Livia T. Hatch’s debut novel, A Mist Falls Over the Castle, follows Ilona in 17th century Bohemia as she leaves the excitement of Prague behind for the mysterious Ivštejn Castle to marry a man she has never met. Things soon do not go to plan, however, and Ilona finds herself stranded in the remote, crumbling, and at times frightening castle deep in the forest. The small staff speak of the castle’s legends and ghosts, most notably of a Filip the Cruel–a portrait that seems to coldly study Ilona from the wall. Forced to try to make the best of a bleak situation and a new, terrible prospective husband, Ilona works hard to befriend the staff and learn all she can about Ivštejn’s history. Hatch’s prose is intriguing and atmospheric, adeptly setting the mood for how things are not always as they seem at Ivštejn.
The trajectory of Ilona’s life once more changes when she sees what she thinks is the ghost of the former lord of Ivštejn, the man she was supposed to marry, Josef. Against all odds and rules of reality, Ilona begins a relationship with Josef, whom she only sees at night. She additionally suffers from nightmares both erotic and terrifying. She soon learns, however, that appearances are indeed deceiving. Trickery, occult magic, demons, ghosts, moving castle stones, and twisting vines with minds of their own take center stage in Mist as the story progresses. I don’t want to get too spoilery, but I will say that Hatch keeps the reader engaged, intrigued, and guessing about where the story will go next. Her creation of this little mysterious world of Ivštejn and all its magical workings is unique and creative. While the story leans heavily on speculative elements, Hatch still seamlessly blends the narrative against the historical backdrop of post-plague Bohemia and 17th century peasant revolts.
Much like Ilona’s nightmares, Mist grows into something much more than what most readers will anticipate–in a good way! The author plans a trilogy for this tale, and I eagerly await the next installment!
A Mist Falls Over the Castle releases November 10, 2026
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