Greer Macallister

Advance praise for The Thirteenth Husband:

"A whirlwind tour of the life and loves of incomparable Aimee Crocker. Macallister deftly captures the raucous, devil-may-care attitude of a woman who wasn’t afraid of scandal, while also beautifully depicting her more vulnerable side – especially when it came to matters of the heart. A truly wonderful read." — Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Spectacular

"An absorbing portrait of a fascinating woman, THE THIRTEENTH HUSBAND explores the raucous life of Aimée Crocker: millionaire, mystic, and iconoclast. In Macallister's skillful hands, Crocker comes to vibrant, sensational life. I couldn't look away!"—Heather Webb, USA TODAY bestselling author of Queens of London

“Greer Macallister’s Aimee Crocker is exactly the kind of sassy, strong heroine you want to stay up late into the night gabbing with - and soaking up every detail of her epic life.  I loved adventuring with Aimee from San Francisco to India and Japan, walking in the shoes of a woman who lived and loved life to the fullest. This is compulsively readable historical fiction!” —Kerri Maher, USA Today Bestselling author of All You Have To Do Is Call

"In a story as captivating as the real-life heiress Aimee Crocker who inspires it, THE THIRTEENTH HUSBAND takes its readers on a journey across cultures and continents, through fortunes and, of course, husbands. Utterly gripping." — Marie Benedict, NYT bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie and The First Ladies

"An evocative and sprawling tale, The Thirteenth Husband is resplendent with extravagance, magic, and yearning. Macallister elegantly captures the essence of a spectacular and complicated woman living life to the very fullest, and Aimee Crocker is a flawed heroine to be celebrated." — Noelle Salazar, USA Today bestselling author of The Flight Girls

Praise for G.R. Macallister’s Arca:

“The Drought of Girls has ended but all is not well in Macallister’s enthralling second Five Queendoms epic fantasy (after Scorpica). The usually harmonious matriarchal societies are in disarray and heading toward war…. Macallister keeps the tension high, brilliantly weaving together political intrigue and adventure. The refreshing worldbuilding and intricate character work remain highlights. This takes the series to new heights.” — Publishers Weekly

"G.R. Macallister raises the stakes superbly in ARCA, powerhouse second installment in her matriarchal fantasy series THE FIVE QUEENDOMS. A young sorceress battles to control her newly-won realm, a tribe of amazons raise their banners in war, a young prince and a queen's long-lost heiress begin a fraught romance, and a devious senator schemes for power under the eye of her goddesses. Readers will be all too happy to dive back into this fascinating world!" — Kate Quinn, NYT bestselling author of The Alice Network, The Diamond Eye and Mistress of Rome

Praise for G.R. Macallister’s Scorpica:

“Five nations ruled by women are sent into free fall when, for decades, only boys are born in this novel of magic, might, and intrigue…. A bold new series of epic fantasy.“ — Kirkus, starred review

“The people of the Five Queendoms lose the ability to produce girls in this refreshing epic fantasy from Macallister (The Arctic Fury)…. As the Drought stretches on for a decade, the long-standing peace between countries teeters in the balance. Macallister twines the stories of women from each of these societies as they struggle with loss and search for solutions. She does a good job keeping each perspective as exciting as the last. The page-turning plot and intricate worldbuilding makes this a must-read for fans of Game of Thrones and Priory of the Orange Tree.” — Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Jenna Glass, R.F. Kuang, and Tasha Suri will want to immerse themselves in the Five Queendoms saga, a complex tale centered around strong female characters." — Booklist

“If Brienne of Tarth or Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan, are your girls, Macallister has something for you. The first book in her matriarchal fantasy series the Five Queendoms features women as warriors, scholars, farmers and the titular royal leaders. But when years pass and every baby born is a boy, balance is disrupted. As queens compete for power, men, whose acceptable functions have always been beauty and servitude, may have sinister new roles to play.” — Washington Post

“SCORPICA is Game of Thrones for all the ladies out there who loved Game of Thrones but hated its disappointing mad-queen finish: a richly-drawn fantasy world peopled by fierce women, smart women, warrior women, women to make you stand up and roar. A matriarchal quintet of queen-led nations is thrown into chaos when baby girls inexplicably stop being born, and the result is an intoxicating brew of court politics, deadly magic, family rivalry, and enough swashbuckling female swordplay to delight Wonder Woman's entire isle of Amazons. Macallister’s turn from historical fiction to historical fantasy is a gem— I can't wait for the next installment!” — Kate Quinn, NYT bestselling author of The Alice Network, The Rose Code and Mistress of Rome

