Stefan Bachmann was born in Colorado and spent most of his childhood in Switzerland, where he graduated from the Zurich University of Arts with degrees in music composition and theory. He is the author of The Peculiar, his debut, which was published to international acclaim when he was nineteen years old. He is also the author of The Whatnot and A Drop of Night.
“Stefan Bachmann is a terrific, ambitious writer . . . Magic and
mystery tied up with real stakes—readers won’t be able to turn the
pages fast enough.” — Soman Chainani, New York Times-bestselling
author of The School for Good and Evil series
“Although a 12-year-old servant girl doesn’t recall the time before
she was an orphan, she remembers her secret, powerful name: Zita
Brydgeborn.. . . The last of a family of powerful witches . . .
there is much to learn and no one she can fully rely upon . . .
Bachmann’s worldbuilding is delightful . . . rich with enough
ghosts and enchanted staircases to satisfy any fantasy lover, and
the cast of characters . . . is well developed and engaging,
especially intrepid narrator Zita. A suspenseful and entertaining
romp through an entertainingly witchy world.” — Kirkus
Reviews (starred review)
“In a house so full of secrets . . . nothing is what it seems.
Through enticing details, Bachmann creates a singular, gothic world
in which a long-declining class of psychopompic witches defend
against the restless dead. . . . Dreadful creatures, an absorbing
atmosphere of escalating tension and paranoia, and moments of
delightful magic all make for a memorable adventure.” — Publishers
Weekly
“An orphan has no idea of her birthright until a mysterious
stranger shows up to inform her of her destiny. Suddenly, Zita is
heiress to a castle, learning to develop her innate skills as a
witch and exposed to a whole world beyond the orphanage where she
was raised. . . . Bachmann balances horror, magic, and a coming of
age story with aplomb.” — Bulletin of the Center for
Children’s Books
“Orphan housemaid Zita Brydgeborn quits her position and travels to
Blackbird Castle after receiving a letter informing her she’s the
long-lost heir. But on arrival she discovers that she’s also
expected to assume the duties of the great witching Brydgeborn
family . . . As Zita puzzles through the twin mysteries of what
happened to her family and how she was separated from them in the
first place, she faces dangers from beyond the grave. Bachmann
incorporates magic and atmosphere in this appealing tale.” — Horn
Book Magazine
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