the magical trap keeping them inside Thorn Manor in time for their Midwinter Ball!
Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters hungry for gossip about the city’s most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate’s wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping the Manor’’ occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another…
With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas—along with their new maid Mercy—will have to work together to discover the source of the magic behind the malfunctioning wards before they’re due to host the city’s Midwinter Ball. Not an easy task when the house is filled with unexpected secrets, and all Elisabeth can think about is kissing Nathaniel in peace. But when it becomes clear that the house, influenced by the magic of Nathaniel’s ancestors, requires a price for its obedience, Elisabeth and Nathaniel will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right.
ARC provided by Simon and Schuster via NetGalley for an honest review.
Confession:
Sorcery of Thorns is one of my all time favorite books and I was thrilled to read this novella set in that world with my favorite characters. It was such a treat to see them again and to learn what happens to them after the book had ended.
Elizabeth is just as delightful in this story as she is in the book. She is really coming into her own as person with many skills. I love how she handles the grimoires in the Nathaniel’s library. She also appears to have some skills in getting the house to behave itself as well.
Nathaniel is also coming to terms with his relationship to magic as well as Elizabeth. I just adored his attempts to woe her, including the blackberry jam flood. Even with his health issues he is still able to handle whatever the house chooses to throw at him. It is very obvious how he feels about Elizabeth and it was so fun to see him show his feelings to her and to the house.
Silas was also just as charming and helpful as always. He is so devoted to Nathaniel and to Elizabeth, but he also has his ways of manipulating them. I loved watching him develop a relationship, or perhaps an understanding with Mercy, who I also adored.
The story is short, but it held so much in the development of the characters. The storyline of one of the Thorn ancestors holding both Nathaniel and Elizabeth to task about their relationship was adorable. I loved the wardrobe that attacked them as well as the garden topiary. The house also was a bit of a star in this book, with the way it tried to hide some of the secrets it held from the couple.
If you enjoyed the original novel, than you are going to enjoy this one too. There is even a short chapter from Silas’s point of view at the end that many of you will be thrilled by as it hints at a further story to come.
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