The House Saphir
The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer is a thrilling reimagining of the Bluebeard story with a tough, funny heroine and filled with magic, romance, and all the gothic-y goodness of the folktale that inspired it.
Set during the “once upon a time” as the best fairy tales are, Mallory Fontaine and her sister lead a very modern haunted house tour that highlights the sordid crimes of Bastien Saphir - aka Monsieur Le Bleu.
For those unfamiliar, in the fairy/folktale, Bluebeard murders several wives, keeping their bodies in a locked room, the only room forbidden to his new wife. Of course this means she is going to look, and she is saved by her brothers who kill Bluebeard before he kills her.
The House Saphir takes place a century after Monsieur Le Bleu killed his wives, but when his spirit begins haunting his descendent, the charming Armand Saphir, Mallory and her sister are asked to exorcise him.
When one of the household staff is murdered, the ghost busting turns into a murder investigation, and Mallory is determined to find the killer, banish the ghost, and get the promised money she and her sister need.
Part ghost story, part murder mystery, The House Saphir is populated with a quirky cast of characters and is a really fun take on the Bluebeard tale - and a thrilling Gothic fantasy adventure in its own right.
I listened to the audio alongside reading the ebook, and Rebecca Soler did a masterful job narrating. I still have chills thinking about the panicked emotion in her voice when [spoilers!]. Macmillan’s production quality is too-notch as usual.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and Macmillan Audio for the advance copies for my honest review. Pub. date 11/4/25
Support your favorite indie bookstore (and me) by using my link to order the audiobook from https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm60355 OR if you prefer using your eyes to read, support your favorite indie (and give us both 20% off if it’s your first purchase) by using my link at https://refer.bookshop.org/candidanorwood.
