One man is on a journey to unravel his magical lineage in the next spellbinding novel of the Whimbrel House series by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.
Thanks to house tamer Hulda Larkin, the mischief infesting Whimbrel House has calmed. But if Hulda’s job is done, what does that mean for Merritt Fernsby, inheritor of the remote Narragansett Bay estate, who’s only now coming to terms with his enchanted place in the world?
Merritt has realized his own burgeoning powers, which draw the thoughts of every plant, insect, and dog. His nights are sleepless, with an uncontrollable cacophony of voices that compel a long-overdue search into his uncanny bloodline. It’s not the only puzzle uniting Merritt and his ex-housekeeper, Hulda. Her friend and former employer at the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has disappeared. Hulda herself is up for the now-vacant position of institute director, and her rival for the role is a stranger who’s suspiciously curious about Whimbrel House—and could have connections to an old foe.
As Merritt struggles to face his estranged family and Hulda dives into the institute’s secrets, the two are brought intimately closer than ever into the mysteries of wizardry, chaos, and love.
The series
Some houses whisper. Whimbrel House remembers.
Read full series description
Set against the brooding elegance of 19th-century New England, the Whimbrel House series unfolds like a forgotten diary—one inked in mystery, magic, and unexpected intimacy. What begins as a strange inheritance for Merritt Fernsby, a reclusive writer with no family and few attachments, soon becomes a reckoning with forces far older—and far more sentient—than he ever imagined. This house isn’t haunted in the traditional sense. It’s alive, and it doesn’t take kindly to strangers.
Enter Hulda Larkin, a no-nonsense enchantment specialist from the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms. Her job is to pacify magical spaces that don’t follow the rules. But Whimbrel House isn’t just unruly—it’s protective, secretive, and deeply entwined with Merritt’s own buried history.
Laced with quiet suspense, slow-burn romance, and gothic atmosphere, the series blends historical fantasy with a tender exploration of human connection. Holmberg doesn’t just build magical worlds—she invites readers into homes with creaking floors, enchanted doorways, and hearts that beat beneath the walls. The story balances the eerie allure of sentient architecture with the emotional pull of found family, all while hinting at darker truths that ripple beneath its polished surface.
Perfect for readers drawn to character-driven historical fantasy with a touch of the uncanny, Whimbrel House leaves its doors ajar just long enough to invite you in—before deciding whether it will ever let you go.
Be the first reviewer
Sign in and write the first reader review.
