The book follows P&P from Mary’s perspective and then what happens afterwards. When Mary has to leave their family home, as the Collinses take up residence, she feels uncomfortable at her sisters’ homes and her mother is always criticising her. Staying with her aunt in London is a lifeline for Mary, who is appreciated for her intellect and two men are interested in her; the eccentric but polite Tom Hayward, and the impulsive Mr Ryder who is pursued by Caroline Bingley.

Mary’s character development is central to the novel as she learns to stand up to people and know when to trust her emotions over rationality. Through Mr Hayward, she also gains an appreciation for poetry, when she used to prefer reading only facts. I felt as if I was reading an Austen book, as the structure and ideas were inspired by them, but that’s what I liked about it. There were further perspectives on characters such as Mr Collins, Mr Bennet and Mrs Hill, which might even enhance my next reading of P&P.

Published by Macmillan, 2020.

The story takes place during the First World War and is narrated by three very different, distinct women. Angharad lives an isolated, downtrodden existence, afraid that her secrets will get out. Carys works on the family farm, while her brothers and her betrothed have gone to fight. Ffion has a life of privilege but her children are sent away to school and her husband is horrible. These women bond over the formation of the Women’s Institute and over time their characters strengthen, allowing them to take charge of their own destinies.

I enjoyed the novel, finding it educational as well as compelling. I was interested in the protagonists and I liked the setting, on the island of Anglesey. There was some Welsh in the text and I wouldn’t have a clue how to pronounce it! The book was perhaps a little too lengthy for me and there was some over-use of particular phrases, such as someone having a lot on their plate or exclaiming ‘goodness’. However, I’d recommend the book and I thought it superior to the others I’ve read by this author, Queenie of Norwich and The House of Many Lives.

Independently published in 2025.

There are two narrative viewpoints in the novel. Edith, a long-term patient at the hospital, was committed as a child because she kept talking about her past life which came to a violent end. We have her perspectives as a child, as an adult before the fire, and after (she was one of two survivors). The other viewpoint is Declan, a young doctor who takes an interest in Edith and investigates her story, in a race against time because his superior has scheduled her for the trendy new operation which will turn her into a shell of a person.

While there are unpleasant things in this book which I’d rather not have read, the twist at the end was obvious, and the writing style included a lot of repeated gestures (all the characters lick their lips and narrow their eyes often), I thought this was a very good read with some fascinating topics, such as the treatment of mental health conditions and that young children remember details of their past lives but forget these as they get older. Recommended if you’re a fan of historical fiction crossed with thriller and a bit of the supernatural.

Published by Thomas & Mercer, 2020.

I really liked how the author created a sense of time and place, with much attention to detail and use of the senses. Clemmie is asthmatic, and the lack of medicines is a reminder of how a common condition such as asthma could be very dangerous back then. Most importantly, the book is a critique of the antiquities trade and the effects of colonialism. I was a little disappointed that the book hadn’t more of a supernatural element and I also struggled with understanding the mythology. However, it’s an impressive debut.

Thank you to the publisher Harvill Secker for the advance copy via NetGalley. The book will be published on 6th February 2025.

I wasn’t convinced I’d enjoy every story, because a few of them are by authors whose books I haven’t liked. I wanted to give it a try, however, because it’s seasonal and I’ve seen others recommend it. Mostly I thought the stories were good, if quite similar in their themes. The stand-outs for me were:

‘Inferno’ by Laura Shepherd-Robinson. A clever story of guilt and ghosts.

‘The Salt Miracles’ by Natasha Pulley. Pilgrims are being cured, then going missing, on a remote island.

‘Jenkin’ by Catriona Ward. Sisters, girlfriends, murder and a mysterious morphing creature.

‘Carol of the Bells and Chains’ by Laura Purcell. A governess is going to regret telling the children about Krampus…

The stories I thought were good reads but not stand-outs:

‘Host’ by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. How far grieving parents go to get their child back via spiritualism.

‘A Double Thread’ by Imogen Hermes Gowar. A story about servants, spirits and sewing.

‘Widow’s Walk’ by Susan Stokes-Chapman. A dark tale of bones, fans and revenge.

Finally, the stories I disliked:

‘The Old Play’ by Andrew Michael Hurley. The execution of the writing didn’t really live up to the idea.

‘Banished’ by Elizabeth Macneal. Based on a true story, a very cruel tale.

‘The Gargoyle’ by Bridget Collins. This story was so slow to get going that it lost my interest.

‘The Master of the House’ by Stuart Turton. Confusing and too gruesome by the end.

‘Ada Lark’ by Jess Kidd. I can’t tell you what this was about, I couldn’t get into the writing style.

This book delivers what it promises, ghostly stories ideal for the festive season. They are reminiscent of traditional Victorian style ghost stories, with moral endings in which wrongdoers are punished.

Published by Sphere, 2023.

Thank you to Fig Tree (Penguin) for the invitation to read the book via NetGalley. It will be published on 1st August.

The novel expertly creates a sense of dread, wonder and building tension as we follow several characters on the train. The main character is Weiwei, a girl who was adopted by the train crew and whose discovery of a stowaway presages the strange events to come. Other characters include Henry Grey, a scientist and collector who is desperate to study the Wastelands, and Marya, who is investigating a mystery connected with her late father. There are a variety of nationalities on board, with Chinese and Russian predominating as the train connects the two Empires. The historical and geographical details of the alternative Victorian era were well thought-out and seemed very real. This is Sarah Brooks’ debut novel. I am wary of trying authors I haven’t read before as the writing style is very important to my enjoyment of the book. I liked the style and although there was over-use of some descriptions (people are always freezing and then moving in quick succession!) I was impressed and would read more of her work.

Thank you to the publisher Orion for the advance copy via NetGalley. The book will be published on 20th June.

The story is based on a real situation, Urania Cottage, a home for ‘fallen women’ founded by the author Charles Dickens and financed by the heiress Angela Burdett-Coutts. The idea is that the women come to the cottage from prison and are trained for eventual careers in domestic service in the colonies. We follow the fate of the inmates and the matron who is employed to look after them. The different elements of the plot include the heiress’ stalker, the missing sister of one inmate, and the separation of two women who were lovers in prison. The author’s attention to detail is excellent and I could imagine the novel as a costume drama on TV, so clear were the events and settings in my mind. If you enjoy historical fiction with a focus on women, set in Victorian times, this is definitely one for your wishlist.

Thank you to the publisher Bonnier Books for the advance copy via NetGalley. The book will be published on 11th April.

The book is narrated by William Jackson Crawford, a pompous unlikeable scientist who is drawn into attending seances. At first, he thinks that the medium, Kathleen Goligher, is a fraud, but the ghostly happenings encourage him to undertake ever more drastic experiments to prove the existence of the afterlife.

Without wishing to spoil the plot, it wasn’t at all predictable and addressed themes such as patriarchy, class and mental health. I had some issues with the writing style, which tried hard to be authentic but modern words had crept in. The characters’ frequent snapping, gasping, snorting, growling, narrowing of eyes, etc, was very annoying. These should be used sparingly to avoid the description being ridiculously melodramatic.

In summary, this was an unusual read and I ought to have liked it more than I did.

First published in 2021.

Spirited is definitely worth a read, despite some issues which kept me from enjoying it fully.

First published in 2020 by Orion.