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The Midnight Carousel

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The Midnight Carousel

By: Fiza Saeed McLynn
Narrated by: Aysha Kala
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE NIGHT CIRCUS MEETS WATER FOR ELEPHANTS IN THIS ENCHANTING, DARKLY GLITTERING STORY OF GRIEF, OBSESSION, REVENGE AND ENDURING LOVE
Come children, come children from far and near. Come choose your steed, you galloping knights, to enjoy the fun of the carousel . . .


Paris, 1914

Detective Laurent Bisset has reluctantly closed a most puzzling case. Fairgoers have been vanishing while riding a dazzling carousel. The only man who could be responsible is behind bars – but Laurent cannot explain what happened to those missing.


Chicago, 1920

Maisie Marlowe acquires a beautiful, antique carousel, and sets up the Silver Kingdom amusement park. It is a place of delight and wonder – until a child goes missing on its most famous ride.

When rumours of the Chicago disappearance reach Laurent, he crosses the Atlantic in search of new answers to an old mystery.


Together, can he and Maisie uncover the carousel’s secret before it claims another?


'An atmospheric, evocative adventure across the world. Stunning'
JANICE HALLETT
'Took hold of my heart and held me captive.'
ANYA BERGMAN
'What a special story this is. A brilliant, absorbing ride'
AMANDA GEARD
'I completely surrendered to its magic'
HESTER MUSSON

'My favourite book of the year. When I wasn't reading it, it was all I could think about.'
SARAH PENNER

'A beguiling mystery and a fabulous love story'
GARETH BROWN

'Intricate and enchanting'
FREYA BERRY

'I adored it . . . Readers are in for a treat'
MELISSA FU

'A lavish tapestry that weaves a compelling mystery into a timeless love story. Breathtaking'
HELEN FIELDS

'A truly magical book that kept me reading long into the night'
LOUISE HARE


© Fiza Saeed McLynn 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

 20th Century Crime Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Magical Realism Mystery Romantic Suspense Disappearance Feel-Good Heartfelt Chicago

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Critic reviews

Enthralling debut… a beguiling tale of a brave woman claiming her hard-won happiness against the odds
Draws you in deeper until the very last page (Daily Express)
Fans of The Miniaturist will enjoy this part mystery, part love story.
This gorgeous debut novel is absolutely spellbinding
Perfectly paced, it is hard to believe this enchanting novel is a debut. [...] An intriguing mystery, a story of loss, love and grief, and a woman forging her way in the world, this sweeping novel is mesmerising.
A story of love, loss, love and grief with an intriguing mystery at heart, it's hard to believe this perfectly-paced debut novel is a debut (Zoe West)
Part mystery, part love story and an entirely magical ride
Layered and suspenseful, this novel reveals its secrets slowly, drawing you in deeper until the very last page (Erica Szule)
I climbed on The Midnight Carousel and didn’t want to get off. It’s a beautifully constructed work of art as much as a journey through love and loss as an adventure across the world, atmospheric and evocative. A stunning debut.
A spell-binding tale spanning continents and decades, which took hold of my heart and held me captive. Compulsive and heartrending, both love story and page-turning mystery, at the heart of The Midnight Carousel is an unforgettable heroine who has stayed with me long after I turned over the last page.
All stars
Most relevant
Beautifully read - the characters shine out and the story was an intriguing yarn, a lovely addition to my holiday !

Great story, characters and well read

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This is a beautiful book. I loved the way that it was so restrained, constantly holding back the knowledge needed to solve the mystery, keeping me wanting to read on. The two main characters were thoroughly likeable which is always a bonus. It covers big themes such as mixed race in the early part of the 20th century in the US, suicide, grief, abandonment - all handled with compassion and warmth. I loved the revelation of the mystery and the twist at the end. It puts me very much in mind of the style of Kate Morton (another fabulous writer). I hope there will be more books from Fiza. Beautifully read by Aysha Kala too.

Beautifully crafted

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This book feels like a story told by candlelight—flickering, a little smoky, and full of enchantment. It brought to mind something I couldn’t quite name, but that only made the experience more deliciously eerie.

The narration was warm and well-matched to the story’s tone, pulling me deeper into the world McLynn crafted. Characters with heart, secrets buried beneath the surface, and an atmosphere dripping with old-world allure—this is the kind of audiobook you sink into.

If you love a bit of mystery spun with folklore and emotion, this one might just sweep you off your feet.

A velvet-wrapped mystery worth getting lost in

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I was never quite convinced of the characters and their stories. Found myself willing it to end.

Well narrated but not a compelling story.

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I really enjoyed listening to The Midnight Carousel, I found the story to be intriguing and I loved how it spanned over the years. The story of Maisie was fascinating to me and I really liked her character, she went through a lot but still showed strength and resilience until the end. The mystery of the carousel and the disappearing children had me intrigued and I really wasn't sure where it was going or what the outcome was going to be. I found this to be cleverly set up and I was surprised with the revelation. I loved the writing and how it felt like the story played out effortlessly, I was drawn in straight away and I loved the journey I was taken on.
The narrator really did a great job bringing this story to life.

A fantastic story

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