"Ambitious and engaging... A sprawling epic fantasy that spans the lives of warriors, queens and the fate of a continent." — Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author Black Sun

“Scorpica is everything it promises to be - an ambitious matriarchal fantasy with a broad cast of heroines and villains, admirable worldbuilding, and fluid prose. But what I enjoyed most were the nuance and complexities of the women in Macallister’s world. They’re capable and flawed, tender and ruthless, and include multiple reflections of my favourite type of character - the fierce, loving, and indomitable mother. Combined with vivid action and sweeping scale, Scorpica is fem-led epic fantasy at its finest.” — H.M. Long, author of Hall of Smoke and Temple of No God

Praise for The Arctic Fury:

“Macallister writes women like no one else, her characters’ strengths and shortcomings vividly magnified by the societies and even geography that would diminish them… Does a woman have any chance of surviving, we wonder, not just the terrible cold of the arctic, but of outraged men demanding she hang for daring to step outside her place? This is where Macallister shines. We care deeply for her characters, believe in what they fight for, but never feel lectured or pulled out by a modern point of view. These women live and shine brightly in their own time—exactly as historical fiction should read.” — Hannah Grieco, Washington City Paper

“Suffused with a spine-tingling aura of dread, Greer Macallister’s complex, riveting historical novel The Arctic Fury includes tantalizing glimpses of nineteenth-century women’s lives... capturing the past with gritted teeth and a pounding heart.” — Foreword Reviews, starred review

“Macallister is a master of historical fiction with female characters, and The Arctic Fury is perhaps her finest work to date. Mixing courtroom drama with a thrilling Arctic exploration, she fleshes out thirteen distinct, three-dimensional expeditioners…. These are women as women have always been, regardless of their time period: complex, nuanced, ambitious human beings.” — Historical Novel Society, Editor’s Choice pick

“The Arctic Fury is not for the faint of heart: at times Macallister thrusts her characters almost aggressively into hardship, peril and gruesome situations. It is not a clear-cut narrative of adventure, love or justice, although it contains the seeds of all those things. But it is certainly compelling. Readers who love historical fiction, strong women and unusual settings will find all three—as well as a couple of truly inventive twists—in Macallister's novel.” — Shelf Awareness

“Based on true events, Macallister's adventurous historical mystery considers what might have been if a women’s expedition traveled to the Arctic at a time when women weren’t expected to leave the house, let alone explore the corners of the globe. Moving from the present to the past and from one woman’s voice to another, Macallister captures the suspenseful journey from all angles as readers uncover the truth about what really happened out on the ice.” — Booklist

“As Macallister takes the reader back to relive the arduous trip north with Virginia’s determined group, she skillfully traces how friendships and rivalries develop against the backdrop of extreme weather conditions and the women’s grueling quest to survive…. The Arctic Fury is an absorbing page-turner.” — Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette

"An unforgiving, snow-dazzling landscape, a cast of extraordinary, fierce women, and a nail-biting courtroom drama that wrecked my nails makes this historical gem unputdownable!"  -- Kim Michele Richardson, New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

“In her latest gem of a historical novel, Greer Macallister once again entrances the reader with her gift of riveting prose and finely crafted suspense. Equal parts courtroom drama and literary thriller, THE ARCTIC FURY bears all the twists and turns of a runaway train, barreling through an expedition as harsh and unrelenting as the Arctic north itself. The diverse cast of female survivors, while haunted by impossible choices, serves as a timely reminder of the hope born in darkness and the enduring bonds of sisterhood. A remarkably unique and mesmerizing tale.” –Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday

“In her novel THE ARCTIC FURY, Greer Macallister plunges readers into a wild, frozen landscape as beautiful and awesome as it is punishing and lethal. This is a story of thirteen intrepid women, each with her own reasons for setting out on an ill-fated expedition, as well as a story of the secrets we carry, the pasts we try to outrun, and the bonds of friendship that save and inspire us to carry on. Macallister writes with rich historic detail and sumptuous prose, exploring new ground as she takes readers on this Arctic journey.” - Allison Pataki, NY Times Bestselling author of The Queen’s Fortune

