IS IT MAGIC, OR IS IT MURDER?

A tightly plotted page-turner ripped from the headlines of history, as three very different women must work together to stop a killer and save the truest home they’ve ever known.

PRAISE

An NPR Best Book of 2024

A Goodreads Editors’ Pick for September 2024

“Immersive and compelling . . . The Mesmerist will linger long after you turn the last page.” —NPR

“History and imagination merge in The Mesmerist.” —The Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Readers will be up all night.” -Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Caroline Woods is a masterful storyteller. You will be on the edge of your seat as you read the story of Faith, Abby and May as they set out to solve a murder in 19th century Minneapolis. Unforgettable characters set in a time of dark history is haunting, atmospheric and thrilling. True crime junkies and historical fiction fanatics, this fabulous read is for you!” –Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Left Undone

“The magic of The Mesmerist is not only found in the spiritualism that haunts every page, but also the three tenacious women at its core, dedicated to unmasking America’s first serial killer. With expert skill, Woods turns the screw, ratcheting up the real danger and the contemporary panic around women’s independence. A darkly textured, delicious read.”  —Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters

"Riveting. . . . A good, timely choice for discussion on women's bodily autonomy and the ability to live independently from a man's control." -Booklist

“A mystery, a page turner, and a glimpse of true crime in 19th century Minneapolis, The Mesmerist is both entertaining and enlightening.  It’s a compelling story of murder, deception, unwed mothers, and the steadfast women dedicated to helping them.  Beautifully rendered characters and excellent storytelling.” –Allegra Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of Sam

“The Mesmerist nimbly explores the power of women’s solidarity in fin-de-siècle Minneapolis, weaving dark magic and peril into a propulsive and chilling read. Clever, atmospheric and haunting.” —Michelle Min Sterling, New York Times bestselling author of Camp Zero 

“A jewel box of a historical novel, Caroline Woods’ The Mesmerist draws the reader into a richly detailed story of women forced to make their own way in a world that would really prefer they didn’t. With bare-faced, beautiful honesty, The Mesmerist navigates the complexities and intimacies of womens’ lives outside of polite society, all with a deliciously sinister undercurrent of mystery.” –Claudia Cravens, bestselling author of Lucky Red

The Lunar Housewife

A stylish and suspenseful historical page-turner following an up-and-coming journalist who stumbles onto a web of secrets, deceptions, and mysteries at a popular new literary magazine-inspired by the true story of CIA intervention in Cold War American arts and letters.

“Sly and delightful . . . the book is the equivalent of a flinty, modern dame holding her own in a room full of condescending men.” —The New York Times Book Review

Fräulein M.

In this multilayered historical novel that explores family secrets and hidden identities, "Woods skillfully captures the disorienting mixture of heady freedom and mounting fear characterizing 1930s Berlin, and the political and gender issues she raises add contemporary relevancy" —Publishers Weekly

"Caroline Woods shows tremendous skill in portraying these characters. A big story ingeniously conceived and intimately told, full of feeling and revealing details...a sheer pleasure to read." —Ha Jin, National Book Award and PEN/Faulkner award winning author of Waiting and War Trash