Publication Date: January 13, 2026
The Night Circus meets Water for Elephants in this enchanting, darkly glittering story of grief, obsession, revenge, and enduring love.
1920, Chicago
Maisie Marlowe has come to America for a fresh start. After discovering an antique fairground carousel, she is seized by the idea of running a glittering amusement park. But little does she know that the wondrous object has a sinister past of its own.
Paris
A decade ago, fairgoers inexplicably vanished riding an extraordinary carousel, and Detective Laurent Bisset closed the case with a suspect behind bars. So when rumors of fresh disappearances in Chicago also linked to a carousel make their way across the Atlantic, Laurent sets out for new answers to an old mystery.
Maisie and Laurent both hold clues to this dark puzzle.
But can they piece it together before the carousel claims someone else?
A magical carousel tied to the disappearance of numerous children creates the foundation for an early-20th-century mystery spanning the ocean.
Author Fiza Saeed McLynn delivers an unusual tale in The Midnight Carousel. Created in France, the hand-crafted novelty leads to the eventual conviction of the owner. When the carousel is shipped to America, it is purchased by Sir Malcolm and operated by young Maisie.
When children begin disappearing, it is Maisie who is suspected as the culprit. Her darkened skin color contributes to the community’s disdain. When Det. Laurent Bisset travels from France to see Maisie; he’s convinced there is a connection between the cases.
What ensues is a beautiful story as the past and present collide. The writer weaves in an impactful conclusion that is utterly breathtaking in its poignancy.
The Midnight Carousel serves up a mix of fantasy and romance into a fascinating mystery.
Fiza Saeed McLynn read History at Oxford University and had a brief career in finance before spending the next 12 years helping the bereaved as part of her work as a complementary therapist. The Midnight Carousel is her debut novel.
