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The Last Handmaid
- Author
- Clare Whitfield
- Narrator
- Gemma Lawrence
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publish Date
- 5 November 2026
- Run Time
- 12 hours 30 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
There's more than one way to feed her hunger.
'An evocative and unsettling tale ... Chilling and thought-provoking' ANNA MAZZOLA, author of The Clockwork Girl
'Richly-drawn and atmospheric.... Whitfield is a masterful storyteller who shines a light on the darkest of themes' NIKKI MARMERY, author of Lilith
THE HANDMAID
Hungary, 1604. Orphaned and alone, Catalina arrives at Csejte Castle with no protection and no power. It is a place of shifting loyalties, and girls who displease the household simply vanish. Survival here depends on obedience – and silence.
THE COUNTESS
Catalina is summoned to serve Countess Erzsébet Báthory, a woman as volatile as she is feared. Only she seems able to soothe her moods, drawing Catalina into the Countess' private chambers and her interest in strange ‘medicines’.
THE COMPULSION
As more girls disappear, Catalina knows there is a cost to staying alive. She must decide whether to try and escape her mistress’ hunger, be consumed by it – or learn to feed it herself…
Inspired by the alleged most prolific female serial killer of all time, told through the eyes of their most trusted companion, this gothic historical suspense is perfect for fans of Carmilla and Weyward.
‘A blood-tinged treasure of a novel… Clever and atmospheric.’ SONIA VELTON author of The Nightingales Castle
'Capturing a sense of Gothic splendour tempered with humour and suspense. An epic in every sense' TOM MEAD, author of The House at Devil's Neck
Praise for Clare Whitfield
'Fast-paced and dark' ELODIE HARPER
'Brave and bold' ARAMINTA HALL
'A compulsive read' CAITLIN DAVIES
'An addictive, thrilling five-star read' ELENI KYRIACOU
'An exuberant and atmospheric read' THE TIMES
Critics Review
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An evocative and unsettling tale of persecution, abandonment and complicity inspired by a terrifying true tale. Chilling and thought-provoking
Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl
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From the first page, the reader falls headlong into this pacy, gripping novel about Elizabeth Bathory, the world’s most prolific female serial killer. The setting of early 17th century Hungary is richly-drawn and atmospheric, the study of female cruelty is unflinching and vivid. But this is also a thoughtful book, which reflects on the ties that bind a victim to her tormentor and exposes the bystanders who enable abuse. Whitfield is a masterful storyteller who shines a light on the darkest of themes to ask: how innocent are any of us?
Nikki Marmery, author of Lillith
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When it comes to humanising history and demystifying its bloodthirstiest myths, nobody does it better than Clare Whitfield. This time she sets her sights on mercurial, monstrous Countess Bathory, capturing a sense of Gothic splendour tempered with humour and suspense. An epic in every sense, The Last Handmaid is awe-inspiring.
Tom Mead, author of The House at Devil's Neck
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THE LAST HANDMAID is a blood-tinged treasure of a novel that fed my hunger to step into Countess Báthory’s dark-hearted world. Clever and atmospheric, it makes the legend of the Blood Countess feel terrifyingly alive.
Sonia Velton, author of The Nightingale's Castle
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Clare Whitfield
- Narrator
- Gemma Lawrence
- Duration
- 12 hours 30 minutes
- Release Date
- 5 November 2026
- ISBN
- 9781035931378
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Genre
- Historical crime and mysteries, True crime: serial killers and murderers, Mythical creatures: Vampires, werewolves and other shapeshifters, Crime and / or mystery fiction
Synopsis
Bloomsbury presents The Last Handmaid by Clare Whitfield, read by Gemma Lawrence.There's more than one way to feed her hunger.'An evocative and unsettling tale ... Chilling and thought-provoking' ANNA MAZZOLA, author of The Clockwork Girl'Richly-drawn and atmospheric.... Whitfield is a masterful storyteller who shines a light on the darkest of themes' NIKKI MARMERY, author of Lilith THE HANDMAIDHungary, 1604. Orphaned and alone, Catalina arrives at Csejte Castle with no protection and no power. It is a place of shifting loyalties, and girls who displease the household simply vanish. Survival here depends on obedience – and silence.THE COUNTESSCatalina is summoned to serve Countess Erzsébet Báthory, a woman as volatile as she is feared. Only she seems able to soothe her moods, drawing Catalina into the Countess' private chambers and her interest in strange ‘medicines’.THE COMPULSIONAs more girls disappear, Catalina knows there is a cost to staying alive. She must decide whether to try and escape her mistress’ hunger, be consumed by it – or learn to feed it herself…Inspired by the alleged most prolific female serial killer of all time, told through the eyes of their most trusted companion, this gothic historical suspense is perfect for fans of Carmilla and Weyward.‘A blood-tinged treasure of a novel… Clever and atmospheric.’ SONIA VELTON author of The Nightingales Castle 'Capturing a sense of Gothic splendour tempered with humour and suspense. An epic in every sense' TOM MEAD, author of The House at Devil's NeckPraise for Clare Whitfield'Fast-paced and dark' ELODIE HARPER'Brave and bold' ARAMINTA HALL'A compulsive read' CAITLIN DAVIES'An addictive, thrilling five-star read' ELENI KYRIACOU'An exuberant and atmospheric read' THE TIMES
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