The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn

In the early 1900s, Maisie Marlowe moved to Chicago with her guardian, Sir Malcolm. Getting off the train, they see people unloading the most beautiful carousel, one that was built specifically for the World’s Fair in Paris. The Midnight Carousel, while intriguing, is full of tragedy as multiple children have gone missing from it. Maisie and Sir Malcolm decide to open an amusement park on their property, with the carousel being the main attraction. When more children go missing, they will discover this machine is full of secrets, and only tragedy will befall those who possess it. This story is beautifully written, and the plot is ingenious. That being said, it is an incredibly sad tale, full of loss and heartache. If you enjoy compelling mysteries and thought-provoking characters, this story is for you. Maisie is perfect; strong and resilient, but a little bit broken. The mystery itself is also perfect. I did not figure it out before the big reveal. It’s so clever and well thought out. I also found it interesting how the author chose something that generally brings so much joy to people to be something that brings so much heartache. I highly recommend you read it.