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Madam

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What to expect

'Rebecca meets The Secret History. Gloriously dark, gloriously gothic' SARA COLLINS

Light a fire they can't put out...

For 150 years, above the Scottish cliffs, Caldonbrae Hall has sat as a beacon of excellence in the ancestral castle of Lord William Hope. A boarding school for girls, it promises a future where its pupils will emerge 'resilient and ready to serve society'.

Rose Christie, a 26-year-old Classics teacher, is the first new hire for the school in over a decade. At first, Rose feels overwhelmed in the face of this elite establishment, but soon after her arrival she begins to understand that she may have more to fear than her own ineptitude.

When Rose stumbles across the secret circumstances surrounding the abrupt departure of her predecessor - a woman whose ghost lingers over everything and who no one will discuss - she realises that there is much more to this institution than she has been led to believe.

As she uncovers the darkness that beats at the heart of Caldonbrae, Rose becomes embroiled in a battle that will threaten her sanity as well as her safety...

A brooding, mesmeric novel with a feminist kick, perfect for fans of Naomi Alderman, Madeline Miller and Margaret Atwood.

(P)2021 Quercus Editions Limited

Critics Review

Rebecca meets The Secret History. Gloriously dark, gloriously gothic
Sara Collins, author of THE CONFESSIONS OF FRANNIE LANGTON
Imagine if Donna Tartt and Margaret Atwood got together to write a creepy, suspenseful novel about a school for young women in the Scottish Highlands. The result is Madam, a book I couldn't for the life of me put down. Brooding and unsettling, Wynne paints a gorgeous picture that only serves to camouflage the dark secrets she's hidden within
Chandler Baker, author of WHISPER NETWORK
The simmering menace and mystery kept me absolutely gripped. It gave me the same feeling as when I read The Secret History and put me in mind of The Furies. I loved the clever interweaving stories of the classical women of ancient myth and history with the tantalising reveal of the horrifying truth behind the impressive facade of the grand boarding school. This was a smouldering slow burn of a novel that I could not put down
Jennifer Saint, author of ARIADNE
Strange, dark, and utterly consuming... I loved it
Katie Lowe, author of THE FURIES
Chilling, eerie and very clever. I devoured it
Polly Crosby, author of THE ILLUSTRATED CHILD
A thrilling debut, reminiscent of Du Maurier. The narrative, written in precise prose with beautifully crafted characters, barrels along at pace, leaving us breathless at each twist and turn. A truly wonderful read
Nydia Hetherington, author of A GIRL MADE OF AIR
I ripped through it and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. It had real echoes of Jean Brodie and a flavour of one of my favourite films Heathers, too! A highly entertaining and atmospheric read
Kate Sawyer, author of THE STRANDING
Full of fire and light, written with a passionate intensity . . . Madam is a book that shimmers . . . This is a chilling and shocking read that shouts of the abuse of power. Yet the warmth of its writing and the spell it holds is more powerful than the words give way to. It's an extraordinary achievement
Now and Fen blog
Brooding, creepy and suspenseful... Perfect for fans of The Handmaid's Tale
Woman & Home
I was immersed in the bleak landscape and terrifying atmosphere...from beginning to end... A wonderful, refreshing, beautifully written novel, and I cannot wait to read Wynne's next
Louise Fein, author of PEOPLE LIKE US
Chilling, unsettling with strong messages about femininity, Madam shocks as it builds from subtle hits to its big satisfying crescendo . . . An interesting mix of modern gothic, the anticipation of a thriller and a strong female voice
My Weekly
Thick with Gothic intrigue and menace, this is also a novel with a feminist heart
Daily Mail
One of my favourite reads of 2021 so far and I found it thoroughly addictive, sickeningly disturbing at times and endlessly fascinating
Shemazing
Madam is a sinister and utterly compelling boarding school mystery
Mummy Pages
A dazzling slice of dark, Gothic feminism
Heat
A book that's truly hard to put down
Living North Magazine
A pitch-perfect debut with a feminist twist
17 Degrees Magazine
Latin and Greek myths echo throughout, in a story that will not let you go
The Irish Times
Author Phoebe Wynne
Narrator Nathalie Buscombe
Duration 13 hours and 52 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781529408744
Format Audiobook
Publisher Quercus
Genre Feminism and feminist theory, Fiction: general and literary, Folklore, myths and legends
Availability AU, GB, IE

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