What a lush little read! Olivia was quite a mesmerising heroine. Although the ending was a little hurried, I would still recommend for reader who loves rich and emotional historical fiction

I truly love Sarah Penner’s writing. And I will probably read anything and everything she writes 😂

This short story was such a beautiful read. Although short, it still had such an amazing story line.

THE CONJURER’S WIFE review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🔮After reading THE LOST APOTHECARY waaaaay back in my pre-bookstagram days, I was excited to read a short story by the same author! As I do with all novellas, I went into this one blind and really enjoyed it!

🔮It’s hard to summarize such a short book without spoiling it so here’s the basics in one sentence:👇
Olivia’s husband is an illusionist whose shows draw in huge crowds, but the secret to his success is darker than even his wife can fathom…

🔮For such a short story this one had me on the edge of my seat! I didn’t see the ending coming at all and I really enjoyed it! As with most novellas, I wanted just a biiiit more closure but that’s a me thing. 🤷‍♀️ I really enjoyed this one and can’t wait for this author’s 2025 release!

I found this short read super intriguing and lovely read. The writing was easy to understand, there was to a limited extent character development but you couldn’t expect a lot of that in a novella. While the suspense may have been predictable, it was still a mesmerising read to read about the circus set up and the reveals etc.

As a fan of Sarah Penner's previous novels, I couldn't wait to read this short story. And as soon as I started I knew it would be a quick read. I was hooked from the opening scene and didn't want to put it down.

Olivia is married to a conjurer, and their life together over the past year is the only thing she remembers. During a series of shows they're performing in Venice, she starts to get curious, and what she discovers about her husband and their life together isn't at all what she imagined.

I loved everything about this story, from the rich details of the setting to the perfectly paced twists and turns, to the surprisingly deep character development and the magic that those characters create. In fact, it this story was so good that I was left wanting more. I would love to see more of Olivia and her husband (which has me wondering if they might make an appearance Penner's upcoming book, The Amalfi Coast based on the mention of that area in this story).

The Conjurer's Wife was a pleasure to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance electronic copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this little novella! I would recommend to anyone who likes Sarah Penner's writing or who likes reading about magic. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read in exchange for my review!

I’m a huge fan of Sarah Penner - so when I saw this I jumped on it! This was such a unique story. I need more! I would read a whole book with these characters.

Gripping start, engrossing story, some feminist vibes, and the protagonist was a fascinating character who held the book on her shoulders despite its short length. However, I feel the novella never really reached its full impact or potential. Perhaps I wanted a more explosive ending. A great read nevertheless.

Another unique storyline from Penner! This was a very well-written short story, I just wish it was longer! Quickly paced and easy to read.

Penner writes a great character, and this short story is no exception. A woman with amnesia works as the assistant to her conjurer husband. Or does she? I would love a second story (or even a novel) following afer the events here!

There is something ironic about my new favorite work of Sarah Penner’s being her shortest. Though I adored this short story, I was left wanting so much more from Olivia and the witches of Positano! It was so captivating from start to finish. I first read Sarah Penner’s The Lost Apothecary with my book club and was disappointed but I tried The London Séance Society to give her another shot and enjoyed it much more. However, this story of magic in Italy is wondrous. Something I love when reading something suspenseful is being able to guess the twists because that means the author laid a perfect trail to them. All of Olivia’s discoveries had me on the edge of my seat even though I figured things out and that is the sign of excellent storytelling to me. Marmalade is a delight, too. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A lovely snippet. Available on Kindle Unlimited and as such, free on Audible! I would be interested in this being a full book but it was great as a short story.

I loved Sarah Penner's debut novel and was interested in the premise of this short story.

Olivia's husband is a conjurer, and she works onstage as his assistant during shows. When they were married, she had a terrible accident that caused amnesia and blotted out her past from her mind, so Olivia knows nothing about her life but her husband. Despite this, she still doesn't know the secret to how he conjures.

I enjoyed reading this story. Even though it was short, I felt invested in Olivia and her experiences, and I was interested in reading about her life and where it was going. There was also a bit of a twist ending.

If you like this author, I think you will enjoy this one!

Sarah Penner’s The Conjurer’s Wife is a mesmerizing novella set in 1820s Venice, weaving magic, mystery, and personal awakening into a captivating tale. The story follows Olivia, wife and assistant to renowned magician Oscar Van Hoff, as she begins to unravel secrets both on and off the stage. Along the way, the story drops intriguing references to Amalfi and the witches of Positano—breadcrumbs that hint at something much larger brewing. Perhaps a prequel of sorts to The Amalfi Curse?

