Queen of French Noir, Johana Gustawsson returns with a
spell-binding, dazzlingly dark gothic thriller that swings
from Belle Époque France to 21st-century
Quebec, with an extraordinary mystery at its heart… FIRST
in a spell-binding new series  'A wonderfully dark,
intricately woven historical thriller spanning three generations
… it will have you hooked from the very first page' B A
Paris  ‘A gripping story of murder and black magic
…Gustawsson slowly weaves together three seemingly disparate
strands of her narrative with a skill that shows why she is such an
admired crime writer in her native France’ The Times BOOK OF THE
MONTH  ‘Intriguingly dark and vivid, and so cleverly told
through three different time frames’ Essie Fox
_____________________________________ Three women Three eras One
extraordinary mystery…  1899, Belle Époque
Paris. Lucienne’s two daughters are believed dead when her
mansion burns to the ground, but she is certain that her girls are
still alive and embarks on a journey into the depths of the
spiritualist community to find them. 1949, Post-War
Québec. Teenager Lina’s father has died in the French
Resistance, and as she struggles to fit in at school, her mother
introduces her to an elderly woman at the asylum where she works,
changing Lina’s life in the darkest way imaginable. 2002,
Quebec. A former schoolteacher is accused of brutally
stabbing her husband – a famous university professor – to
death. Detective Maxine Grant, who has recently lost her own
husband and is parenting a teenager and a new baby single-handedly,
takes on the investigation. Under enormous personal pressure,
Maxine makes a series of macabre discoveries that link directly to
historical cases involving black magic and murder, secret societies
and spiritism … and women at breaking point, who will stop at
nothing to protect the ones they love…
_________________________________________ ‘This novel is a
whirlpool that draws you irresistibly into levels of darkness so
much deeper than you can possibly be ready for’ Ambrose
Parry ‘I found myself racing through the book, always wanting one
more page, one more chapter. A wonderfully creepy, unsettling read,
with a superb twist in its tail‘ James Oswald Â
‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying. Utterly
compelling’ Peter James  ‘I was hooked from the
first page – a stunning and beautifully written gothic thriller
full of atmosphere, intrigue and delight’ Alexandra
Benedict  ‘What a brilliant, brilliant book … the last
chapters knocked me sideways, and it’s a long time since that’s
happened’ Lisa Hall  ‘A dark world of elegance and
grotesque … mesmeric’ Matt Wesolowski Â
‘Harrowing, compelling, haunting, vivid, twisty and
shocking!’ Noelle Holten  ‘A powerful
page-turner’ Livres Hebdo  ‘Fluid, skilful,
fearsome and breathtaking … the ending is horrifying’ La
Marseillaise  ***NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER IN FRANCE***
 FOR FANS OF Laura Purcell, Elizabeth Macneal, Bridget
Collins, Anna Mazzola, Ambrose Parry and Laura Shepherd-Robinson
 Praise for Johana Gustawsson ***Longlisted for the CWA
International Dagger*** ‘A satisfying, full-fat
mystery’ The Times ‘Assured telling of a complex
story’ Sunday Times ‘A real page-turner, I loved
it’ Martina Cole ‘Dark, oppressive and bloody, but it’s
also thought-provoking, compelling and very moving’ Metro
‘A bold and intelligent read’ Guardian ‘Utterly
compelling’ Woman’s Own ‘Cleverly plotted, simply
excellent’ Ragnar Jónasson ‘A must-read’ Daily
Express ‘Bold and audacious’ R. J. Ellory Â
‘Gritty, bone-chilling, and harrowing – it’s not for the
faint of heart, and not to be missed’ Crime by the Book
‘A relentless heart-stopping masterpiece, filled with nightmarish
situations that will keep you awake long into the dark nights of
winter’ New York Journal of Book
General
Imprint: |
Orenda Books
|
Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Release date: |
August 2023 |
Authors: |
Johana Gustawsson
|
Translators: |
David Warriner
|
Dimensions: |
198 x 129mm (L x W) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
300 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-914585-27-2 |
Categories: |
Books
Promotions
|
LSN: |
1-914585-27-5 |
Barcode: |
9781914585272 |
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