Description
Book Synopsis'Grisly, addictive fun . . . I devoured it in 24 hours' – Emilia Hart, author of Weyward
In deepest winter, beware the coldest hearts . . .
London, 1850. Constance Horton has disappeared.
Maude, her older sister, knows only that Constance abandoned the apothecary they call home, and, disguised as a boy, boarded a ship bound for the Arctic. She never returned. ‘A tragic accident’, the Admiralty called it. But Maude Horton knows something isn’t right.
When she finds Constance’s journal, it becomes clear that the truth is being buried by sinister forces. To find answers – and deliver justice for her sister – Maude must step into London’s dark underbelly, and into the path of dangerous, powerful men. The kind of men who seek their fortune in the city’s horrors, from the hangings at Newgate to the ghoulish waxworks of Madame Tussaud’s.
It is a perilous task. But Maude has dangerous skills of her own . . .
'Brilliant! Stuffed with adventure' - Stuart Turton, author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
'A gripping adventure story' - Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters
'Victorian gothic at its very very best' - Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora
Trade ReviewThis is
escapist fiction at its best. Grisly, addictive fun . . .
I devoured it in 24 hours -- Emilia Hart, author of
WeywardBrilliant! Every page is stuffed with adventure . . . A joyous, propulsive piece of writing from
a truly talented writer -- Stuart Turton, author of
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn HardcastleThrilling, heartfelt and utterly compulsive —
a gripping adventure story and an intelligent, richly textured portrait of a moment in history . . .
I loved it -- Emma Stonex, bestselling author
The LamplightersAdventurous and beautifully written, I loved the clever, propulsive storytelling and the wealth of historical detail . . . so accomplished,
I thoroughly enjoyed it -- Rosie Andrews, author of
The LeviathanSpellbinding . . . this is Victorian gothic at its very very best.
I was hooked from the first page! -- Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of
PandoraA taut and riveting adventure . . . The jaw-dropping cliffhangers mean it’s hard not to read it in a single sitting -- Stylist
Rip-roaring and guillotine-sharp - I couldn't tear myself away -- Ellery Lloyd, author of
The ClubDark, thrilling & completely absorbing, MAUDE is glorious. Lizzie Pook taps into a centuries-long fascination with true crime taking us from the Arctic via gruesome hangings into Madame Tussaud’s. BRAVO! -- Nikki May, author of
WahalaA
riveting tale of a sister’s burning desire for revenge, the tension tightening like a hangman’s noose . . . atmospheric,
gripping and beautiful - the execution of this novel is
flawless -- Amy McCulloch, author
BreathlessA
captivating historical thriller . . . I loved this page turning story of two sisters, a heartbreaking mystery, and a life-or-death quest -- Charmaine Wilkerson, author of
Black CakeExquisite . . . this novel is subversive, surprising and gothically tense. I can't wait to read whatever Pook writes next -- Sophie Haydock, author of
The FlamesBrilliant . . . Pook’s masterful pacing and meticulous attention to historical detail make this sing.
Fans of Stuart Tarton’s high seas whodunits will be rapt * Publisher's Weekly *
A spellbinding novel set in the frozen Arctic and in London during the height of murder mania…. Pook paints a macabre image of a time when death was often more valuable than life itself * Kirkus *
Stellar . . . Pook once again weaves a rousing tale around the escapades of a bold, spirited, and cunning woman * Booklist *
A lush murder mystery, Pook is a master of suspense . . . an unforgettable, atmospheric thrill ride -- Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone
Showcases Victorian London in all its grisly, macabre glory - from the very first page this novel had me in its grip. First-class storytelling, simultaneously full of heart and dark as pitch -- Lianne Dillsworth, author of
Theatre of MarvelsDeliciously satisfying . . . a marvellous tonic of a novel, fizzing with adventure and brimming with darkness -- Polly Crosby, author of
Vita and the BirdsA delicious slice of gothic Victoriana - sumptuously written and packed with ice, bones and bodies -- Freya Berry, author of
The Dictator's WifeA gloriously ghoulish Victorian tale of Arctic adventure, icy revenge & diabolical anatomicals . . . A gothic treat! Superb! -- Kate Griffin, author of
FyneshadeA
beautifully written, meticulously researched gem of a book -- Bridget Walsh, author of
The Tumbling GirlMaude Horton's Glorious Revenge had me gripped in the icy maws of the Arctic, captivated by the gruesome murder tours of the 19th Century, and desperate to find out Constance's fate. This is
historical fiction fiction at its absolute glorious best -- Louise Morrish, author of
Operation MoonlightTense and vividly atmospheric, with a determined, independent heroine intent on the truth. It’s beautifully written, unflinching and brimming with adventure. I loved the journey to a world I knew nothing about - it’s gloriously transporting -- Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of
Ariadne on
Moonlight and the Pearler's DaughterGripping . . . an entertaining tale of adventure and dark goings-on * Good Housekeeping *
A lively and engaging read * The Times *
A rollicking historical adventure . . . a protagonist you’ll be rooting for from the first page to the last . . . terrific * Criminal Element *
