The Temptation of Charlotte North

By: Camilla Bruce

Published by Random House, 2026-05-19

A rebellious young woman desperate to escape her predetermined life joins forces with an unlikely ally—a sinister spirit—in this dark gothic fantasy from the acclaimed author of At the Bottom of the Garden.

Be careful what you wish for. It might come true. . . .

In 1910, on a small, remote island that boasts more sheep than people, life does not hold a lot of promise for the spirited Charlotte North. Her only chance to escape from both this insular community and a family who does not understand her seems to be through marriage—an institution she is not at all eager to join, given the unhappiness of her parents’ own union. Plus, eligible suitors are few and far between, which is why Charlotte has fallen hard for one of the few outsiders to join their community in recent days: the handsome—and likewise unhappily married—new priest.

And then an ancient tower once rumored to have imprisoned a witch—or an unfaithful wife—crumbles, and releases . . . something. A restless spirit that knocks inside the walls and sends household objects flying. A spirit that seems to have an affinity for Charlotte herself. Though many on the island are terrified of this new interloper, Charlotte sees in it potential. Power. And perhaps even a way to get everything she has most wanted out of life.