Masks and Shadows

The year is 1779, and Carlo Morelli, the most renowned castrato singer in Europe, has been invited as an honored guest to Eszterháza Palace. With Carlo in Prince Nikolaus Esterházy's carriage, ride a Prussian spy and one of the most notorious alchemists in the Habsburg Empire. Already at Eszterháza is Charlotte von Steinbeck, the very proper sister of Prince Nikolaus's mistress. Charlotte has retreated to the countryside to mourn her husband's death. Now, she must overcome the ingrained rules of her society in order to uncover the dangerous secrets lurking within the palace's golden walls. Music, magic, and blackmail mingle in a plot to assassinate the Habsburg Emperor and Empress--a plot that can only be stopped if Carlo and Charlotte can see through the masks worn by everyone they meet.

From Publishers Weekly

Burgis (the Kat, Incorrigible series), trained as a music historian, does justice to an unusual choice of time period and subject matter in this enjoyable historical fantasy. Charlotte von Steinbeck, recently widowed, accepts her sister Sophie's invitation to visit Eszterháza, the grandiose palace of the Hungarian prince Nikolaus Esterházy. The year is 1779, and the prince, Sophie's lover, is a wealthy patron of the arts and sciences. One of the arts he supports is music: his chief household musician is Haydn, and the famous castrato singer Carlo Morelli arrives to visit shortly after Charlotte does. The prince's court, however, is also full of alchemists studying dangerous, secret magic. Charlotte and Carlo learn that they and those they care for are in deadly peril as they attempt to attend Haydn's new opera and succeed at falling in love. The political intricacies and the details of court life and court music are intensely evocative, and the characters are charming—though not, unfortunately, as three-dimensional as their spectacular surroundings. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. (Apr.)\n

Aliette de Bodard, Nebula Award–winning author of The House of Shattered Wings

“Romance, music, and dark alchemy rise to a pitch-perfect ending in this wonderful historical novel. Memorable and utterly delightful.”

Kate Elliot, author of Cold Magic and Court of Fives

“This deftly told and hugely engaging story weaves together the glittering court life of eighteenth-century Europe with a love for music (and Haydn), a thrilling taste of love and politics, and the bitter threat of a deadly magic.”

Ellen Kushner, author of Swordspoint and the Locus Award–winning The Privilege of the Sword

“Elegant and exciting, Masks and Shadows celebrates diversity in taking us to a corner of the fantasy world few have ever visited. Stephanie Burgis plays her magical music with assurance and a profound knowledge that delighted and enlightened me as much as it entertained.”

Donna Thorland, author of The Dutch Girl

“Terrific. A lush adventure fueled by music and alchemy, and peopled with irresistible characters. Masks and Shadows blends history and magic into a rich, believable love story fraught with royal intrigue. I finished it in one sitting.”

Laura Florand, international bestselling author

“An intricate, passionate tale of love, difference, and danger. Loved it!”

Leah Cypess, author of Mistwood

“A delightful tapestry of courtly intrigue, deadly magic, music, and romance. Stephanie Burgis has woven an unforgettable tale, steeped in eighteenth-century atmosphere and full of unique, well-drawn characters. This is a must-read for lovers of historical fantasy.”

magic, demons, angelic singers, and all. I can’t wait to read the next. There will be a next? Yes? Please?”

“Wonderful setting, fascinating characters, and beautiful music. It truly feels as if the author has lived with the people in that period and has written them from life

Elaine Isaak, author of The Singer’s Crown

“Passion reigns in this vivid work of alchemy and opera! Burgis conjures a world of dazzling splendor and intrigue, then fills it with a rich cast of characters. Lush descriptions of a baroque past delight the mind’s eye while the tension mounts. In this captivating fantasy romance, you can almost hear the music.”

Jaime Lee Moyer, author of Against a Brightening Sky

“Masks and Shadows stole my heart from the very first page. Set against the lush backdrop of a prince’s estate and the Habsburg Empire, this is a story rich in music and dark magic, intrigue and romance, finding the courage to be a hero, and discovering that dreams can come true.”

Rachel Neumeier, author of The Keeper of the Mist and the House of Shadows series

“The story . . . is not just about opera, it actually is an opera. It is filled with passion and drama, evil plots and heroic rescues, spurned wives and pouting mistresses, demon-summoning alchemists, ambitious noblemen, and the most famous castrato singer in Europe. . . . You can practically hear the operatic score as each character steps onstage and each scene progresses.”

Justina Robson, author of Glorious Angels and the Quantum Gravity series

“A romantic dance of intrigue, wit, and derring-do, Masks and Shadows enthralls from start to finish.”

About the Author

Stephanie Burgis was born in Michigan, but now lives in Wales with her husband, writer Patrick Samphire, and their children. Before becoming a fulltime writer, she studied music history as a Fulbright Scholar in Vienna, Austria, and worked as a website editor for a British opera company. She has published over thirty short stories for adults. Kat, Incorrigible (US)/A Most Improper Magick (UK) won the Waverton Good Read Children's Award in 2011 for Best Début Children's Novel by a British writer. It was followed by Renegade Magic/A Tangle of Magicks and Stolen Magic/A Reckless Magick.

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