Books like 'The Lace Reader'
Readers who enjoyed The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical paranormal fantasy heroine sleuth magic suspense witches mystery
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The Violence of Sound by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA husband and wife brought together by magic strive to stop a war of the worlds in an epic adventure of hope, sorcery, and secrets by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jeff Wheeler.What humankind feared the most has come to pass: the Awakening of the Aesir, an ancient race who rose with an implacable vengeance to wage war on mortals through bombardments and plague... -
The Venetian Heretic: 'The Master of Historical Fiction' Sunday Times by Christian Cameron
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsVenice is alive with the magic and bustle of Carnevale.A city of mysterious masks and gorgeous palaces, of riches, patricians, intellectuals and artists. And amidst it all, something new is being magnificent voices are soaring above the spires, astonishing costumes are being crafted, and audiences are being transported, for the first time, by the power of the Opera... -
The Journal of a Thousand Years by C.J. Archer
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsAn ancient family diary. A timely prophecy. An epic conclusion.As Sylvia prepares to meet Gabe’s parents for the first time, the last thing she needs is for her long-lost father to cause trouble. While his answers to her questions finally bring clarity, they also usher in danger.But that's not all her elusive father brings into Sylvia's life... -
Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsWhen dead enemies rise, grave matters of the heart, mind, and body clash in the fantastical fourth Whimbrel House novel by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.Whimbrel House is changing. Merritt and Hulda are raising a family. Owein has signed a marriage contract with the magically compatible Lady Cora, a heavyweight of British nobility who’s an ocean away... -
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Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 53 ratingsIn an unforgettable novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem, and matriarch of a line of the amazing Owens women and men featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic... -
The Healer's Secret by Helen Pryke
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsBook #1 in the Healer series.From medieval times to present day, the Healer saga spans generations of the Innocenti family, telling the stories of the women healers whose lives are entwined with legends, curses, and tragedy.Jennifer’s life isn’t going as she planned. Fired from her job and on the brink of divorce, her only salvation lies at the bottom of a wine bottle... -
The Prison of Buried Hopes by C.J. Archer
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn the fifth instalment of this epic fantasy series, a journey south brings together nine eclectic friends and leads them ever closer to answers – and danger. On their journey south to Freedland, Josie, Dane and their friends sense that someone is following them. Hiding in the twin cities of Merrin Fahl seems like their best course of action – until they’re recognized by strangers... -
The Strangers on Montagu Street by Karen White
With her relationship with writer Jack Treholm as shaky as the foundation of her family home, Melanie’s juggling a number of problems. Like restoring her Tradd Street house...and resisting her mother’s pressure to ‘go public’ with her talent—a sixth sense that unites them to the lost souls of the dead. But Melanie never anticipated her new problem...Categorized as:
heroine sleuth suspense mystery historical paranormal contemporary fantasy behind-doors -
Asylum for a Duchess by Nellie H. Steele
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen her haunting past returns, will it destroy her future?Lenora Fletcher brims with joy. Embracing motherhood, the young woman is determined to give her child the love and attention she never received. But a chance meeting with her assumed-to-be deceased father rips away her happiness and plunges her into roiling confusion... -
Infinity by Maggie Shayne
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsFor five centuries, Immortal High Witch Nicodimus has been suspended in an eternity of darkness. His heart was stolen away in the ultimate betrayal by his love Arianna... Now Arianna discovers a way to bring him back. But the power that returns Nicodimus to her arms also summons an ancient enemy. To fight this dark danger, they must confront the past--and reclaim infinity.. -
Beekeeping for Beginners by Laurie R. King
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsBONUS: This eBook includes an excerpt from Laurie R. King's Pirate King.In this crackling short story, New York Times bestselling author Laurie R. King reveals an unforgettable new twist in the adventure that led supersleuth Sherlock Holmes to discover his first (and finest) apprentice, Mary Russell...Categorized as:
mystery suspense heroine sleuth historical 20th century paranormal fantasy length-novella -
Letter to a Duchess by Nellie H. Steele
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOnly she can prove his innocence, but will it make her the killer’s next victim?Lenora Fletcher’s new role as Duchess of Blackmoore is put to the test when her brother-in-law is framed for murder. Desperate for help, he begs her to use her power to communicate with the dead to prove his innocence... -
