This was a perfect, self-contained vignette that was surprisingly emotional. If the author would turn this into a full-length novel or even expand it to include what happens next I would very happily read it!

This is brilliant and really crafted well—no real estate was wasted. Stories like these prove that even with brevity, you can still deliver a satisfying arc.

Read if you like stories like comfort me with apples, Galatea, and the yellow wallpaper. I’m adding it to my collection of satisfying female rage.

I greatly enjoyed this short story. I think this is definitely going to be in her new book about the witches on the Amalfi coast and I’m really hoping her story is continued in the book as I want more!

**Thanks to Amazon Publishing and the author for the e-ARC I received in exchange for my honest opinion.**

I love this short story about a magician’s wife and her discovery of how he conjures up his magical displays. It’s got vibes of empowering women and embracing the life you’re dealt and taking control of your own destiny. At around an hour long, it’s a perfect short listen. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

a lovely short story but still reading worthy. Sarah writing left me turning pages.
Loved all her other books and recommend this little jem as well

The conjurer's wife doesn't know how the conjurer makes his magic, but since her accident a year ago, she doesn't really know much about anything. This little bite of a story was rich with detail and mystery. The writing was lush with description that brought to life the textures of the stage and setting. Just as you hope from a short story, it had a great twisty and clever ending.

Poor Olivia. She remembers nothing before her fall. Not her wedding to Oscar, not being an orphan, not even working as a seamstress. These are all things her husband has told her.

Now she is working as Oscar’s assistant. He is the conjurer. His audiences adore him. He makes things appear as if by magic and Olivia wants to know how. Figuring out his secret will lead her to the secrets of her past and possibly to the key to her future.

This was a fun short story that could be prequel to Ms. Penner’s upcoming release. If it is, I can’t wait to read it!

Olivia is the wife and assistant to a Venetian conjurer. He performs the most amazing tricks and Olivia has no idea how he does so. One night after a party she discovers her husband’s secret and learns more about her past.

This short story had a nice little twist at the end & I enjoyed the fox kit that was conjured. Thanks to NetGalley & Amazon Original Stories for a copy of this short story.

Lots of details crammed into this short story, I felt like I was in Venice with Olivia. Would have loved for it to go further. Did she make it to the mermaids? Is there a limit to her existence? It’s an original plot and enjoyable read but not fully satisfying.

This was a fun little read-in-an-hour short story which kept my attention the whole time. My only hang-ups -- if it's set in Italy and the main characters (seemingly) live in Venice, why don't they have Italian names? Why Oscar and Olivia? But also, riding in a stagecoach in Venice? Not possible in the historic center (where the theater of the plot takes place). If you can get past these impossibilities, it was witty and clever and I enjoyed the ride.

A very fun short story! I loved the ending and didn’t predict the twist which is a plus. This would be fun to read in a middle-grade classroom and possibly use in a secondary level creative writing class.

4 Stars
One Liner: Nice!

1821, Italy
Olivia Van Hoff is the wife and assistant of famous conjurer and illusionist Oscar Van Hoff. The crowd goes crazy to attend his shows, and Olivia wonders about his magic acts. Her routine job of smiling and reciting the same lines for every show bores her. When a random act leads her to a secret, Olivia decides to take control of the situation.
The story comes in Olivia’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
This 40-page short story uses the craze for illusionists and ‘spiritual stuff’ in the 19th century as the backdrop to talk about the identity crisis, the role of women, the art of magic, etc.
Though people flock to see professional illusionists and are proud that they don’t encourage fraudsters, they also have a generational hatred for witches (pagan magic and women).
For a short piece, this establishes both characters, provides intrigue, reveals a few secrets, and leads the finale to an open ending. In a way, the end suits the character arc and lets readers come to their own conclusions.
The atmosphere and setting are well done despite the word limit. It is easy to visualize the scenes and characters, especially Marmalade (read to find out who/ what it is).
Though the story has a slightly heavier vibe, there’s a sense of lightness too. The balance is quite good and makes the story engaging. It’s a quick read as well.
To summarize, The Conjurer's Wife is an interesting and entertaining short story that touches on a few important themes.
Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The ending felt rushed and left lots of things unanswered unfortunately. However it was a short, fun little read.

Magnificent short story, with a captivating plot and delightfully vivid descriptions.

Set in Venice in 1821, Olivia Van Hoff is the wife of Oscar, a conjurer and magician. Olivia is becoming increasingly frustrated by Oscar’s controlling nature and the secrecy about his performances. In the lead-up to their final show for theatregoers, Olivia seeks to find out more, although what she discovers will change her life.

Given the level of creativity demonstrated in this short story, I am interested in reading more work from Sarah Penner.

With thanks to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy, for review consideration with an honest review.

I really liked The London Séance Society, so I decided to read this short story by Sarah Penner before even reading the synopsis. Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Conjurer’s Wife follows Olivia Van Hoff, wife to a famous conjurer, as she grows frustrated by her husband and her mysterious past. The story follows the duo on the last two shows of a tour in Venice. Without giving much away, I liked the descriptions of the shows and found them very entertaining. While I didn’t know wholly know Olivia’s backstory before her accident, it wasn’t as surprising as I would’ve liked. I wanted more answers and wasn’t sure how the witches fit in aside from showing how Olivia wanted friends. I did like the ending, though.

This was a good short story that I read quickly. It was published on January 1, 2025.

A fascinating novella with a strong central character and a compelling plot! Thank you to NetGalley and to Amazon Publishing for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was an entertaining short story. I loved the FMC and felt that revenge is a dish best served cold. A delightful romp. I will see what else this author writes.

This was a satisfying, short little read. Its vivid imagery and descriptions coupled with the mystery of the magic draws you in. The ending could have been more gratifying, but it was open ended enough to wonder what may come next, which keeps you thinking about the story after it’s completed.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

While this was a super short story, it was well-written and engaging. I would read more of this story for sure!

This is a wonderful short story from one of my favorite authors. My only complaint is that I wish this was a full novel. I loved the concept and the writing style.