The Mesmerist

“ Immersive and compelling . . . The Mesmerist will linger long after you turn the last page. ” – NPR

Before hypnotism, there was Mesmerism. In 1894 Minneapolis, spiritualism of every stripe is all the rage, and women are dying under mysterious circumstances. When a new guest arrives at the Bethany Home for Unwed Mothers, refusing to speak, the stories of unexplained deaths seem unconnected— until Faith’ s suspicious reticence sets the house abuzz with whispers of dark magic.

Abby, the Bethany Home’ s treasurer, thinks the rumors swirling around Faith are nonsense, but she recognizes the danger of a good story. Abby tasks Faith’ s roommate, May, with tracing Faith’ s path to the Bethany Home. Desperate to end her year at Bethany Home engaged and on track to her happily-ever-after, May begins digging into Faith’ s shadowy background. But the more May learns, the more she’ s forced to question the dubious motives of everyone around her, and as the body count rises, May must reevaluate her future, and which lies she’ s willing to tell, for whom. Inspired by a true crime that rocked the nation, Caroline Woods reimagines a classic American story through the eyes of three unforgettable women.