The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods, Evie Gaughan
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsEdie is … not in Paris?Edie Lane left everything behind in Ireland for a once-in-a-lifetime job at a bakery in Paris. Except, thanks to a mistranslation, the bakery is not in Paris, and neither is Edie.The tiny town of Compiègne, complete with its local bakery on the Rue de Paris, holds many secrets... -
A Dangerous Ruse by Tilly Wallace
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHer opponents have her cornered, unless Sera makes an unexpected move… Seraphina continues to pick at the secrets entangling her. Then, during a ball, she spots a piece of enchanted jewellery eerily similar to the bracelet she once wore. But before she can find out about its origins, its owner is murdered. At least this time no one is blaming Sera... -
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Mariana by Susanna Kearsley
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsFrom the winner of the Catherine Cookson Fiction Prize, this mesmerizing, suspenseful, and richly atmospheric tale of time travel draws us into the heart of a heroine we won't soon forget... The first time Julia Beckett saw Greywethers she was only five, but she knew that it was her house. And now that she’s at last become its owner, she suspects that she was drawn there for a reason... -
The Unforgiven by Heather Graham
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA tragic past. An uncertain futureTwelve years after the grisly murder of her parents, Kaitlyn Delaney has finally found peace. She has friends, a good job, a place to call home and a new life to live. But then a shadow creeps in from Katie’s past, reminding her that she will never completely escape its terrifying grip... -
Death of a Duchess by Nellie H. Steele
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsMy name is Lenora Fletcher. And I can communicate with the dead. Lenora expected her unique ability would condemn her to a life of solitude, shunned by society. But when she receives an unexpected marriage proposal hinging on it, Lenora is shocked... -
The Potent Perfume by Helen Goltz
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMiss Phoebe Astin of The Economic Undertaker found herself charmed by the recently deceased perfume salesman, Mr Edward 'Teddy' Tate, as were many of his former clients... -
The Hanging Tree by Irina Shapiro
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn 1640, Alys Bailey was accused of witchcraft and sentenced to hang. Today, Alys is said to haunt Lockwood Hall, the Tudor manor house where she died. When Nicole Rayburn travels to Lockwood Hall and begins to research Alys’s story for a new book, she discovers startling irregularities in Alys’s case. Nicole’s suspicions mount as every answer leads to more questions... -
The Book of Lost Enchantments by Jessica Dodge
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAt twenty-nine, Nora Cameron's life feels adrift, her days are spent working in her parents’ bakery, and her nights are spent alone watching Hallmark movies. She yearns for something beyond her predictable existence, though she has no idea what that might be. That is, until fate intervenes, and Nora is swept into an unforeseen adventure to Scotland... -
The Book of Lost Enchantments by Jessica Dodge
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAt twenty-nine, Nora Cameron's life feels adrift, her days are spent working in her parents’ bakery, and her nights are spent alone watching Hallmark movies. She yearns for something beyond her predictable existence, though she has no idea what that might be. That is, until fate intervenes, and Nora is swept into an unforeseen adventure to Scotland... -
The Book of Lost Enchantments by Jessica Dodge
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAt twenty-nine, Nora Cameron's life feels adrift, her days are spent working in her parents’ bakery, and her nights are spent alone watching Hallmark movies. She yearns for something beyond her predictable existence, though she has no idea what that might be. That is, until fate intervenes, and Nora is swept into an unforeseen adventure to Scotland... -
Dreaming Death by Heather Graham
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSWEET DREAMS AREN’T MADE OF THISEver since she was a child, Stacey Hanson has had strange dreams—and sometimes they come true. Her skills and experience led her straight to the FBI’s Krewe of Hunters. Now a serial killer is stalking Washington, DC, and people are scared. And it will be Stacey’s first case... -
The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy
In Depression-era Arkansas, something wicked has come to a haunted mountain town in a novel of uncanny suspense by the author of Parting the Veil.Blood and power bind three generations of women in the Ozark Mountains. So does an evil that’s followed them across the decades.1931. Gracelynn Doherty lives peacefully on Tin Mountain, helping her adoptive granny work her cures... -
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Opening Gambit by Tilly Wallace
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThis pawn is going to take control of the game… Seraphina Winyard is an abomination—a female mage. The first magic wielder of her sex to reach adulthood in three hundred years, she is treated like a zoological exhibit and leads a restricted life. Determined to escape and control her own destiny, she seizes a chance for freedom. But when her guardian is murdered, suspicion falls on the young mage... -
