Strands Series by Jane Nickerson

The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi... moreThe Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale. less

A Southern girl. A wounded soldier. A chilling force deep in the forest.All collide at night’s darkest hour. Seventeen-year-old Violet Dancey has been left at home in Mississippi with a laudanum-addicted stepmother and love-crazed stepsister while her father fights in the war—a war that has already claimed her twin brother. When she comes across a severely injured Union soldier lying in an abandoned lodge deep in the woods, things begin to change... moreA Southern girl. A wounded soldier. A chilling force deep in the forest.All collide at night’s darkest hour. Seventeen-year-old Violet Dancey has been left at home in Mississippi with a laudanum-addicted stepmother and love-crazed stepsister while her father fights in the war—a war that has already claimed her twin brother. When she comes across a severely injured Union soldier lying in an abandoned lodge deep in the woods, things begin to change. Thomas is the enemy—one of the men who might have killed her own brother—and yet she's drawn to him. But Violet isn't Thomas's only visitor; someone has been tending to his wounds—keeping him alive—and it becomes chillingly clear that this care hasn't been out of compassion. Against the dangers of war and ominous powers of voodoo, Violet must fight to protect her home and the people she loves. From the author of Strands of Bronze and Gold comes a haunting love story and suspenseful thriller based on the ancient fairy tale of “Tam Lin.” less

When sixteen-year-old poetess Fiona O’Malley leaves her Grandmama’s care in New York and travels to attend Wyndriven Female Academy in Reconstruction-era Mississippi, she has a good deal to worry about. After all, for all of her nerve and outspoken nature, she has never been good at making friends... moreWhen sixteen-year-old poetess Fiona O’Malley leaves her Grandmama’s care in New York and travels to attend Wyndriven Female Academy in Reconstruction-era Mississippi, she has a good deal to worry about. After all, for all of her nerve and outspoken nature, she has never been good at making friends. But with her new servant Bridey at her side—and a darkly endearing stranger who joins them on the train—Fiona sets out to find her own life, all the while hoping to leave the spirits she has been seeing behind her.Fiona finds the atmosphere of Wyndriven’s ancient abbey home daunting, despite her best efforts. For a girl who can see spirits, the monstrous building—with its long history and many secrets—also holds the lives of all those who have lived there. And died there.To Fiona’s delight, she does make good friends with the other girls, as well as with the spirit of an attractive eighteenth-century gentleman, and the charming estate manager. However, Fiona finds herself tested as the deeper secrets and mysteries of Wyndriven surround her. Will she be able to help those who truly need her? What will become of their lives—and their souls—if she is unable to overpower the mysterious evil that refuses to die? less