A Magic Deep and Drowning

Hester Fox

$32.99

Paperback

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English

HQ
02 July 2025

Fantasy

Set in the waning days of the Dutch Golden Age and steeped in folklore and magic, this lush reimagining of The Little Mermaid is at turns both sinister and enchanting.

The Dutch Republic, 1650. One fine spring day in Friesland, twenty-year-old Clara van Wieren is faced with an ill omen: a whale, beached and rotting in the noonday sun. But Clara doesn’t believe in magic and superstition, and this portent is quickly dismissed when a proposal from a wealthy merchant arrives, promising Clara the freedom she seeks from her mother’s overbearing rule.

When her attempts at overseeing the household at her family’s estate lead to a chance encounter with a mysterious young man with russet hair and sparkling eyes the color of the sea, she finds herself strangely drawn to him. As Clara grows closer to Maurits, she must choose between the steady, gentle life she has been raised for and the man who makes her blood sing.

But Maurits isn’t who he seems to be, and his secrets, once hidden beneath the waves, threaten to rise up and drown them both. And when an ancient bargain, forged in blood between the mythical people of the sea and the rulers of the land, begins to unravel, Clara finds herself at the heart of a deadly struggle for power.

By: Hester Fox
Imprint: HQ
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 155mm, Spine: 27mm
Weight: 437g
ISBN: 9781038955135
ISBN 10: 1038955130
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 02 July 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Hester Fox is a full-time writer and mother, with a background in museum work and historical archaeology. Most weekends you can find Hester exploring one of the many historic cemeteries in the area, browsing bookshops, or enjoying a seasonal latte while writing at a café. She lives outside of Boston with her husband and their son.