Boy of Chaotic Making
A boy like no other embarks on a transformative journey of magic and self-discovery in the next enchanting Whimbrel House novel by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.
Merritt Fernsby’s life has changed considerably since he inherited Whimbrel House. He’s engaged to Hulda Larkin, who opened his eyes to the uncanny. And he’s grown quite protective of his uncle Owein—several generations, and iterations, removed. Owein is presently inhabiting the body of a mixed-breed terrier when Merritt receives a missive from none other than Alexandrina Victoria, the Queen of England: I am interested in your dog.
It’s the queen’s duty to the peerage to keep British wizardry empowered. Her offer: England will find a human vessel for Owein, marry him into the royal family, and add this remarkable soul-shifter to its lineage. For Owein, a boy trapped in the body of a pup, it’s a dream come true. How can Merritt refuse? However, once they are in London and in consortium with a necromancer, the situation doesn’t feel right, both with their hosts and the house they inhabit. Owein is having nightmares. And Hulda’s premonitions warn of danger in Merritt’s future. Clearly, someone doesn’t want them in town.
But after two hundred years of being cursed to drift, Owein is determined to chart his own destiny. He’s ready to defy whatever chaos is coming. After all, Owein is the master of chaos, and with Merritt and Hulda’s love and magical support, he can overcome anything.
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Charlie N. Holmberg
Charlie N. Holmberg has a knack for finding magic in the margins—the kind of wonder tucked inside ordinary things, like folded paper, whispered spells, or the quiet ache of a lonely heart. Best known for The Paper Magician series, she writes fantasy that doesn’t shout but hums—spellbinding stories where imaginative worlds meet deeply human characters, and the line between enchantment and reality is deliciously thin.
Raised in Salt Lake City and shaped by the worlds of anime and Star Trek, Holmberg’s early love for storytelling bloomed in fan fiction before evolving into fully realized novels. Her writing often carries that same sense of earnest imagination—worlds that are clever and surprising without ever losing their emotional grounding. Whether it’s the steampunk whimsy of The Plastic Magician, the eerie elegance of The Fifth Doll, or the slow-burning celestial magic of Star Mother, her books unfold with the quiet confidence of an author who trusts her readers to follow her into the strange and the beautiful.
Whimbrel House
Some houses whisper. Whimbrel House remembers.
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.
Whimbrel House consists of four books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
