A RIDDLE OF THORNS

Tara Gupta was a mystery to everyone who knew her—and then, seven years ago, in 1906, she disappeared.

Now, Tara’s daughter, Sana, is turning 18. She returns from staying with relatives in Canada to the Guptas’ Parisian home, Razorthorn Manor. Expecting a simple homecoming to claim her inheritance, she instead finds herself invited to enter a high-stakes competition to determine the next heir to the manor—and to a razorthorn seed, a magical relic gifted to the Gupta family (whose “ancestral home” is in Punjab, India) by the goddess Flora. Sana must team up with three other young people from around the world: Korean Kim Minho, Filipino American Isabelle Flores, and English Richard Fox. Together, they race to solve riddles and unravel the manor’s secrets. But for Sana, the game becomes personal. Temperamental and vulnerable, she’s still haunted by the loss of Maman. Unlocking the riddles means winning the prize and uncovering “spotty” childhood memories and the truth behind Tara’s disappearance. Set in an alternate belle epoque France where people worship Roman gods, the novel maintains a steady pace and a richly mysterious atmosphere. Razorthorn Manor, with its gothic architecture and rumored hauntings, is as much a character as the people within it. While the final reveal borders on a Scooby Doo–style confession, the journey there remains engaging and immersive.

A moody tale of family secrets that stumbles at the end but will still draw in fans of dark academia.