Master of Restless Shadows: Book One by Ginn Hale
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFreshly graduated Master Physician Narsi Lif-Tahm has left his home in Anacleto and journeyed to the imposing royal capitol of Cieloalta intent upon keeping the youthful oath he made to a troubled writer. But in the decade since Narsi gave his pledge, Atreau Vediya, has grown from an anonymous delinquent to a man renowned for penning bawdy operas and engaging in scandalous affairs... -
Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsGlen David Gold's literary debut dazzled critics and fans from coast to coast. Now Carter's center stage for a spectacular paperback . . . The response to Glen David Gold's debut novel, Carter Beats the Devil , was extraordinary. He hypnotized us with his portrait of a 1920s magic-obsessed America and of Charles Carter--a.k.a... -
The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis
Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer’s affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books’ previous owners—an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession... -
Eternal Love: The Immortal Witch Series by Maggie Shayne
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRaven is a witch from the 1690s who flees the hangman’s noose in England to find a haven in Massachusetts Bay where the witch hysteria is about to tear her and her lover apart.Arianna’s beginnings were in the Scottish Highlands where her sister died to save her, and an immortal warrior loved her beyond reason and life itself... -
The Novice by Trudi Canavan
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 63 ratings"Even if a magician's powers surface of their own accord, he will soon be dead if he does not gain the knowledge of how to control them." Alone among all the novices in the Magicians' Guild, only Sonea comes from lowly beginnings. Yet she has won powerful allies—including Lord Dannyl, newly promoted to Guild Ambassador... -
The Great Witch of Brittany by Louisa Morgan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsReturn to the world of A Secret History of Witches with the bewitching tale of Ursule Orchiere and her discovery of magical abilities that will not only change the course of her life but every generation that comes after her. Brittany, 1741There hasn’t been a witch born in the Orchière clan for generations... -
The Mystery of Rufford Abbey: A dual timeline novel with a paranormal twist by Stephen Taylor
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn absorbing Medieval mystery you won’t be able to put down! For fans of Freda Lightfoot, Anthony Doerr, Sebastian Faulks and Kate Atkinson... -
The Widowed Witch of Kriegspiel by S.L. Prater
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratings“Are you a lawman, Inspector? Or my man?”A priest has been murdered. Inspector Bastion is selected to lead the case, but he’s got more on his mind than justice. Ten years prior, he lost his heart to the victim's now-widowed wife—but she'd already been paired in marriage against her will... -
Manners and Monsters by Tilly Wallace
A lady never reveals the true extent of her decay...Hannah Miles lives a quiet existence, helping her parents conduct research into a most terrible affliction - until a gruesome murder during her best friend's engagement party pulls her from the shadows. With her specialist's knowledge and demure disposition, Hannah is requested to aid the investigation... -
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Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsA young Puritan woman--faithful, resourceful, but afraid of the demons that dog her soul--plots her escape from a violent marriage in this riveting and propulsive historical thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant.Boston, 1662. Mary Deerfield is twenty-four-years-old. Her skin is porcelain, her eyes delft blue, and in England she might have had many suitors... -
Death by Diamonds by Annette Blair
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsMay the real criminal shine through . . . Madeira loves her vintage clothing store, but the visions she gets from the garments can be hard to handle, especially when she knows the garment's owner. At first she's thrilled to receive a package containing the beautifully bejeweled dress she designed for actress and old friend Dominique DeLong while in fashion school... -
Castle Shade by Laurie R. King
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsA queen, a castle, a dark and ageless threat—all await Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes in this chilling new adventure.The queen is Marie of Roumania: the doubly royal granddaughter to Victoria, Empress of the British Empire, and Alexander II, Tsar of Russia...Categorized as:
mystery suspense witches heroine sleuth historical vampires contemporary 20th century -
The Strawberry Thief by Joanne Harris
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsThe compelling new novel from the author of the bestselling Chocolat.Vianne Rocher has settled down. Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, the place that once rejected her, has finally become her home. With Rosette, her 'special' child, she runs her chocolate shop in the square, talks to her friends on the river, is part of the community. Even Reynaud, the priest, has become a friend... -
