The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

A wonderful mix of folktale, mystery, romance and historical fiction, The Fox Wife (2024) checks all the boxes for a fascinating read. Set in China and Japan in the early 1900s, author Yangsze Choo brings to life the folklore of the fox spirits; beautiful young men and women who can transform into foxes, bewilder and trick people and feed off the life force of humans. A mother bent on revenge, a nostalgic detective searching for clues about mysterious deaths and characters caught in an age-old love triangle all converge in this beautifully magical story. 

For readers who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of magic, along the lines of The Golem and the Jinni and Alice Hoffman’s books.