A Bitter Magic

A deliciously quirky tale of secrets, magic, and illusions for fans of Circus Mirandus and Savvy.
 
Everything is in place: the packed theater, the grand magician, and, center stage, the magician’s mysterious assistant. Some have called her the most beautiful woman in Europe. Then, in a swirl of light, she vanishes!
 
An astounding illusion—but she never reappears. All that remains are a bloodstained white scarf and her daughter, Cisley, who lives in a glass castle and walks her pet lobster each morning by the sea. Enter Cole, a rambunctious boy from town and Cisley’s first true friend. Together they hunt for clues to her mother’s disappearance. They puzzle over broken mirrors, ever-shifting labyrinths, a closet full of whispering ball gowns, and a fatal quest for a pure black rose.
 
Roderick Townley spins a deliciously spooky tale of one girl’s journey to discover what’s real and what is simply an illusion.

“Plenty of magic, a touch of romance, an appealing heroine.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“A magical adventure with a fascinating setting that will please most middle graders looking for spooky fantasy.” —School Library Journal
 
“Cisley is an immensely likable heroine who will attract readers.” —Booklist