Skirting The Grave by Annette Blair
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsNot just a matter of who done it, but who is it? Even though Maddie has her hands full running Vintage Magic and dealing with the visions she gets from the garments, she’s agreed to plan her sister Sherri’s baby shower and take on a new fashion design intern. But when Maddie goes to the Mystic train station to pick her up, she finds a murder scene instead. The victim: intern Isobel York... -
The Valley of the Wolves by Laura Gallego García
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsDana attends a school of magic with only one other student. She has a great love only she can see. And only she can unravel these mysteries and become mistress of the Valley of the Wolves. Ever since Dana was a little girl, Kai has been her best friend and constant companion--even though she's the only one who can see him... -
Warlock: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Wilbur Smith
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsOne of the world's most acclaimed adventure writers returns to the world of ancient Egypt with the stunning sequel to the New York Times bestselling River God. In the wake of a sixty-year war over the reign of the kingdoms of Egypt, two young pharaohs have risen to claim power, but only one can succeed, deciding the fate of his empire forever.. -
The Secret of the Three Fates by Jess Armstrong
Following the atmospheric and award-winning gothic historical mystery debut, The Curse of Penryth Hall, USA Today bestselling author Jess Armstrong's heroine, Ruby Vaughn, returns in The Secret of the Three Fates, where the Scottish Hills hold ghosts of the past that threaten Ruby’s present.American heiress Ruby Vaughn still hasn't entirely forgiven her octogenarian employer and housemate Mr...Categorized as:
mystery suspense heroine sleuth fantasy historical paranormal 20th century length-medium -
This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsWhen Lucy's sister Phyllida suggests that she join her for a quiet holiday on the island of Corfu, Lucy is overjoyed. Her work as an actress has temporarily come to a halt. But the peaceful idyll does not last long... -
Conspiracy To Murder by Heather Graham
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsDon’t miss this heart-racing story from “the queen of romantic suspense,” New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham. Is she a suspect or a target? A year after the chilling death of her mentor, criminologist Harley Frasier is still rattled. Secretly she’s suspected murder all along... -
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Let the Dead Keep Their Secrets by Rosemary Simpson
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsFor fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age, explore the dark side of the alluring world of America’s 19th century elite in this gripping series of riveting mysteries… In Gilded Age New York, heiress Prudence MacKenzie and ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter investigate crimes that take them from the slums of Five Points in lower Manhattan to the Fifth Avenue mansions of society's elite... -
The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall by Lauren Smith
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA thrilling gothic romance from Entangled’s Otherworld imprint… To defeat a dark evil, they must face his family’s past… Bastian Carlisle, the Earl of Weymouth, doesn’t believe in ghosts. Even though tragedy and mysterious hauntings have driven his family away from his ancestral home, Stormclyffe Hall, he is determined to restore the castle to its former glory... -
The Angels' Share by James Markert
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSome believed he was the second coming of Christ. William wasn’t so sure. But when that drifter was buried next to the family distillery, everything changed. Now that Prohibition has ended, what the townspeople of Twisted Tree, Kentucky, need most is the revival of the Old Sam Bourbon distillery... -
Wildwood Magic by Willa Reece
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA woman escapes her abusive husband and finds shelter in a magical orchard in this spellbinding novel of magic and self-discovery from the author of Wildwood Whispers.Here be witches and wayward girls…In a town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, Rachel Smith has found a new life tending a lush apple orchard. She’s safe within its grove... -
The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womack
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSemele Cavnow appraises antiquities for an exclusive Manhattan auction house, deciphering ancient texts—and when she discovers a manuscript written in the time of Cleopatra, she knows it will be the find of her career. Its author tells the story of a priceless tarot deck, now lost to history, but as Semele delves further, she realizes the manuscript is more than it seems... -
Unmasking Miss Appleby by Emily Larkin, Rosalyn Landor
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsBook #1 from the series: Baleful Godmother🎧Listening Length = 11 hours and 37 minutesA captivating Regency romance from a USA Today bestselling author! Performed by Audie-winning narrator Rosalyn Landor. When she turns 25, Charlotte is bestowed with an extraordinary gift: the ability to change shape...
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