Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher is a folklore-filled romantic mystery that is impossible to put down! Set in 1851 York, the most haunted city in England, the novel introduces readers to Lizzie Grimm, the daughter of a mother who can communicate with spirits and a deceased father who once owned and operated the now struggling curiosities shop. When Lizzie’s mother falls into a trance after an encounter with a ghost, Lizzie must manage the household and the family’s flailing business to make ends meet.
Grimm Curiosities takes place at Christmastime, and it is during an atmospheric snowfall that Lizzie encounters two men with an occult interest in what her shop has to offer. The first man, Antony Carlisle, the son of a Baron, has lost his own mother to illness and seen his little sister suffer from the same strange affliction that affects Lizzie’s mother. The second man, Ambrose Stoke, a collector of antiquities, hopes to purchase a series of old books from the shop, but the books have a sentimental value to Lizzie because they contain stories and folklore she once shared with her father. When Antony and Lizzie also discover that the books are connected to the perplexing afflictions of their loved ones, they work together to uncover the mystery all while navigating the strict social environment that would keep the son of a baron and the daughter of a shopkeeper from moving in the same circles.
Sharon Lynn Fisher has written a heartwarming, romantic story populated with engaging characters navigating a rich, winter atmosphere, but her book offers so much more than a typical read! Fisher’s novel is permeated with folklore, making specters, spirits, ghosts, and portals to other worlds a palpable part of a real-world mystery. The treasured collection of books Lizzie inherits from her father includes titles like The Krampus, The Wild Hunt, The Werewolf, and Ireland’s Merrow, and each volume blurs the lines between fantasy and reality, between the world we recognize and the worlds we dream about. The Victorian propriety of a charity Christmas Ball mingles with haunted artifacts and ancient legends as Lizzie, Antony, and Ambrose discover long lost secrets and uncover hidden family connections.
Grimm Curiosities can be enjoyed all year long, but it is sure to become a staple to be revisited each Yuletide. If you enjoy Victorian romance with well-researched folklore and a touch of mystery, then this book is for you! I loved it! You can find the book here and you can sign up for my reader list here for a chance to win a FREE, signed copy of the book and have my exclusive interview with the author delivered to your inbox on December 1st!
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.
Kelly Jarvis works as the Assistant Editor for The Fairy Tale Magazine where she writes stories, poems, essays, book reviews, and interviews. Her poetry has also been featured or is forthcoming in Blue Heron Review, Mermaids Monthly, Eternal Haunted Summer, Forget Me Not Press, The Magic of Us, A Moon of One’s Own, Baseball Bard, and Corvid Queen. Her short fiction has appeared in The Chamber Magazine and the World Weaver Press Anthology Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/
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