A Spell for Saints and Sinners
- Judith D Collins
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 16 hours ago
By: Emily Carpenter
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
ISBN: 9798899741241
Publisher: Recorded Books
Publication Date: 03/31/2026
Format: Audio
My Rating: 5 Stars (ALC)
Like a gender-flipped Saltburn set amidst the moss-draped, haunted beauty of Savannah, this intoxicating blend of Southern suspense and modern witchcraft from bestselling author Emily Carpenter casts a spell of class, power, and possession.
In a city where ghosts linger in the moss and money buys salvation, a struggling psychic is drawn into Savannah’s glittering elite, as obsession and need curdle the lines between magic and madness, seduction and salvation, pirates and protectors …
In front of an elegantly shabby townhouse on a Savannah side street sits a hand-painted sign: Miss Edie, Psychic. Ingrid White inherited the house and business from her beloved grandmother, a local celebrity in town. But unless Ingrid can find a way to pay for crushing property taxes and mounting repairs, she’s going to lose them both.
Ingrid has faith in the homespun witchcraft Edie passed down to her, yet hope and clients are dwindling. … Until Sailor Loeffler’s bachelorette party changes everything. Sailor is local royalty—part of the vast “Savannah Sauce” empire, beautiful and wealthy beyond imagining—and Ingrid’s reading is so accurate that she becomes the bride-to-be’s confidante. To keep that access and all the privileges it brings, Ingrid relies more and more on hexes and dark spells—using the baneful magic Edie always warned her against.
As Ingrid works even riskier spells, she is drawn further into the Loefflers’ inner circle and the obstacles in her path melt away. But is it witchcraft or other, more earthbound forces? Ingrid can feel the lines blurring even as her powers seem to grow, until she must confront the truth about just how far some people, including herself, will go to keep the life they’ve always wanted …
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My Review
Emily Carpenter makes a triumphant return with her latest engrossing Southern Gothic thriller, A SPELL FOR SAINTS AND SINNERS, following the success of Gothictown, (a top audiobook of 2025).
This gripping tale revolves around Ingrid White, a down-on-her-luck psychic and witch in the enchanting yet shadowy streets of Savannah. Desperate to change her fortunes, Ingrid employs dark and unpredictable magic to infiltrate the opulent world of the city's elite, particularly becoming enmeshed in the life of the wealthy heiress, Sailor Loeffler.
At its core, the story is a fascinating exploration of toxic obsession, perilous spells, and the chilling secrets that lie within families. As Ingrid navigates the treacherous waters of Savannah's high society, she finds herself ensnared in a web of intrigue, where each spell cast pulls her deeper into a world filled with danger.
The increasing intensity of her magical acts will leave readers frantically turning the pages, eager to uncover the dark truths hidden beneath the surface of glamour and privilege in this unforgettable journey.
The Vibe: A sultry, Spanish moss-draped descent into the dark heart of Savannah high society.
Highlights...
Ingrid White inherits her grandmother’s run-down townhouse and struggling psychic business in Savannah, facing crippling debt with past-due property taxes.
She performs a reading for Sailor Loeffler, a wealthy bride-to-be from a prominent family ("Savannah Sauce" empire), and becomes obsessed with her privileged life.
Sailor pulls Ingrid into her inner circle, using her for readings and companionship, while Ingrid relies on and becomes addicted to using dark spells/hexes to maintain her status.
Ingrid uses her dark, forbidden, "baneful" magic passed down by her grandmother to protect her position, while uncovering the dark, treacherous history of the Loeffler family. The line between reality and witchcraft blurs as the Loeffler family’s secrets turn dangerous.
My thoughts...
A baneful masterpiece of Southern Gothic suspense that asks: What are you willing to sacrifice to belong? In a city where ghosts linger in the moss and money buys salvation.
In Emily Carpenter’s sultry and sinister city of Savannah, the Spanish moss hides a hard truth: Privilege is the most dangerous magic of all.
In a hauntingly atmospheric Southern Gothic narrative, this tale delves deep into the complexities of obsession, envy, and the shadows of class disparities, all woven together by the threads of humanity's deadliest sins.
The author, at the pinnacle of her craft, brings to life a captivating array of characters that linger in the mind.
The audiobook...
Narrated with exquisite dread by (favorite), Cassandra Campbell, this is a must-listen for anyone who likes their thrillers seductive, dark, and dripping with humidity. Campbell’s narration is the 'secret sauce' here; her sultry, grounded performance turns Emily Carpenter’s prose into a living, breathing Southern Gothic nightmare.
Campbell is a legendary voice in the Southern Gothic and thriller genres! Her narration style—often described as languid, atmospheric, and soulful—is a perfect match for Emily Carpenter’s "sultry" prose.
The author and narrator perfectly nail the social chasm between the two women: Ingrid’s voice is a frayed nerve of desperation, while Sailor’s is a sultry, polished weapon of privilege.
Characters...
Ingrid, a desperate psychic, navigates her turbulent existence, grappling with her own haunting visions and unfulfilled desires. In stark contrast stands Sailor, a cunning and manipulative heiress, whose charm masks her ruthless ambition. Adding layers to this intricate story are a host of dysfunctional family members, each grappling with their own vices and secrets, further enriching this dark yet compelling exploration of wealth and morality.
