Foxglove

Foxglove (2023) is a novel by Adalyn Grace. Part Gothic novel, part romance, and part murder mystery, Foxglove is the second book in the Belladonna trilogy, which centers on Signa Farrow, an orphaned Victorian girl with mysterious powers. Signa can see spirits and the physical embodiment of Death. She uses the help of Death and her cousin Blythe to uncover a duke’s murderer while also fending off the advances of Death’s brother, Fate. Exploring themes of Fate Versus Free Will, The Power of Familial and Romantic Love, and The Effects of Gossip and Rumors, Foxlove examines the complexities of life and death in the face of social expectations.

This study guide refers to the Little, Brown and Company e-book edition of the text.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of gender discrimination, pregnancy termination, animal death, and sexual content.

Plot Summary

In Belladonna, the first book in the series, wealthy orphan Signa Farrow was taken in by her distant cousins the Hawthornes, discovered her cousin Percy had been poisoning the family, and made her debut on the Victorian marriage mart. At the same time, Signa learned that she had supernatural powers that allow her to escape death, pass beyond the veil to the realm of the dead, and see and speak to the personification of Death, with whom she fell in love. Using her newfound powers as a “reaper,” Signa ultimately decided to take Percy’s life and transfer his remaining years to his sister, Blythe, who had already conquered death several times. Belladonna ends with the Hawthornes at a ball, celebrating Blythe’s recovery and her father Elijah’s new business partnership with Lord Julius Wakefield, who suddenly dies of poisoning. 

Foxglove begins just after the duke’s death, when Signa sees a strange man across the room. She knows it is Death’s brother, Fate. Signa and Death are uncertain why Fate has come to town, but they know he has a grudge against Death. Fate quickly spreads a rumor that Elijah poisoned the duke. Elijah goes to prison, leaving Signa, Blythe, and their uncle Byron to discover the true murderer.

Elijah’s rumored involvement in the duke’s death tarnishes the Hawthornes’ reputation, but they still receive an invitation to a ball held by a visiting royal, Prince Aris Dryden of Verena. Signa instinctively knows that Fate is posing as the prince, but Blythe and Byron insist on attending the ball, as a prince’s good word could save Elijah. Blythe runs into Prince Aris at the ball and recognizes that he is the man who accused her father. She confronts him for his cruelty. Knowing Fate is up to no good, Signa tries to rescue Blythe from him, but for the sake of propriety, both women end up dancing with him at the ball.

While Signa dances with Fate, he explains why he hates Death and why he came to town. Fate was once deeply in love with Life, another supernatural being whom Death killed. Fate believes that Signa is Life reincarnated due to her strange powers, and he tries to convince her to use her powers to create rather than kill. Signa has none of Life’s memories and loves Death, but she agrees to let Fate court her under the condition that he allows her more access to Death.

As Blythe and Signa investigate who murdered the duke, Blythe and Byron search for Percy, not knowing he is dead. Blythe begins to hear rumors about Signa, and though she does not want to trust them, the two grow more distant. Things also begin to happen that Blythe cannot explain; in one incident, vines sprout through the floorboards of her father’s study. Unbeknownst to Blythe, Signa and Death also witness this event, which leads them to believe that Signa is using Life’s powers of creation.

As her suspicions about what Signa is hiding grow, Blythe confronts her. Signa tells Blythe about her strange powers. Signa uses Life’s powers to bring a dead foal back to life, terrifying Blythe. Blythe is now sure that Signa killed Percy but does not know why, and she banishes Signa from her house.

Desperate and depressed, Signa returns to Foxglove Manor, her ancestral home, which has been empty for the past 20 years, since her parents’ deaths. Signa initially feels lost and alone at Foxglove, but as she meets friendly spirits and learns about her parents’ life at the manor, she eventually feels at home. Still, Signa misses Blythe and believes everything she did was for Blythe’s benefit.

On the morning of Elijah’s trial, Blythe visits Prince Aris, hoping that a word from him will save her father. She begs him to interfere, even offering to be his wife, but Fate only wants Signa. Realizing that the prince is not who he appears to be, Blythe asks him what he is and also learns more about Signa and Death. Fate tells Blythe that if she can get Signa to consent to marry him and take a blood oath, he will arrange for Elijah’s release.

Signa learns that Elijah has been found guilty and sentenced to death, and she realizes that she needs Fate’s help. Signa believes Fate can teach her to use Life’s powers so that she can bring Elijah back to life, but both Fate and Death believe this is impossible, going beyond the natural order of things. Instead, Fate suggests that Signa throw a ball, where she can learn more about the duke’s murder.

Signa follows his advice, holding a ball at Foxglove. Blythe feels she must attend with Fate, hoping to get Signa to take the blood oath. At the ball, Signa agrees to marry Fate. Meanwhile, Blythe learns that Percy was trying to kill her and that Signa saved her by killing him. Blythe feels guilty for casting Signa out, especially once she sees how much Signa loves Death. Blythe apologizes for forcing Signa to make a choice that will ruin her life, and the two reconcile.

Just as Signa is about to make the blood oath binding her to be Fate’s bride, Blythe recalls the exact terms of her bargain with Fate. Realizing that Fate never technically specified who needed to make the blood oath and become his bride, Blythe spills her own blood, sacrificing herself to marry him. Fate is irate, knowing Blythe bested him at his own game, and Signa is grateful but sorry for her cousin.

After Blythe leaves to visit her father, Signa realizes that Blythe was with her every time she used Life’s powers. Death realizes that Fate was right in coming to town to find Life, but that she was reincarnated as Blythe, not Signa. The two agree not to tell Blythe or Fate but to let them work things out on their own, establishing the plotline for Wisteria, the next novel in the series.