"In her enthralling new novel, THE ARCTIC FURY, Greer Macallister takes her readers on a thrilling, if arduous, journey to the Arctic north, alongside Virginia Reeve and her all female expedition in a quest to find the ships of a lost explorer. Through alternating glimpses into the voyage itself and the murder trial afterwards, the enterprise and its secrets -- both tantalizing and terrorizing  -- reveal themselves in turn, sweeping readers along until they reach the story's spell-binding conclusion. A captivating look at the manner in which the ‘truth’ is formed by the lens through which it is perceived, a lens formed by time, place, and views on women.” - Marie Benedict, NY Times bestselling author of The Only Woman In the Room

“Tensions run high throughout to the shocking conclusion… Macallister fans will enjoy.” — Publishers Weekly

“The real Lady Jane Franklin sponsored a number of expeditions to find her explorer husband, Rear Admiral Sir John Franklin, after he and his men went missing in the Arctic. Though there’s no record of an all-female expedition, that hasn’t stopped Greer Macallister from writing a cracking good story about one in her fourth novel, The Arctic Fury. Macallister’s book, written in prose as crisp as an Arctic summer, reminds us that women had all kinds of adventures during this period, from heading out into the frontier to holding conventions for women’s rights and writing antislavery books like Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The Arctic Fury is a tribute to one young woman’s leadership and genius for survival.” — BookPage

Praise for Woman 99:

“Macallister follows up The Magician’s Lie with a novel of the power of sisterhood, shining a spotlight on the barbaric treatment of the mentally ill in this period as well as society’s view of women who don’t fit the “traditional” mold. Readers will become engrossed in Charlotte’s journey of self-discovery as she fights to free herself and her sister from a rigged system.”– Library Journal (Editor’s Pick)

“In Macallister’s spellbinding novel, set in 1888, a San Francisco society woman discovers horrifying treatment of patients after getting herself admitted to an asylum with hopes of freeing her sister. … Though Charlotte narrates, Macallister also gives voice to a motley crew of women who, at the mercy of male whims, hide multitudes. Charlotte’s commitment to rescuing her sister is emotionally resonant, and the grim realities of institutionalization in the 1800s offer heft. Macallister sensitively and adroitly portrays mental illness in an era when it was just beginning to be understood, while weaving a riveting tale of loyalty, love, and sacrifice.”– Publishers Weekly

“Exploring sisterhood, trauma, and the power of shared experience, Woman 99 is an undercover glimpse inside a late nineteenth-century treatment facility. Macallister fearlessly probes the dark corners of the era, exposing barbaric treatments and backward thinking surrounding mental illness. Fans of Yara Zgheib's The Girls at 17 Swann Street (2019) and the novels of Anne Tyler will appreciate Macallister's strong narrative style.” – Booklist

“A gripping story that exposes the Gilded Age’s tarnished veneer, when women who didn’t acquiesce to the standards of the day were locked away. Powerful and electrifying, Macallister is at the top of her game.” – Fiona Davis, bestselling author of The Masterpiece and The Address

"WOMAN 99 is a gorgeous ode to the power of female courage. A resourceful Gilded Age heiress feigns madness and inveigles herself into an insane asylum, determined at all costs to rescue her fragile, unjustly committed sister, only to realize the horrors of the madhouse may keep them both prisoner forever. But when alliances are forged among the asylum women, many of whom are jailed because they are inconvenient rather than insane, all things become possible--even escape. Greer Macallister pens a nail-biter that makes you want to stand up and cheer." – Kate Quinn, NYT bestselling author of The Alice Network and The Huntress

“Macallister’s mastery of historical fiction is on full display in WOMAN 99. Her incisive voice brings a dark chapter of our past to life with unsettling contemporary resonance.” – Julia Whelan, author of My Oxford Year 

“Greer Macallister’s characters never fail to leap off the page into your very soul; you can’t help loving them, rooting for them, agonizing with them over the choices they must make. WOMAN 99 is richly and expertly woven with chilling historical details – you won’t soon forget what it was like to be behind the locked doors of Goldengrove Asylum on a mission to save someone you love.” – Susan Meissner, bestselling author of As Bright As Heaven

Praise for Girl In Disguise:

"Macallister (The Magician’s Lie) pens an exciting, well-crafted historical novel featuring Kate Warne, the first female Pinkerton detective in 1856 Chicago.... Loaded with suspense and action, this is a well-told, superb story." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Macallister’s story is a rip-roaring, fast-paced treat to read, with compelling characters, twisted villains, and mounds of historical details adeptly woven into the tale of a courageous woman who loves her job more than anything or anyone else." -- Booklist

