Title: “The London Séance Society”
By Sarah Penner

Reading Level: Adult

In the highly anticipated novel from the author of The Lost Apothecary, Lenna Wickes is searching for answers. Less than a year ago in London 1872, her beloved sister Evie Wickes was found dead in their home garden. Evie had been a devoted student of the world-famous spiritualist Vauldeline D’Allaire and was obsessed with life after death. Her passion and mysterious murder has Lenna going against her belief in the hard sciences to seek out Miss D’Allaire in Paris. In Paris, they decide that Lenna will learn how to perform a séance and go back to London alone to conjure Evie and ask her who murderer is. However, their plan goes awry when they learn that the leader of the London Séance Society died the same night as Evie. Contracted by the Mr. Morbly to solve his murder, the two women start unravelling the plot of both of their murders and the deceptions of the society. Although, they are unprepared for what they find.

The plot of this book is a mixture of the supernatural, mystery, thriller and romance. The dual point-of-views of Lenna Wickes and Mr. Morbly deepen the story and keeps the reader wanting more. This book can be found in the library and on Hoopla.

Title: “Royal Blood”
By Aimee Carter
Reading Level: Young Adult

In Aimee Carter’s return to young adult fiction, Evangeline Bright, also known as Evan, is your average American girl. She’s been kicked out of multiple boarding schools and is about to be expelled from another for setting a building on fire, just normal teenager things. Also, she just happens to be the illegitimate daughter of the King of England. After her latest expulsion, her father decides enough is enough and she will be spending the summer in England with him. Now living in Windsor Castle, Evan is thrust into a world she’s only ever observed. Her hostile stepmother wants her gone. Her half-sister, the King’s legitimate heir, ridicules her at every turn. And, new “friends” plot to destroy her and even try to frame her for murder. All of this gets leaked to the press and they are ready to make the whole world think she killed someone. Will Evan ever find a way out of this mess?

This new novel is the start of a new trilogy from Aimee Carter. Starting off strong, Royal Blood is full of mysteries that only get more complicated with each new plot twist. The mystery in the book is centered mostly around political and social intrigue and the power that a monarchy has. You can find this book at the library.