Death on the Caldera, Emily Paxman
Death on the Caldera, Emily Paxman
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

Death on the Caldera

Author: Emily Paxman

Narrator: Emily Shaver

Unabridged: 13 hr 11 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 04/21/2026


Synopsis

The Linde siblings—Kellen, Davina, and Morel—are anxious to return to the kingdom of Halgyr before their father dies, leaving Kellen to assume the throne as king. They book tickets on a luxury express train, expecting a swift journey home—but disaster strikes when the train engine explodes, stranding the siblings atop a caldera bubbling with volcanic magic.

The crash triggers Davina's latent witch powers, but her magic disrupts her ability to remember what she was doing when the explosion took place. While a witch would be the prime suspect for the catastrophe, the only ones who knew Davina might become one are her brothers—who never warned her. And, to add insult to injury, somebody is bumping off the surviving train crew and passengers. But it can't be Davina, can it?

While the remaining passengers try to determine who sabotaged the engine and catch the killer, the fractured siblings attempt to stay one step ahead, concealing not only Davina's powers but their own secrets. Luckily, they aren't the only shifty characters on the train . . .

Reviews

Goodreads review by Nils | nilsreviewsit on April 12, 2025

Death on the Caldera by Emily Paxman takes an epic fantasy world, combines it with a murder mystery plot and delivers a thrilling, unputdownable tale. This isn’t a book which starts off with a murder but instead we are pulled in by family drama involving the Linde siblings as they travel on a luxurio......more

Goodreads review by Leah on April 20, 2025

I picked up this book hoping for a nice murder mystery in a fun fantasy world...I did not get that. Instead, I got 11 POVs, 4 different magic systems, multiple familial revelations (devoid of emotional impact due to the 11 POVs), way too many dead bodies that was necessary for a mystery, and a villa......more

Goodreads review by Anna on June 19, 2025

Death on the Caldera is advertised as "Murder on the Orient Express with witches", however this isn't a retelling, it's more of a secondary world fantasy with Victorian-esque aesthetic where there is 1. a train 2. a series of murders 3. witches. After a really unlucky streak this year of non-romanti......more

Goodreads review by Udy on August 19, 2025

8/14/25: 5 stars. WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW. The best debut SFF novel I've ever read. An epic fantasy that is an Agatha Christie style murder mystery meets Brandon Sanderson's magic systems and worldbuilding. This book has excellent characters, an incredibly well paced and twisty plot, fantastic magic, an......more

Goodreads review by Kristine on March 01, 2025

THE fantasy-mystery I've been looking for, classic murder mystery vibes that isn't afraid to complicate its fantasy, or to let those elements complicate each other. The central characters are also standouts for me, both likeable and human, with Davina and her alter ego witch as the queens. Loved it.......more