All the ingredients were there for a good read but I felt that the plot and reveal were very slow and the characters lacked the depth or subtlety I like : Tropes like distant Sir. Malcolm, a man with a stiff upper lip and drink problem. And vulnerable Maisie who doesn’t feel like she belongs and who falls in love with a French detective with grey eyes within minutes of meeting him because he listened to her. After making love she thanks him… Or stylish, brittle Nancy who loses her mind like a Victorian gothic heroine, and is seen at the window in her white nightdress and takes tonics for her nerves. The carousel mystery hints at a supernatural solution but thankfully the ending doesn’t rely on fantasy to solve the disappearances over the years. This is a debut novel and I found the writing promising, but did skip ahead when I felt the plot stalling and the characters repeating themselves.

A carousel is the central character in this seemingly magical, mystical story that takes us from Paris to America, in multiple timelines. Paris, 1900 and Gilbert Cloutier is putting the finishing touches to his magnificent carousel whilst mourning the death, by influenza, of his beloved wife and child. But this is no ordinary carousel as he names a special horse on the ride after his son Theo. Then children start to go missing and Bisset is investigating.

Briefly, 1914 and Detective Laurent Bisset has to attend the execution of Victor Cloutier, the sole living relative of the missing Gilbert. Found guilty of his murder, despite the absence of a body, he is sentenced to a public beheading. Maisie Marlowe has had a rough upbringing but when her Aunt Mabel brings her to the home of Sir Malcolm Randolph her life changes and some years later she emigrates with Randolph to America. Randolph buys the carousel and together with Maisie opens an amusement park, The Silver Kingdom. Once again children disappear who have been on the carousel. Even Maisie falls under suspicion but with Bisset still on the case can he finally solve the mystery or will it remain an unsolved crime?

I love a carousel but I think this is one I would give a miss! The carousel is brilliantly described and I could see it clearly in my mind. Its perceived magical elements are well written and as events unfold, in a number of different and startling ways, secrets of the carousel are revealed. Maisie was a wonderful character who had overcome the events of her early life to make something of herself. I enjoyed this book and the wonderful and emotional storyline. Very entertaining.

Wonderfully atmospheric and utterly captivating, ‘The Midnight Carousel’ is a strong debut. From page one I was drawn into the story’s world, and not for one second did I want to leave it. (And when I did have to put it down, I was annoying my family by talking endlessly about it.)

The comparison to ’The Night Circus’ is apt, and readers who are fans of Morgenstern’s masterpiece and are looking for a similar vibe will love it. It has atmosphere, it has good pacing, it has a storyline that holds your interest throughout and keeps you guessing to the end. However, readers who need that end to come with a HEA may want to steel themselves. To me, the ending was perfect: right and satisfying.

The only niggles I have with the book, which stopped it from being a five-star read for me, are that it feels a little rushed in places, like it could use more depth; the plot feels too neat at times, almost formulaic (you can sense a beat sheet lurking beneath the surface); and I felt a sense of distance or detachment while reading—it feels like the author hasn’t found her voice yet. These really are minor issues, though, especially for a debut, and I can’t wait to read whatever the author publishes next.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Fiza Saeed McLynn and Penguin Random House for the ARC. My review will be posted on Instagram, Amazon UK, GoodReads and The StoryGraph nearer to the publishing date.

This story was full of actions , interlinked and intertwined and all coming unravelled at the end. I loved how the beginning also became the end. Great conclusion.

the book had a great premise as its about a magic carousel & set in the 1900s, where you can hear the stories of different people. the writing style felt short at times and it didn't bring me into the story

The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn is a historical mystery that absolutely kept me guessing as I followed the characters from Paris and London to Chicago in the 1920s as they tried to uncover the mystery surrounding a strange carousel that was linked to the disappearance of several people. The mystery begins in Paris in 1914 as detective Laurent Bisset begins his investigation into the disappearances. Meanwhile in England a young girl by the name of Maisie is captivated by a drawing that she finds showing the carousel. She never imagines that by a strange twist of fate she will find herself owning that same carousel and establishing an amusement park in Chicago. When a child disappears while riding the carousel its mysterious past comes to light and Detective Bisset travels to Chicago to investigate, which is when he meets Maisie. Together they try to unravel the mystery before anyone else vanishes and in the process they fall in love despite the numerous obstacles in their path.
I really found myself sinking into this story and trying to figure out along with the characters just what was going on, there were some nods to a potential magical aspect that could have taken me out of the story but actually worked really well in keeping me invested in the mystery. I also fell in love with the character of Maisie as I watched her grow up and struggle, and when I saw her making the wrong choices I found myself wanting to shake her, which is definitely a sign that she had really come to life for me. I do think the reveal at the resolution of the mystery was a little underwhelming but because I enjoyed myself so much along the way, I would still recommend this book,
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

