THE DEATHLY GRIMM

Following their adventure in The Forest Grimm (2023), Clara and Axel journey again into the woods, hoping to complete their mission and lift the curse plaguing their village.

To succeed, they’ll need to bring a murderer to justice and recover the missing page of the magical Book of Fortunes, a powerful artifact that grants each villager a single wish. As the forest creeps closer to the line of ashes that marks the borders of Grimm’s Hollow, luring more residents into its dangerous depths, Clara, who has scoliosis, relies on her ability to see visions of the past to unravel the mystery. Navigating the forest proves treacherous when twisted versions of fairy tales—such as “Rumpelstiltskin,” “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” and “Jack and the Beanstalk”—stand in their way. But the most difficult obstacle Clara and Axel face is learning to trust one another when Clara’s visions suggest that their loved ones may be hiding dark, possibly deadly, secrets. Clara’s visions introduce multiple red herrings, complicating the narrative’s timeline but adding intrigue along with numerous suspects. The tension between the leads escalates as their diverging intentions spark conflict, adding emotional stakes to their quest in this duology closer. Most characters are cued white.

A thrilling and satisfying dark fantasy merging a murder mystery with eerie fairy tales.