The Fortunes of Olivia Richmond

Mistcoate House is full of secrets. And Julia Pearlie's may be the darkest one of all. Original, engrossing and deliciously creepy, this critically-acclaimed Victorian Gothic ghost story is perfect for fans of Sarah Perry, Erin Morgenstern and Jessie Burton.

After a terrible tragedy, governess Julia Pearlie finds herself with no job, home, or references. When she's offered a position as companion to Miss Olivia Richmond, her luck appears to be turning. But Mistcoate House is full of secrets.

Olivia has a sinister reputation. The locals call her the Mistcoate Witch, thanks to her tarot readings, and her insistence that she can speak to the dead. Her father, Dr Richmond, believes this to be girlish fantasy and is looking to Julia to put a stop to it.

Determined to prove herself and shake off her own murky history, Julia sets to work trying to help Olivia become a proper young lady. However, as she becomes a fixture at Mistcoate, it is soon clear that there may be more to Olivia's stories than Dr Richmond would have Julia believe – not least because somehow, Olivia seems to know something of the darkness that Julia desperately hoped she had left behind.

As the danger grows, and the winter chill wraps around the dark woods surrounding Mistcoate, Julia will have to fight to uncover the truth, escape her past – and save herself.

Praise for The Fortunes of Olivia Richmond

" Jane Eyre meets Woman in Black with a hefty dose of Mrs Danvers stirred into the mix - this is a real gothic tale of intrigue." – THE YORKSHIRE TIMES

"A darkly gothic historical mystery in all the best traditions of the genre. Lyrical writing, a perfect setting, haunting characters and a village of broken people. Breathtaking." – HELEN FIELDS

"A captivating, immersive, dark tale of obsession, manipulation and fierce, fierce emotion that leaves you reeling. Magnificent. Gothic writing of the most compelling kind." – MY WEEKLY

"Absorbing and twisty." – HEAT MAGAZINE

"This engaging novel cleverly mixes the psychic and the psychological, as we, along with Julia Pearlie, try to make sense of the disturbing goings-on at Mistcoate House. Peopled by vividly realised characters and with a strong period feel, it pays homage to 'sensational' nineteenth-century literature, keeping some of its secrets to the very end." – SARAH BURTON

"A dark and twisting Gothic mystery… a coming-of-age story that explores the supernatural world of tarot and fortune telling, as well as giving an insight into what life was like for women during the late 1800s." – THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH

"Dark and twisty... a haunting coming of age debut which explores the supernatural world of tarot and fortune telling alongside women in Victorian England." – SW LONDONER

"A gothic novel on the supernatural world of tarot and fortune telling." – THE DAILY MAIL

"Magical – a perfect Halloween read." – COUNTRY AND TOWN HOUSE