The story takes a "twisted" turn as accidents and even murders begin to occur. Ingrid eventually discovers that her grandmother and the Loefflers share a dark secret past that returns to haunt her.
Ingrid must confront whether her growing powers are truly witchcraft or other forces and decide how far she will go to keep the life she has built.
City of Savannah...
The city of Savannah itself is a central force, defined by "moss-draped oak trees," "heavy humidity," and "historic townhomes" that hide dark secrets. It is a place where "ghosts linger in the moss and money buys salvation.
The author uses classic Southern Gothic tropes like generational trauma, family legacies, and the sharp contrast between the "privileged elite" and the "spiritually ambitious".
Themes...
A primary theme is the blurring of boundaries—between magic and madness, "homespun witchcraft" and earthbound greed, and the "seduction and salvation" offered by the city’s upper class.
Emily Carpenter deftly explores several dark, interconnected themes typical of modern Southern Gothic suspense.
~Class and Privilege
~Obsession and Possession
~The Price of Ambition
~Magic vs. Madness
~Legacy and Family Secrets
The characters often look to magic or money as a means of salvation from their past or present failures. The atmosphere is heavy with menace, decay, and dread.
Takeaway...
The ultimate takeaway of A Spell for Saints and Sinners is that privilege is the most dangerous kind of magic. The sultry humidity hides a hard truth: when you play with baneful magic to reach the top, you might find that the 'saints' are the most dangerous demons of all.
The ending is a macabre reminder that some legacies aren't meant to be claimed, and the price of 'belonging' might just be your soul. Cassandra Campbell’s voice drops to a chilling, languid whisper in the final chapters that will leave you questioning who the true 'saints' really are.
Recs...
If you want a thriller that feels like a slow-burning fever dream, this is it. Between Carpenter's lush writing and Campbell's masterful narration, A Spell for Saints and Sinners is a must-listen for anyone who likes their Southern Gothic dark, humid, and deeply obsessive.
Special thanks to Recorded Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Mar 31, 2026
A Spell for Saints and Sinners & Gothictown:
While A Spell for Saints and Sinners focuses on personal obsession and modern witchcraft in Savannah, Gothictown centers on a family trapped by the sinister traditions of a small Georgia town (think Paradise). Both novels expertly use Southern Gothic tropes to explore how the past and privilege can corrupt the present.
Highly recommend both audiobooks (narrated by Cassandra Campbell). Her signature style—that rich, atmospheric quality she brings to Southern suspense—makes her a perfect match for Emily Carpenter's Gothic thrillers.
Praise
“Carpenter dazzles in this enchanting, suspenseful tale of a young woman who is both burdened and blessed by her family's remarkable legacy of magic. Redolent with Southern Gothic atmosphere and the simmering tension between Savannah's privileged elite and those tempted by worldly—and spiritual—ambitions, A Spell for Saints and Sinners is a dark pressure cooker of a novel, with an aura of exquisite dread.”
—Paulette Kennedy, bestselling author of The Devil and Mrs. Davenport
“The innocent, the guilty, the good, the evil, the rich, and the poor shift and blur and shift again in this twisty story of loss, desire, and magic. With lush writing and colorful characters, Carpenter creates a solid stage and then deftly peels back the layers to reveal a different world entirely, one that will stay with you long after the last page.”
—Susan Crawford, bestselling author of The Pocket Wife and The Other Widow
“Witches, psychics and family secrets haunt this mystery that twists and turns through the mansions and garden squares of Savannah. It’s the South in all its steamy glory and few write better about it than Carpenter.”
—Leigh Dunlap, author of Bless Your Heart on A Spell for Saints and Sinners
“If you’re looking for a dark, moody, and bewitching tale of deception and suspense, let Emily Carpenter’s latest cast its spell on you. You’re in for a wicked treat!”
—Avery Bishop, bestselling author of Girl Gone Mad on A Spell for Saints and Sinners
“Carpenter casts a lush, intoxicating spell steeped in the heat, secrets, and simmering menace of Savannah. It’s Southern gothic, psychological suspense, and social satire all at once: dark, dazzling, and impossible to resist.”
—Carter Wilson, USA Today bestselling author of Tell Me What You Did on A Spell for Saints and Sinners
“Wreathed in magic, mystery, and the macabre, A Spell for Saints and Sinners whisks readers into a world where nothing is what it seems and no one can be trusted. Strolling down the hauntingly beautiful streets of Savannah, brushing shoulders with impossibly glamorous elites, and clutching the hand of a lovable psychic witch, Carpenter’s twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat.”
—Allison Gunn, author of NOWHERE
About the Author
Emily Carpenter is a bestselling author of suspense novels including Burying the Honeysuckle Girls, The Weight of Lies and Gothictown. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, she graduated from Auburn University and worked in New York City as an actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes assistant for the CBS shows As the World Turns and Guiding Light before returning to her southern roots. She now lives with her family outside Atlanta, Georgia, and can be found online at EmilyCarpenterAuthor.com. WEBSITE