If asked to put this book in a genre, I think it would be best described as a historical mystery. However, more importantly, it is a story about a young woman, Maisie, who despite a tough start in life is, above all else, a survivor. We follow Maisie from being raised in a group home, where her only source of happiness is her friend Tommy, to being swept up one day by her Aunt Mabel and being taken to a grand estate where Mabel works for Sir Malcolm, a widowed man with a young daughter. When tragedy strikes again, the now 12 year old Maisie finds herself making a new life in America. There, her life becomes entwined with a grand carousel which, unbeknownst to her, had previously been at the root of some mysterious disappearances in France.

We also follow Laurent, a French detective who had led the team investigating the previous disappearances. When he catches wind of history repeating itself, he journeys over to America where he and Maisie both try to solve this dark puzzle.

There was something enchanting and atmospheric about this story. Although it’s not fast paced, I did find myself intrigued at the start and becoming more gripped as the story progressed. I also didn’t realise how invested I’d become in the characters until the end (IYKYK). Maisie was a very likeable character to follow, and although she didn’t always make the right choices, she was a good person at her core and one that I found myself rooting for throughout. There was also something inherently magical about a story with this magnificent carousel at its heart. If the premise sounds interesting to you, it’s a book that I would absolutely recommend.

From the blurb, I thought this was a fantasy read, but it's not. It's a slow-burn mystery.

I enjoyed the build-up to the reveal of what was behind the disappearance of the people who rode on the carousel. I was expecting something more than what was revealed as the cause.

That said, for a debut author, this was such a good read. It was well written with some great characters.

This book absolutely sucked me in and I went for a wild ride on this magical carousel of a story! Told mostly from the viewpoint of Maisie with other bits by the French detective Laurent as they seek to discover the truth about the missing people and how it relates to a beautiful carousel with one special horse crafted by a grieving father. I really liked Maisie and her journey from being orphan in England to running the Silver Kingdom in America. She is sweet and strong and never gave up hope, even when faced with dark times due to the disappearances of the children. I had to keep reading and did not even notice new chapters because I had to find out what happened and why it was happening! Going between whether there was a sinister or supernatural element behind the disappearances, it did a wonderful job of keeping up the the suspense, while still being magical and bringing back the wonders of childhood when carousels are irresistible.

This is an absolutely fantastic story and I highly recommend it for an unputdownable read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this gem of a book!

I have been looking forward to this book since it was first announced and I am so happy to have received an early copy.

It does skip from time period to time period, and it includes a lot of characters, and at first I was a little concerned because my ability to remember names is quite poor. But very quickly, it stopped being a problem.

Fiza has depicted this innocence that only children have. The first time seeing a carousel or a funfair. But on the flip side, we see how a child copes with grief and you see the innocence start to slip away and merge into the general worry that adulthood brings.

I have never been one for a fairground or funfair or rides, but I did love a carousel, and still do. Not to go on, as such, but just to admire. They've always been an example of childhood fun and magic. I never saw them as something to be fearful of, but having read this, I can really feel the eeriness within them.

I love books about women trying to forge their own path during a time they are meant to be seen and not heard, and Maisie is exactly this. It's not always a choice, mostly out of necessity, but she's a very interesting and very real protagonist. Our second main protagonist is Laurent, the detective, who is the constant presence, the link between the time periods, and I think that's what makes the jump from year to year more palatable, because there's a constant.

There are a range of characters, English, French, American; young, middled, old; goodies, baddies and inbetweeners. It's a great spectrum of humanity and she's captured them so well.

It is so rich and luxurious and umptious (not sure if that's a real word but I'm going with it). It's got so many layers, so much depth to the plot and the characters. The attention to detail produces such a fabulous sense of atmosphere, sometimes an uncomfortable atmosphere, but it is spectacular what she's managed to create.

It's a mixture of historical, thriller, fantasy, murder mystery, and gothic, with a hint of romance. I read another review that said it's less of a "whodunnit" and more of a "howdunnit" and I completely agree, that's the best way to describe it.

It is a very promising debut. It's just a beautiful book to read, very warming, and I don't think Fiza's going to have much trouble in forging a successful writing career. I could easily see this made into a movie.

