“At sunset, the binding will unwind,
snapping the vessel in two.
If there's no one to link to, no one to host us ...”

Trapped in the Royal Ontario Museum's American Indian Gallery, three terrified spirits wait anxiously, fearing they'll go poof!

Up north, still gripped by the terrors of her nightmare where she’s ensnared moments before the Halifax Explosion, Emily scurries to the trolley for Toronto.

A twelve-year-old on her own must keep her wits.

Men are trailing her. The Grim wants to fetch the truancy officer. And every time she dozes off, the nightmare deepens.

And if she doesn't get where the magic is drawing her ...

Travel to Toronto in 1919, home to the most astonishing people:

A “looter” of ancient Egyptian crypts; the women who are modernizing fledgling Canada; a woman travelling alone to deep China.

And a sickly young nurse, Miss Amelia Earhart, who falls into Emily's arms and dreams of flying.

Mystery, magic, suffrage, post-war anxiety and promise, and a plucky protagonist make this book a pleasurable read for a cozy corner or a magic-filled classroom.

“The Briars Bemused” is the first in the Emily Twillum Adventure series, a prequel to “The Briars Between.”

[From my professional editor] “The way you have written this book is very captivating ... it’s witty, engaging, and rich with historical detail.”

[From Goodreads reader reviews]
“I like how it brings in important issues and conversations of post WWI and the shift in roles of women.”
“After reading this book, which was hard to put down, I want to read the rest of the books in her series.”