A Riddle of Thorns

A Riddle of Thorns is a twisty Dark Academia mystery--glittering, elegant, unsettling, and perfect for fans of Divine Rivals and The Inheritance Games.

Sana Gupta has waited years to return to her ancestral home in Paris, with its labyrinthine halls and overgrown gardens. Sent away as a child when her mother disappeared, Sana has long puzzled over whether her mother's departure was just another of her famously unsolvable riddles.

Now eighteen and ready to claim her inheritance, Sana arrives at the dark and dilapidated estate to find three strangers awaiting her: Fox, an eccentric prodigy who models himself after Sherlock Holmes; Isabelle, a seemingly innocent girl who shares an icy history with Sana; and Minho, a handsome young genius always wearing half a smirk. Per her mother's will, they've each received a cryptic invitation to compete in a contest of riddles for the deed to Razorthorn Manor--and the rumored treasure hidden within: a flower created by the gods themselves, able to grant any wish.

Feeling betrayed by her mother, Sana sets out to uncover the truth of where her mother really went, what links the competitors together, and what secrets the crumbling and disquieting house conceals. But her task won't be easy--for her competitors will do anything to win this twisted game . . . Set in a darkly shimmering Edwardian Paris where worship of the Roman gods never ended, A Riddle of Thorns drips with Gothic atmosphere, sizzles with romantic tension, and confounds with intricate puzzles and long-buried mysteries.

"UNFURLS LIKE A FLOWER BLOOMING."--Judy I. Lin, A Magic Steeped in Poison
"SPELLBINDING."--Angela Montoya, A Cruel Thirst
"ENTHRALLING."--Elle Tesch, What Wakes the Bells

Author: Sarena Nanua,Sasha Nanua
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 10/14/2025
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.50w x 1.60d
ISBN: 9780823460427
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 09/01/2025
Publishers Weekly 09/08/2025
Kirkus Reviews 10/01/2025
Booklist 10/01/2025

About the Author
Sarena and Sasha Nanua are twin sisters who love stories featuring mysteries, puzzles, and magic. Born on Diwali ten minutes apart, they began writing books together at the age of nine. They are graduates of the English and professional writing programs at the University of Toronto and are the authors of Spirit Service, Sisters of the Snake, and Daughters of the Dawn. You can visit them online at sarenasashabooks.com.