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The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton Published by Kensington Books on March 31, 2026
Genres: Fiction / Gothic, Fiction / Historical / 19th Century / General, Fiction / Occult & Supernatural
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
ISBN: 9781496756909The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas meets “Sister Wives” in a deliciously chilling, darkly romantic, historical gothic horror with a feminist slant, as a young Mormon woman is haunted by a malevolent presence in the decrepit Salt Lake City mansion she shares with her new husband and his other wives…
Hazel Russon’s life in 1882 Utah territory is defined by three things: the Mormon church, polygamy, and the men who control both. She knows she’s supposed to suppress her sinful dreams of a monogamous life with her sweetheart, and her desire for the freedom to play her beloved piano. Every Mormon woman’s duty is to live obediently and meekly, devoted to her husband and her calling as a sister wife. Her eternal salvation depends upon it.
Commanded to become the fourth wife of a man she’s never met, Hazel is relieved that Jacob Manwaring is attentive and handsome. However, she is shocked to discover that instead of living separately as is custom, all of Jacob’s wives and children live in the same house—a large, dilapidated manor that inexplicably fills Hazel with dread.
Despite Jacob’s tenderness, Hazel senses dark secrets and resentments among her sister wives. She hears strange music, sees blood oozing from the very walls, and glimpses apparitions that grow more terrifying every day. And as her nightmares worsen, Hazel can’t be sure if she has more to fear from the living—including her mysterious husband—or from a sinister presence that seems to animate the house itself . . .
Drawing on little-known Mormon folklore and the author’s own polygamous ancestors, this fascinating, suspense-filled historical novel debut is by turns darkly romantic, spine-tingling, and wholly unforgettable.
I’ve been really excited for this book since I heard about it sometime last summer or fall on my Instagram. I’m always here to read a haunted house horror book, but one that delves into an area that I’m not as familiar with, Mormonism and plural marriages, just added an extra little intrigue while reading. Hamilton manages to blend together the horror with the historical and religious elements without it being prosecutorial towards the Mormon religion while still showing how fucked up a ton of this is towards women.
First off, Hazel’s character was so well done. I love that we had her point of view through the novel as it really showcases the tense situation. I really appreciate the anxiety that she had as someone who’s also an anxiety ridden bean (formerly diagnosed), plus the anxiety in a religious atmosphere lends itself to the horror elements. The way Hazel is trying to follow her religious dictates but has these thoughts and feelings that are counter to her religion that make her anxiety spike, which she’s then told is due to the Devil, so she forces herself to obey more. Then the cycle continues. I didn’t grow up in Mormonism, but I did grow up in a Texas, Christian-centered town that was all about following without question and staying in your place, nice and quiet. I was not any of those things. I asked questions and had thoughts and was (definitely) not quiet. Sadly, part of that was beaten (not physically) somewhat out of me by the time I hit middle school where I wasn’t as outgoing as I had been. Hazel’s story felt real to me and many of the thoughts I had about myself and those around me (although, thankfully, I wasn’t sold off into an arranged marriage let alone a plural marriage).
The other plural wives, Abigail, Flora, and Prudence were such interesting characters that showcased a spectrum of those who follow Mormonism and are part of plural marriage. The one who firmly believed in the religion and plural marriage with Floral. There’s Prudence who wanted the protection of the marriage but had her own independence and ideas (being part of the suffragette movement). Then Abigail, the first wife, the one Jacob fell in love with but psychologically abused with his words and actions. While at times, they might have annoyed me, at the end I was realizing that they all were doing the best they could with the hand they were dealt.
The haunted house aspect was well done with not giving everything away right away creating that tense atmosphere. Hazel’s anxiety really lends itself to this since she’s trying to force herself to believe she’s not seeing things, with Jacob gaslighting her at times that she’s at fault. The whole novel was such an atmospheric book that at times I felt like I was there with Hazel while I was reading.
Spoilers ahead: I fully believed that Father Crowther was telling the truth mostly because I don’t trust most men so it wouldn’t surprise me for a man (Elijah) to change his mind about Hazel. The ending was not what I was expecting at all. I truly bought into the idea that Jacob was the monster the whole time (not that he isn’t cause he’s the outside cause of what happened in the house) but finding out who the specter was and what happened to make the house haunted was a twist for me.
This is definitely going to be in my head for the next few weeks, and I’m probably going to violate my book buying ban this year and get this!
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