Author: Sarah Penner
Published: March 7, 2023 by Park Row
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Genre: Historical Mystery
First Sentence: At an abandoned chateau on the wooded outskirts of Paris, a dark séance was about to take place.
Blurb: 1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.
Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. With shared determination, the women find companionship that perhaps borders on something more. And as they team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves
My Opinion: I was disappointed in this book since I enjoyed Sara Penner’s previous offering, The Lost Apothecary.
A slow start where the interesting parts did not start until the last third of the book. From that point on, it was a mad dash to the end.
The gullibility in the 1800s might have been my sticking point. The author described the people and times while winding the plot around strong female characters. There were unnecessary plot points that neither helped nor moved the story along.
If there is a next book, sure, I will check it out only to decide if this author is right for me.
Blurb: 1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.
Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. With shared determination, the women find companionship that perhaps borders on something more. And as they team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves
My Opinion: I was disappointed in this book since I enjoyed Sara Penner’s previous offering, The Lost Apothecary.
A slow start where the interesting parts did not start until the last third of the book. From that point on, it was a mad dash to the end.
The gullibility in the 1800s might have been my sticking point. The author described the people and times while winding the plot around strong female characters. There were unnecessary plot points that neither helped nor moved the story along.
If there is a next book, sure, I will check it out only to decide if this author is right for me.
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