Penner’s writing is lush and atmospheric, transporting you to the canals and dimly lit theaters of Venice. Olivia is a wonderfully relatable character, caught between loyalty to her husband and her growing need for independence. The twists are compelling, and the novella sets an intriguing stage for the themes Penner may explore further in The Amalfi Curse.

If there’s one downside, it’s that the story left me wanting more—a testament to how engaging it is. But as a standalone or a teaser of things to come, it works beautifully. Fans of historical fiction with a supernatural edge will devour this one.

Beautifully written and highly entertaining. I loved the mix of whimsical magic and the slow horror. I would happily read a full length novel like this.

A quick atmospheric read, set in 1820s Venice. Olivia is the young wife of a conjurer, she feels something is off and feeling slightly rebellious, she doesn't stand on the chalk mark on the stage designated for her by her husband, Oscar. Oscar is not pleased, he delights the audience with conjuring tricks, beginning by turning a man's hat into a peony and then working up. Olivia ponders the secret of his magic and also what caused her amnesia, attributed to an accident on her wedding night. An entertaining tale with tension and some twists and a sweet fox cub. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a short but very enjoyable read! I loved all the references to the upcoming The Amalfi Curse. It was a pleasant surprise.

A HUGE thanks to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book! I get no compensation whatsoever, and I write this review willingly.



The delightful cover which spoke of spectacle and ancient times what with the clothes and braid of the woman really caught my eye. But what intrigued me was the title, The Conjurer’s Wife! A conjurer? Interesting! And his wife… She’s clearly much more than what she appears to be at first.

I had to read this short story by Sarah Penner! Not only does it occur during the 19th century, but also in Venice, with a backdrop of illusionism and spectacles. I love everything magic and that relates to the arts of the scene.


So, I was kindly granted a digital copy, and honestly I read it so fast. When I had to do something else, I would keep thinking about the story and Olivia, the main character, until finally I could resume my reading.

This sounds like your cuppa too?

Keep reading, loves!

The Positive Points:
The prose is straightforward and includes much information in short sentences and fewer words than one would think. I love it! You know all you need to in a swift and direct way. The descriptions are succinct, yet they tell everything you need to know: like how common the clearing of throat is before a show as a spectator, and how the theatergoers are drunk, notably before it happens in the holidays and on a Friday evening. The author doesn’t shy away from less-than-agreeable truths and descriptions, and I appreciate it.

Also, I love the integration of gaslight system which is from that time period—it is accurate and well-thought of.

Plus, you can feel the tension between Oscar and Olivia right from his entrance! He doesn’t seem wholly good… what has he done in the past? It seems Olivia thinks it’s high time for a little rebellion of her own. I am intrigued about what truly happened to Olivia before the injury and what Oscar might have done to her… used her for his shows? Lied and manipulated her to wed her?

As I kept progressing in my reading, something clearly didn’t seem right about this whole thing and Oscar, was Olivia the magician before and then he met her and used her talents to become popular? Maybe he stole magic by causing her head injury… Argh, I didn’t know, but something was definitely wrong in this picture! He seemed to have no trick to his shows… which as a magician is highly improbable! Almost impossible. So what gives?

I love the scene with Olivia and the painting. It is much more important than we know at the moment!

Omg, the plot twist was great! I wasn’t expecting that plot twist until the very last minute. Fantastic and chilling at the same time. A grand number in the author’s show! The ending is excellent and rebellious—just like Olivia in the beginning. dang how I love her character! I would read a whole book about her.

Lastly, this short story reads like a show. I mean, it’s like I am watching a theater play or a tv show—it’s really entertaining and captivating.

The Negative Points:
How can she be sure that thing (no spoilers here) is magic? She simply assumed when she saw it. Perhaps Oscar plans his shows with it? This would be more logical than assuming it’s magic right away. This seemed a bit illogical and it bothered me, jumping to conclusion like that—the right one at that, and much less plausible than anything else!

In Conclusion:
Overall, I give The Conjurer’s Wife by Sarah Penner a grand rating of 5 stars out of 5 for how excellent the storytelling is, how captivating and engrossing the story is, and also how much I love Olivia as a character and the amazing plot twist! Honestly, I would really read a whole thick book about Olivia! This story is genuinely that good.

I recommend this short story to all lovers of magic in all its forms, art, and spectacles, as well as those seeking to be captivated by a story and characters and taken aback by a plot twist cleverly crafted!

This was such a well written short story. In just a short time I got completely invested and I just want more

The Conjurer’s Wife
By Sarah Penner
3.5 ⭐️

This very short story is fanciful and imaginative. Centered on a magician and his wife who suffers from amnesia, we get to join in on 2 of their shows. This is absolutely worth a read as it can be read start to finish in well less than an hour!

eARC courtesy of: NetGalley, Sarah Penner, and Amazon Publishing. 🪄