Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber – Review

Published: October 7, 2025

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Series: Alchemy of Secrets #1

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 324 (Hardcover)

My Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis:
It starts with a class in an old movie theater.

Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.

With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.

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I was so happy to pick up a standalone by an author I’ve been wanting to try… only to find out that this is at least a duology! Fortunately for me, it can be read perfectly well as a standalone as long as you’re okay with a few unknowns by the end. Alchemy of Secrets is Stephanie Garber’s first adult fantasy book and it was good! I loved the setting and the treasure hunt plot line along with all the fun Hollywood ghost stories.

Alchemy of Secrets follows Holland St. James, a graduate student studying under the advisement of a woman simply called the Professor. The Professor is legendary for her Folklore 517 class, which is on local myths and urban legends in the Los Angeles area and Holland’s life changes dramatically when she tracks down the Watch Man. The Watch Man can tell you when you’ll die if you believe that sort of thing, but he tells Holland that she’ll die at midnight on Halloween – a mere 24 hours away – unless she finds something called the Alchemical Heart. This sends Holland on a journey with a number of suspicious people who have their own motives for helping her and takes her into the secret depths of Los Angeles. 

Holland is chasing clues for the Alchemical Heart and also learning more about her parents – a famous movie director and an actress who died in a murder suicide fifteen years previously. Holland is convinced that her mother didn’t murder her father, but rather that they made a deal with the devil that went awry. So, in addition to tracking down a highly coveted magical item that can supposedly do anything, Holland is also trying to vindicate her belief that a third party was involved in her parents’ deaths. 

I liked Holland and I feel like she was believably overwhelmed by the situation she found herself in. This also happened to be one of the best ‘our world’ settings I’ve come across. It made Los Angeles feel absolutely magical and decadent, which coincidentally has made me want to visit the area more than ever. I didn’t do any digging to see if the legends were largely invented by the author to go along with the story or if any were pre-existing and they inspired the story. While this isn’t going to go on a list of favorites, it was enjoyable and I found quite a bit to like about Alchemy of Secrets.