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A Forgery of Roses

By Jessica S. Olson

‘A deliciously twisted gothic fantasy you’ll want to read again and again, with characters you’ll adore, prose that’ll spellbind you, romance you’ll swoon over, and a mystery that’ll keep you guessing until the last stunning twist’
Diana Urban, author of These Deadly Games

Myra has a gift many would kidnap, blackmail, and worse to control: she’s a portrait artist whose paintings alter people’s bodies. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone. But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son.

Once she arrives at the legendary stone mansion, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. A killer stalks these halls – one disturbingly obsessed with portrait magic. Desperate to get out of the manor as quickly as possible, Myra turns to the governor’s older son for help completing the painting before the secret she spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

‘A heady blend of the fantastical, the murderous, and the romantic’ Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review

‘Marvelously magical and steeping with mystery’ Adalyn Grace, author of All the Stars and Teeth

Format: Paperback
Ageband: 13 to 17
Release Date: 27 Oct 2022
Pages: 384
ISBN: 978-0-00-859246-2
Price: £8.99 (Export Price) , £8.99, €None
Jessica S. Olson claims New Hampshire as her home, but has somehow found herself in Texas, where she spends most of her time singing praises to the inventor of the air conditioner. When she\'s not hiding from the heat, she\'s corralling her three wild—but adorable—children, dreaming up stories about kissing and murder and magic, and eating peanut butter by the spoonful straight from the jar. She earned a bachelor’s in English with minors in editing and French, which essentially means she spent all of her university time reading and eating French pastries. Sing Me Forgotten is her debut novel.

”'A heady blend of the fantastical, the murderous, and the romantic” - Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review

”'A triumphant second novel, Olson's not-to-be-missed tale of intrigue has something for everyone” - School Library Journal, STARRED review

”'Marvelously magical and steeping with mystery, A Forgery of Roses checks all the boxes you could want in a fantasy. With a highly creative magic system reminiscent of The Picture of Dorian Gray and a lush romance, Olson's newest is an absolute stunner that's sure to be a crowd pleaser” - Adalyn Grace, New York Times bestselling author of All the Stars and Teeth

”'A Forgery of Roses is a haunted gallery filled with secrets, ominous footsteps through a fog-wreathed city at midnight, and the fierce magic of a sister's love. Jessica Olson paints a multilayered narrative of romance and mystery that will hold readers in suspense until the final chapters” - Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge

”'A deliciously twisted gothic fantasy you'll want to read again and again, with characters you'll adore, prose that'll spellbind you, romance you'll swoon over, and a mystery that'll keep you guessing until the last stunning twist. A Forgery of Roses is totally addicting and captivating, and I already can't wait to re-read it!” - Diana Urban, author of These Deadly Games

”'Both fascinating and novel . . . it will attract fantasy fans as well as the artistically inclined” - Booklist