The Midnight Carousel is an enjoyable historical mystery, with a vivid carnival setting and a touch of magical realism. Saeed McLynn's prose is breezy and easy to read: it feels almost like a YA novel at times. I loved the world she created, but struggled to engage with the lack of character development, and the instalove trope is a hard no from me.

A circus and especially a merry-go-round provide a magical backdrop for a story and I was instantly intrigued by the blurb for this story. The early chapter did not fail to disappoint either. We are introduced to the main character, Maisie, early on, seeing how she lives (survives) as a child living with minders called the Sixpenses allegedly because they charge a sixpence a week to look after children. As Maisie is rescued from this life and taken by her aunt to live in relative luxury.
Meanwhile in Paris, an engineer is constructing a special carousel for the Paris exhibition. He wishes to make the biggest and most striking ride ever seen. But soon after the carousel begins operating people disappear from it. It is sold and Maisie encounters the same ride in America where the mystery continues to confound the police.
This is an intriguing read with Maisie as a strong and determined lead character. Her early tough life gives her a strong survival instinct. I liked the descriptions of Paris at the beginning of the twentieth century when the ride was built, and enjoyed the setting in America where Maisie moved later. The building up of the amusement park felt realistic and I like the odd characters who made appearances: the milk delivery lady, Mrs Papadopoulos, and Arnold who became a sort of ring master for the carousel.
I did feel however, that more could either have been made of the magical element or more of the detective side of the story and there were times when I thought the carousel slipped from the most important part of the story. The story became a little sluggish in the middle after a wonderful opening but picked up pace again in the final quarter.
Overall a very intriguing premise and a good read with the carousel mirroring the ups and downs and fleeting moments of Maisie's life.
With thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

This book was beautifully written and captured my attention from the first page. The story is told from the perspective of two characters, Maisie and Laurent (both of whom, I loved). We meet a number of characters as well all of whom are well fleshed out and play an important part in the story.

This is a historical fiction mystery that drew me in. I loved the depictions of Paris in the 1900s and the detailing of the carousel at the heart of the story. The inventor of the carousel, Gilbert disappeared and then we had children mysteriously disappearing as they rode the carousel. The mystery of how this happened and who was responsible was intriguing and I never would have guessed the outcome.

Overall, this is Maisie's story and it is a wonderful story of grief, hope, love, and resilience in a world where you are seen as different. It is a story that will stay with me for a long time.

I inhaled this book in just 2 sittings. Partly, I suspect, because it's written with a lightness of touch that I'd usually expect from YA books )observation, not complaint). The blurb suggests it's for fans of The Night Circus, which I found a slog and DNF'd, where as this grabbed me from the start

It's hard to give much of the story without spoiling, but I'm not generally a fan of 'foofy' romance, and thankfully this doesn't divert into that (it does have a love story as part of the plot, but it's not the main feature).

The end resolutions were satisfying, and not ones I'd seen coming

Highly recommended

I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.

The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn is a captivating tale that intertwines elements of historical fiction, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural. The novel spans two timelines—Paris in 1900 and Chicago in 1920—linked by the mysterious and eerie presence of a carousel.

In Paris, Gilbert Cloutier, a renowned carousel maker, is consumed by grief after the tragic deaths of his wife and son. As he works tirelessly to complete his masterpiece for the Exposition Universelle, his mourning takes a darker turn. Gilbert begins to entertain dangerous thoughts, and the carousel becomes a symbol of his emotional unravelling.

The story then shifts to Chicago in the 1920s, where Maisie Marlowe has journeyed to America seeking a new life after a difficult childhood. When she uncovers a neglected and beautiful old carousel, she sees an opportunity to build a new future for herself. However, she is unaware that the carousel is hiding a dark secret. Years before, it had been linked to a series of unexplained disappearances, and now the eerie cycle of vanishing children begins to repeat itself.

The novel delves into the mystery behind the carousel and the chilling events surrounding it. Gilbert's grief and the inexplicable disappearances from the past seem to be inextricably linked to the carousel's haunting legacy. As the story unfolds, readers are drawn into a world of loss, secrets, and the lingering question of whether the carousel is cursed.

Through its atmospheric setting and intertwining plots, The Midnight Carousel offers a blend of historical intrigue and suspense. McLynn's writing creates a haunting narrative that explores the consequences of grief, the passage of time, and the inescapable nature of certain dark legacies. The carousel itself becomes a metaphor for both the fleeting joys of life and the inevitable shadow that follows, making for a gripping and unforgettable read.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

What an intriguing read! The story centres around an orphan, Maisie and her life as she is rescued from the hovel where she and several other children are kept as a way to make ends meet and provide drinking money for the carers.
Woven into this is a story of a master craftsman in Paris who created a most beautiful and enchanting carousel with a sinister secret.
And so begins a story that brings the two together as Maisie is rescued by her Aunt and eventually travels to America where she sees the carousel arriving after it is taken there for sale.
Inspector Laurent is the Parisian policeman who is involved in the unusual case of the carousel and connections to missing persons.
Without giving anything away the story tracks Maisie’s life and loves and keeps the reader guessing to the final chapters about what befalls the riders of the caramel coloured horse
An enjoyable and interesting read.

