First published 2023
Sixteen-year-old Silas Bell possesses violet eyes that allow him to speak with the dead in 1883 London. As a trans, autistic medium, he refuses the Royal Speaker Society's plan to marry him off as an obedient wife. When Silas tries to flee his arranged marriage, authorities declare him mentally ill with Veil sickness and send him to Braxton's Finishing School and Sanitorium. The institution promises to cure violet-eyed women of their supposed madness. But ghosts of missing students begin appearing to Silas, pleading for his help. They reveal that Braxton's hides something far more sinister than forced conformity. Silas must decide whether to keep his head down and survive, or use his abilities to expose the school's true nature. The choice could save other students or destroy him completely. His investigation pulls him deeper into Braxton's corrupt heart, where the staff will do anything to maintain their control over the young mediums in their care.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, fantasy, paranormal, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, investigative-mystery
Setting: London, Braxton's Finishing School and Sanitorium
Period: 1883
387 pages · Hardcover · Peachtree Teen
Content warnings: ableism, mental-illness, transphobia