"Macallister follows up The Magician’s Lie with another stellar historical novel featuring a fierce female lead... From Chicago’s mean streets to the battle lines of the Civil War, Kate’s dangerous journey is a never-ending thrill ride. Macallister’s masterly storytelling brings her characters to life, and the skillfully handled suspense never wavers. Inspired by true events, this is a sure crowd-pleaser for lovers of historical fiction and chilling plot lines." -- Library Journal

"Vastly entertaining... Steeped in the details of the period, GIRL IN DISGUISE is an entertaining ride as well as an homage to a brilliant woman who found and seized her chance at a life full of adventure and purpose." -- BookPage

"A mesmerizing journey into a fascinating time in history and an even more intriguing personality in the form of America’s first female private detective. Fortunately for us, Macallister has a knack for taking readers with her into a vast world of vivid, exciting imagination. Don’t miss this one." -- Bookreporter.com

"GIRL IN DISGUISE, Macallister's sophomore effort, dives into case after case, convincing the reader as well as Pinkerton that Kate is an ace detective in this dangerous man's world. Kate gets better as she goes — and so does the book....With Kate, Macallister gives us a glimpse into a 19th century cloak and dagger world we may not have known existed." -- NPR

"Readers who enjoy historical events told from the point of view of an engaging character will be well-served by GIRL IN DISGUISE.... [Kate's] story is undoubtedly fascinating. Kate’s voice is fresh and compelling, and therefore, overall, this is a very well-written and enjoyable novel." -- Historical Novel Society

"Greer Macallister brings the original Miss Pinkerton roaring back to life in this electrifying tale. GIRL IN DISGUISE is a rollicking nineteenth-century thrill ride, complete with clever disguises and coded messages, foiled plots and hidden agendas, lies, indiscretion, and forbidden love.  Kate Warne is a scrappy, tough-as-nails detective who did a man's job for the first time in American history. She lives and breathes again in this riveting novel." -- Amy Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of Girl Waits with Gun

“With cunning, guile, and a dash of desperation, Kate Warne charms her way into the old boys’ club of a mid-19th-century Chicago detective agency and soon finds herself catapulted into a world of spies, rogues, and double-crossers. As she dons and sheds all manner of disguises, Kate discovers that she has a knack for subterfuge — and more than that, she likes it.  Inspired by a real-life story, Greer Macallister has created a fast-paced, lively tale of intrigue and deception, with a heroine at its center so appealingly complicated that she leaps off the page.” -- Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train

“If you love historical fiction, you’re going to devour GIRL IN DISGUISE. The time, the place, the girl – this book takes you on a thrill ride with the first female detective, making her way by pluck and luck through the seedy streets of 19th century Chicago, finding her place in a male-dominated world.”  -- Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue

"All hail a mighty woman in a man's world! Greer Macallister aims her pen at Kate Warne, the first female Pinkerton detective, and hits the mark with this rousing, action-packed adventure. A book that brings to light a commanding and little-known contribution to American history." — Sarah McCoy, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Mapmaker's Children

"GIRL IN DISGUISE cleverly unearths the story of Kate Warne, the first female Pinkerton detective. Fast-paced, subversive, and with rich prose, it's everything an historical mystery should be. In the end it will leave you stunned. And then you will want to read everything else Greer Macallister has ever written." -- Ariel Lawhon, author of Flight of Dreams

"From the underbelly of Chicago to the front lines of the Civil War, GIRL IN DISGUISE crackles with spirit, and the trailblazing Kate Warne is a character I would follow anywhere. In Macallister’s confident hands, this novel is packed full of adventure, moxie, and heart. I dare you not to get hooked." -- Rae Meadows, author of I Will Send Rain and Mercy Train

"Macallister is becoming a leading voice in strong, female-driven historical fiction. Exciting, frightening, and unspeakably moving, GIRL IN DISGUISE reveals what one courageous woman endures to enact justice in a nation at war, and change the course of history." --Erika Robuck, National bestselling author of Hemingway's Girl

"I was absolutely ensnared by GIRL IN DISGUISE, Greer Macallister’s unflinching investigation of what it means to be true to yourself while living a life of deception. Mysterious Kate Warne, who fought perception to become the first female Pinkerton detective, is just the kind of courageous, ingenious, fierce character I love. I could not stop turning pages as she dons disguises, tells lies, rubs shoulders with lady spies, hardened criminals, double agents, and President Lincoln, and manages to uncover the truth—not just about the crimes she investigates, but her own heart. Chock full of fascinating ripped-from-the-headlines period details and intriguing historical personages, I drank this book down in a single shot." - Erin Lindsay McCabe, USA Today bestselling author of I Shall Be Near To You