The Midnight Carousel is an intriguing, magical book. Did it blow me away? No. But it still made for a fun, enjoyable and unique read overall and I would definitely check out more by this author.

Thank you to Michael Joseph and Netgalley for this advance e-copy.

I enjoyed reading this book, it was easy and quick. I was drawn by the appeal of a magical carousel. Set in the early 1900s, we hear the stories of different people in different countries and how this one carousel ties them all together.

This book had great potential, the storyline was intriguing and it could have gone many different ways. I was disappointed though with the lack of magic. Without spoiling anything, I think actual magic would have been more believable than the ending.

I felt that the characters were very wooden. People fell in love within a moment’s notice, with no gradual plot development. Sentences were short and to the point, which I felt was a bit childlike.

Overall it was a good read but the writing style and the ending let it down.

I adored this book from start to finish - a heart-wrenching story of a young girl’s strength in the face of poverty, abandonment, racism, chauvinism, grief & loneliness, wrapped up in a locked-room-style mystery. I am eternally grateful to Michael Joseph/Penguin Randomhouse publishers & NetGalley for giving me the chance to read an ARC of this truly enchanting book, in exchange for my honest review.

Fiza Saeed McLynn’s is a phenomenal writer, balancing beauty & darkness in her hypnotic writing style, and I am in awe that this is her debut novel. The pacing of this book was perfect, I couldn’t put it down, and the descriptions of the sprawling estates, the wondrous Silver Kingdom and (most importantly) the eponymous carousel were intoxicating.

The author fully developed a large cast of characters who I had such satisfyingly mixed feelings for (I enjoyed reading about every single one, even the ones I disliked). I don’t want to say anything specific about the characters that would risk spoilers, but I adored every moment with Arnold or Mrs Papadopoulos, and I felt the way Saeed McLynn handled the complexity & flaws of both Gilbert & Laurent within just the first 12 pages was masterful. Maisie is the true heart of this story though; she comes across so vividly in every chapter and I felt so deeply for her throughout her character arc.

I cannot recommend this book strongly enough - for anyone whose interest is piqued by feminist character studies, coming-of-age struggles against truly devastating & tragic circumstances, beautiful carnival settings, found family narratives, and locked room mysteries.

Finally, I will emphasise that this story involves a very large number of potentially upsetting topics, and while they are all handled sensitively, some readers may find them challenging. I am therefore including an extensive list of Content Warnings below, which does contain spoilers for some elements of the story.

So please STOP READING HERE TO AVOID SPOILERS:

—————-
Content Warnings:
- alcohol use/abuse
- animal death
- bereavement - including loss of a partner/spouse, young child, parent and other family members & friends (multiple throughout, death/grief depicted in some detail)
- bigotry - racism & xenophobia (throughout); classism; chauvinism
- body-shaming
- execution/capital punishment
- child abduction, neglect & abuse (including physical violence) and death of a child
- domestic abuse
- pandemic & life-threatening illness; potentially triggering re: Covid-19 lockdown restrictions & anti-restriction sentiments
- police brutality & coercion (described in some detail)
- pregnancy, miscarriage & trouble conceiving (discussed in detail)
- relationship infidelity (emotional & financial infidelity)
- sexual content (not described in detail)
- sexual harassment, assault & rape (including marital rape and sexual assault of a child)
- suicidal ideation & suicide (multiple instances, not described in detail)
- violence, murder & arson
- war (briefly mentioned a few times, not depicted).

For some reason I love circuses or carnivals as a backdrop for books, so I was instantly interested in The Midnight Carousel. I will admit though it took me until about 40% into the book to get hooked. This historical, murder mystery does a great job of developing its main character, Maisie. She is a strong and independent young lady with a keen survival instinct. I really liked Laurent’s character, even though he wasn’t perfect he tried to make up for any hurt he caused. I would have liked a bit more of their relationship to be honest!
I liked the descriptions of Silver Kingdom, I liked the twists that the story eventually took, I liked the side characters as well.
It’s a good read that may just take some getting into, but worth it by the end.