Listen to a sample
The Darkening Globe
- Author
- Naomi Kelsey
- Narrator
- Nathalie Buscombe
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 24 April 2025
- Run Time
- 11 hours 43 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
What to expect
Each time the globe turns, murder strikes…
1597, London. When Beatrice’s husband returns from exploring the New World, he comes home with unexpected company: a mysterious woman, and an enormous painted globe.
As Hugh refuses to explain who their female guest is, Beatrice’s foreboding grows. The unwieldy globe now strikes her as sinister – a reminder of the world of secrets pervading her household.
Then one night, the great, hulking globe begins to turn of its own accord. Terrifying new illustrations appear on its face – and when untimely deaths ensue, Beatrice is convinced that the drawings are connected.
Desperate to prove that she is not paranoid, Beatrice risks everything to uncover the truth. What sinister force is behind these killings? What really happened on Hugh’s excursion to the Americas? Who is the strange woman who won’t leave her house? And on this otherworldly map of murders, who will be painted as the final victim?
***
‘Deliciously gothic and twisty’ LUCY ROSE
‘Will make your head spin’ ANNIE GARTHWAITE
Critics Review
-
‘Deliciously gothic and twisty, Naomi Kelsey has crafted a deeply haunted mystery novel that I found impossible to put down. The Darkening Globe is filled with chilling and beguiling prose, and right at the centre, an atmospheric and stirring mystery keeps the ghostly pages turning.’ LUCY ROSE, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lamb
‘An Elizabethan psychological thriller – who could ask for more? Confident, vividly imagined, infused with historical detail and riven by dramatic tension, Naomi Kelsey’s The Darkening Globe will make your head spin – and keep you turning the pages late into the night’ ANNIE GARTHWAITE, author of Cecily
'Ravishing, creepy, meticulously researched, The Darkening Globe is an intoxicating story of Elizabethan exploration, madness and murder.' CATHRYN KEMP, author of The Poisoner's Tale
'With The Darkening Globe, Naomi Kelsey cements her position as one of the foremost writers of historical fiction today. The strong characterisation, rich description and gothic atmosphere make The Darkening Globe a must-read. If you enjoyed The Burnings, you will love The Darkening Globe. I could not put it down until every secret was exposed.' LAURA SHEPPERSON, author of The Heir of Venus
'The Darkening Globe is that rarest of things – a truly unsettling ghost story. Thrumming with menace and horror like the monstrous cursed globe at the heart of the story, this is a refreshingly new take on gothic – a velvet-dark story set in the Elizabethan era where the romance of dashing explorers and their voyages of discovery are tarnished by the disturbing truth.' KATE GRIFFIN, author of Fyneshade and The Blackbirds of St Giles
‘Fresh and terrifying … will set your head and heart spinning’ Historia Magazine
***PRAISE FOR THE BURNINGS
‘I was mesmerised’ LAURA SHEPPERSON, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Heroines
‘A beautifully written re-imagining … clever and tantalising’ SG MACLEAN
‘Gripping, vividly evoked … unforgettable’ TRACY BORMAN
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Naomi Kelsey
- Narrator
- Nathalie Buscombe
- Duration
- 11 hours 43 minutes
- Release Date
- 24 April 2025
- ISBN
- 9780008534820
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Contemporary horror, ghost stories and supernatural fiction, Historical crime and mysteries, Fiction: literary and general non-genre, Narrative theme: politics / economics, Narrative theme: health and illness, Narrative theme: journeys and voyages
Synopsis
Each time the globe turns, murder strikes… 1597, London. When Beatrice’s husband returns from exploring the New World, he comes home with unexpected company: a mysterious woman, and an enormous painted globe. As Hugh refuses to explain who their female guest is, Beatrice’s foreboding grows. The unwieldy globe now strikes her as sinister – a reminder of the world of secrets pervading her household. Then one night, the great, hulking globe begins to turn of its own accord. Terrifying new illustrations appear on its face – and when untimely deaths ensue, Beatrice is convinced that the drawings are connected. Desperate to prove that she is not paranoid, Beatrice risks everything to uncover the truth. What sinister force is behind these killings? What really happened on Hugh’s excursion to the Americas? Who is the strange woman who won’t leave her house? And on this otherworldly map of murders, who will be painted as the final victim? *** ‘Deliciously gothic and twisty’ LUCY ROSE ‘Will make your head spin’ ANNIE GARTHWAITE
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.