Praise for The Magician's Lie:

"Smart and intricately plotted... a richly imagined thriller." -- People Magazine

“[A] well-paced, evocative, and adventurous historical novel… top-notch.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"More bewitching than a crackling fire." -- Oprah.com

"Macallister, like the Amazing Arden, mesmerizes her audience. No sleight of hand is necessary. An ambitious heroine and a captivating tale are all the magic she needs." -- Washington Post

"Macallister is as much of a magician as her subject, misdirecting and enchanting while ultimately leaving her audience satisfied with a grand finale." -- Columbus Dispatch

"Greer Macallister's haunting first novel is a compelling mystery.... [her] painstaking descriptions of the costumes, technique and trickery involved in Ada’s work as an illusionist are unparalleled." -- BookPage review

"And for its next trick, the novel 'The Magician’s Lie' by Greer Macallister just might become a hit." -- The Christian Science Monitor

"Combined, the two points of view reveal magic and illusion, romance and lost loves, murder and intrigue, and Macallister captures the whimsy and wonder of the traveling magic shows of the 20th century with stunning detail." -- Shelf Awareness

"Like her heroine the Amazing Arden, Greer Macallister has created a blend of magic that is sure to delight her audience. THE MAGICIAN'S LIE is a rich tale of heart-stopping plot turns, glittering prose, and a cast of complex, compelling characters. Reader beware: those who enter Macallister's delicious world of magic and mystery won't wish to leave!" -- Allison Pataki, NYT bestselling author of The Traitor's Wife

"A suspenseful and well-researched tale of magic, secrets and betrayal that will keep you guessing until the end." -- J. Courtney Sullivan, NYT bestselling author of The Engagements, Commencement and Maine

"THE MAGICIAN'S LIE is riveting, compelling, beautiful, frightening, evocative and above all magical. Don't miss this immersive novel of suspense and wonder from an exciting new voice in historical fiction!" -- International Bestseller M.J. Rose

“A riveting read with suspenseful turns, THE MAGICIAN'S LIE takes you on an engaging and atmospheric journey through storytelling and illusion. Greer draws on raw emotion and leaves you questioning just how much is left behind the curtain." —Sarah Jio, New York Times bestselling author of Goodnight June and Blackberry Winter

“Greer Macallister handles the reader with the command and brilliance of a world class ringmaster. THE MAGICIAN’S LIE is a mesmerizing novel of illusion, secrets, and suspense. Bravo!”  -- Erika Robuck, author of Fallen Beauty and Call Me Zelda

"Greer Macallister's novel will surely capture the imagination of all readers waiting impatiently for the next WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. She hits the nail on its head as surely as she captures the turn-of-the-century audiences of traveling magic shows. No spoilers here, but know that the conclusion of this book is gripping and exciting. Macallister writes with the poise of an experienced author with intense character development, spot-on historical references, and page-turning action.  Write on, Greer Macallister!” -- Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault (Oskaloosa, IA)

"A little taste of THE NIGHT CIRCUS, and little salt of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, THE MAGICIAN'S LIEby Greer Macallister is a wonderful combination of magic, vaudeville and the drama of a secret life of Arden. Is her story real, or an illusion? Are her magic acts true, or a magician's lie? Will the small town cop believe her, or send her away for the murder of her husband?  Will you know what really happened at the end of A MAGICIAN'S LIE? One will have to read this fabulous and carefully crafted novel to find out, and you must."  -- Annie Philbrick, Bank Square Books (Mystic, CT)

"In THE MAGICIAN'S LIE, Greer Macallister has created a rich tapestry of mystery, magic, and lost love. The novel drew me in with its lush details and edge-of-your-seat plot. The tale of the tragic Amazing Arden, a female magician, will have you questioning how the truth of a tale can be different than the material facts, and how what you feel can be stronger than the soundest logic." -- Margaret Dilloway, author of How to Be an American Housewife and The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns

"In her historical fiction debut, Macallister… has created a captivating world of enchantment and mystery that readers will be loath to leave." -- Library Journal review

“Recommended to anyone who likes historical fiction, strong women characters, and surprisingly twisty plots.” -- Paula Jones, Brockton Public Library, Brockton, MA (LibraryReads January 2015 recommendation)