by Allison Saft
First published 2024
Lorelei Kaskel joins six nobles on a ship bound for a legendary spring that promises magical power to whoever claims it. The king of Brunnestaad wants this power to strengthen his rule over a country torn by conflict. Lorelei sees the expedition as her chance to become a naturalist and explore the distant lands she has studied only in books. Her plans shatter when someone murders her mentor in her cabin during the voyage. Five expedition members remain as suspects, each harboring potential motives for the crime. Only Sylvia von Wolff, Lorelei's brilliant and infuriating academic rival, stands above suspicion. Now Lorelei must lead the group through forests that shift in darkness and rivers where dragons sleep beneath the surface. She races to find the spring before the killer strikes again or political enemies launch their coup back home. Working alongside Sylvia, Lorelei uncovers disturbing secrets about her dead mentor while fighting her attraction to the woman she once considered her greatest competitor. The investigation forces her to question whether their kingdom deserves salvation.
Genres: romance, adventure, mystery, fantasy
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, investigation
Setting: Brunnestaad
Period: 19th-century
361 pages · Hardcover · Daphne Press
Content warnings: death, murder