October 1840. A young woman staggers alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of impossible wings rip themselves from her shoulders. Meanwhile, when rumours of a 'fallen angel' cause a frenzy across London, a surgeon desperate for fame and fortune finds himself in the grips of a dangerous obsession, one that will place the women he seeks in the most terrible danger.

The Gifts is the astonishing debut adult novel from the lauded author of Bearmouth.

A gripping and ambitious book told through five different perspectives and set against the luminous backdrop of nineteenth century London, it explores science, nature and religion, enlightenment, the role of women in society and the dark danger of ambition.

'Fierce and touching' Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne 'Haunting, thrilling, wonderful. I loved it' Stacey Halls 'Your next obsession. . . Unique and captivating' Cosmopolitan Discover the extraordinary, luminous novel that everyone is talking about, perfect for fans of The Binding, The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock and The Doll Factory In an age defined by men, it will take something extraordinary to show four women who they truly are . . . October 1840. A young woman staggers alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of impossible wings rip themselves from her shoulders. Meanwhile, when rumours of a 'fallen angel' cause a frenzy across London, a surgeon desperate for fame and fortune finds himself in the grips of a dangerous obsession, one that will place the women he seeks in the most terrible danger . . . THE GIFTS is the astonishing debut adult novel from the lauded author of BEARMOUTH. A gripping and ambitious book told through five different perspectives and set against the luminous backdrop of nineteenth century London, it explores science, nature and religion, enlightenment, the role of women in society and the dark danger of ambition. 'A boldly feminist novel that lingers long after the last page' Susan Stokes Chapman, Sunday Times bestselling author of Pandora 'Imaginative, extraordinary . . . Brimming with historical detail and beautifully written, the soulful prose soars. It's an insightful, mysterious read celebrating female friendship and solidarity' Daily Express 'A stirring tale of female empowerment, full of vivid imagery and evocative settings' Observer A glorious, evocative read, ripe for a movie adaptation. Victorian girl power? You bet' Apple Books 'In this glorious novel both women and words take flight. Don't miss it' Annie Garthwaite, author of Cecily 'I devoured The Gifts. A real gem' Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City 'A beautiful, riveting novel suffused with luminous magic' Jenny Saint, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ariadne 'I absolutely loved The Gifts. A fiercely feminist tale . . . Punchy, bold and glittering with brilliance' Lizzie Pook, author of Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter 'Extraordinary. For any who loved The Essex Serpent, this is one that will sing to your soul' Jackie Morris, The Lost Words

At a time of extraordinary change, two women must harness their talents to take control of their own destiny . . . Bristol, 1896. Used to scraping a living as the young assistant to an ageing con artist, Cecily Marsden's life is turned upside down when her master suddenly dies. Believing herself to blame, could young Cec somehow have powers she little understands? Meanwhile Eadie Carleton, a pioneering early film-maker, struggles for her talent to be taken seriously in a male-dominated world, and a brilliant young magician, George Perris, begins to see the potential in moving pictures. George believes that if he can harness this new technology, it will revolutionise the world of magic forever - but in order to achieve his dreams, he must first win over Miss Carleton . . . As a group of illusionists prepare for a grand spectacle, Cec, Eadie and George's worlds collide. But while Cec falls in love with the bustling realm of theatre and magic, she faces the fight of her life to save the performance from sabotage and harness the element of real magic held deep within her. THE ILLUSIONS is the captivating new novel from the much-lauded author of THE GIFTS. Inspired by real-life illusionists and early film pioneers, this astonishing story of women and talent, magic and power, sweeps you into a world where anything is possible and nothing is quite as it seems . . . 'Hyder is a wonderfully accomplished storyteller. The Illusions is a magical tale of innovation, darkness and delight. A book to disappear into - I devoured it greedily' Joanne Burn, author of The Hemlock Cure 'Filled with wonders in all forms, in real life and in the theatre, this is a story that will mesmerise and cast its spell. I loved it' Essie Fox 'With clever storytelling and a magpie's eye for shine and enchantment, Hyder takes us to a world where magic, moving pictures and illusion mix - and where all are made better by human kindness' Annie Garthwaite, author of Cecily 'Spellbinding storytelling, wonderfully drawn characters and the thrill of the theatre make this book unputdownable' Louise Hare Praise for THE GIFTS by Liz Hyder 'Fierce and touching' Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne 'Haunting, thrilling, wonderful. I loved it' Stacey Halls 'Your next obsession. . . Unique and captivating' Cosmopolitan 'A boldly feminist novel that lingers long after the last page' Susan Stokes Chapman, Sunday Times bestselling author of Pandora 'Imaginative, extraordinary . . . Brimming with historical detail and beautifully written, the soulful prose soars. It's an insightful, mysterious read celebrating female friendship and solidarity' Daily Express 'A stirring tale of female empowerment, full of vivid imagery and evocative settings' Observer 'A glorious, evocative read, ripe for a movie adaptation. Victorian girl power? You bet' Apple Books 'A beautiful, riveting novel suffused with luminous magic' Jenny Saint, Sunday Times bestselling author of Ariadne 'Extraordinary. For any who loved The Essex Serpent, this is one that will sing to your soul' Jackie Morris, The Lost Words

