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What to expect

'Held me completely in its thrall until the very last line’ SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN

'I was hooked from the start' DAILY MAIL

A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH

A TIMES BESTSELLER

SHORTLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION DEBUT CROWN PRIZE

June, 1878. The body of a boy is pulled from the depths of the River Thames, suspected to be the beloved missing child of the widely admired Liberal MP Ralph Gethin.

Four months earlier. Harriet is a young maid newly employed at Finton Hall. Fleeing the drudgery of an unwanted engagement in the small village where she grew up, Harriet is entranced by the grand country hall; she is entranced too by her glamorous mistress Clara Gethin, whose unearthly singing voice floats through the house. But Clara, though captivating, is erratic. The master of the house is a much-lauded politician, but he is strangely absent. And some of their beautiful belongings seem to tell terrible stories.

Unable to ignore her growing unease, Harriet sets out to discover their secrets. When she uncovers a shocking truth, a chain of events is set in motion that could cost Harriet everything, even her freedom…

What readers are saying…

'I didn't want to stop reading!'

'This story has everything: murder, love, intrigue and heartbreak'

'Plenty of unexpected twists and turns. A sold five stars from me!'

'I couldn't put it down til the very end'

'Heartbreaking, intriguing, hard to put down'

Critics Review

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‘A page-turning epistolary novel which takes us on a weaving tale of intrigue, full of heart, that held me completely in its thrall until the very last line. Bravo!’ Susan Stokes-Chapman, number one bestselling author of Pandora

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‘A dark slice of the sort of gothic nineteenth-century readers were warned against. Thrumming with tension and posing chewy questions about power and complicity, within two pages it had me in its grip and I couldn’t bring myself to look away. Uneasy, unsettling, and unputdownable’ Lianne Dillsworth, author of Theatre of Marvels

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‘A well-researched and thoroughly convincing page-turner’ Laura Shepperson, bestselling author of The Heroines

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‘An atmospheric historical thriller with layer upon layer of secrets and twists that kept me guessing right through to the novel’s exquisite ending. Simultaneously enthralling and unsettling, this book examines the darkness beneath the surface of Victorian society with deft and unflinching brushstrokes. I can’t wait to read more from Hester Musson’ Katie Lumsden, author of The Secrets of Hartwood Hall

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'Shines a light on the exploitative, class-based darkness at the heart of late 19th-century society England. I was hooked from the start' The Daily Mail

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'Continues to surprise with a series of twists and revelations in its plot’ Sunday Times

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‘A goose-bump-inducing atmosphere… prepared to be consumed!' Debut Digest

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‘I adored this historical debut and fans of gothic fiction will too. I was absolutely rooting for Harriet the whole way through’ Nina Pottell, Prima

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'An enjoyable and gripping read'Irish News

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'Unputdownable' My Weekly

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User Reviews

Book 4.0
Narration 4.5
4.0
4.0
jahav 30/04/2025
4.0
5.0
As the story is in a diary form, I really enjoyed listening to it. The narration was really well done. There were plenty of twists and turns in the plot which kept things interesting but there were some dark sections that made for difficult listening. I would advise anyone who wants to listen to check out a full list of trigger warnings before diving in.
itselliementary 11/10/2024

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