At a time of extraordinary change, two women must harness their talents to take control of their own destiny . . .

Bristol, 1896. Used to scraping a living as the young assistant to an ageing con artist, Cecily Marsden's life is turned upside down when her master suddenly dies. Believing herself to blame, could young Cec somehow have powers she little understands?

Meanwhile Eadie Carleton, a pioneering early film-maker, struggles for her talent to be taken seriously in a male-dominated world, and a brilliant young magician, George Perris, begins to see the potential in moving pictures. George believes that if he can harness this new technology, it will revolutionise the world of magic forever - but in order to achieve his dreams, he must first win over Miss Carleton . . .

As a group of illusionists prepare for a grand spectacle - to mark both the retirement of legendary master The Professor and the announcement of his successor - Cec, Eadie and George's worlds collide. But Cec soon finds herself facing the fight of her life to save the performance from sabotage - and harness the element of real magic held deep within her . . .

THE ILLUSIONS is the captivating new novel from the much-lauded author of THE GIFTS. Inspired by real-life illusionists and early film pioneers, this astonishing story of women and talent, magic and power, sweeps you into a world where anything is possible and nothing is quite as it seems . . .

'Haunting, thrilling, wonderful. I loved it' Stacey Halls, bestselling author of The Familiars 'Fierce and touching' Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne 'Your next obsession. . . Unique and captivating' Cosmopolitan Discover the extraordinary, luminous novel that everyone is talking about, perfect for fans of The Binding, The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock and The Doll Factory It will take something extraordinary to show four women who they truly are . . . October 1840. A young woman staggers alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of impossible wings rip themselves from her shoulders. Meanwhile, when rumours of a 'fallen angel' cause a frenzy across London, a surgeon desperate for fame and fortune finds himself in the grips of a dangerous obsession, one that will place the women he seeks in the most terrible danger . . . THE GIFTS is the astonishing debut adult novel from the lauded author of BEARMOUTH. A gripping and ambitious book told through five different perspectives and set against the luminous backdrop of nineteenth century London, it explores science, nature and religion, enlightenment, the role of women in society and the dark danger of ambition. 'A boldly feminist novel that lingers long after the last page' Susan Stokes Chapman, Sunday Times bestselling author of Pandora 'Imaginative, extraordinary . . . Brimming with historical detail and beautifully written, the soulful prose soars' Daily Express 'A stirring tale of female empowerment, full of vivid imagery and evocative settings' Observer 'Extraordinary . . . For any who loved The Essex Serpent, this is one that will sing to your soul' Jackie Morris, The Lost Words 'Bewitching . . . addictive' Essie Fox 'I loved The Gifts. Brilliant storytelling, magical realism, historical fiction that discusses feminism, religion, art and motherhood' Kate Sawyer, Costa shortlisted author of The Stranding 'I devoured The Gifts, eager to find out the fate of its wonderfully drawn characters . . A real gem' Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City 'A stunning book . . . Captivating and thrilling. Hyder's writing really is magnificent. I was drawn inexorably into the narrative and completely bewitched by it. I didn't so much read this book as live it with the characters' My Weekly 'A glorious, evocative read, ripe for a movie adaptation. Victorian girl power? You bet' Apple Books 'In this glorious novel both women and words take flight. Don't miss it' Annie Garthwaite, author of Cecily