The Book Magnet: historical

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Saturday, 3 October 2026

BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: The Burial Club - Claire Bamford

1864

Even though death is the greatest equaliser, only some can afford a luxurious send-off. Some can manage nothing but a hole in the ground, and some get only what they deserve.

Marianne Walker is nearly twenty-three, with no suitors and a dislike for impractical skirts. She sees and feels things before they happen, just like her mother, but it’s not always clear what her visions are trying to show her. She has to figure that out for herself.

But now she is seeing bloodied hands, and, for the first time, Marianne is scared – her visions always come to pass.

When one of the custodians of the local Friendly Society is found dead, the residents of Hazelbirch are in uproar amid rumours of fraud and dishonesty. With the help of the undertaker’s sister, Marianne begins to realise that not all is as it should be with the society known by the townsfolk as The Burial Club.

Marianne knows only she has been given all the clues to work out what is really going on and find out who has blood on their hands. But can she reveal everybody’s secrets without sacrificing everyone she holds dear?

What did I think?

Having loved Claire Bamford's debut novel, The Messenger, I was very excited to read her new book, The Burial Club, and I was not disappointed. It's a very intriguing mystery with a wonderful paranormal element and a fantastic main character.

I loved Marianne from the start. Her mother died when she was young but Marianne is more like her than she realises as her visions can tell the future, she's just not sure how to interpret them. Marianne knows someone is going to die but she doesn't know who, when or where.

The other mystery is what is happening to the funds that people are paying into 'The Burial Club'? It's certainly a one-way street with people regularly paying in but not being able to withdraw anything when they need to arrange a funeral. It's both intriguing and maddening as this is 1864 when people didn't have two pennies to rub together, yet someone is still managing to steal what little they have.

There is so much mystery and intrigue that I couldn't put the book down and I wasn't going to bed until I had devoured every single word. Beautifully written, mesmerising and captivating, The Burial Club is a stunning multi-genre novel that will appeal to all readers. Claire Bamford is certainly one to watch and I'm looking forward to reading whatever she writes next.

I received a gifted ARC for the Novel Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Monday, 21 September 2026

BLOG TOUR: Circle of Shadows - Marisa Linton

It's 1904, and being a detective - let alone an occult detective - is no profession for a woman. But that won't stop Evie Winstanley.

When her father, a collector of occult books, dies in strange circumstances, Evie is determined to investigate. Her only lead: a cryptic mention of the 'Circle of Shadows.' From a chilling séance on the lonely Yorkshire moors to the sinister, hedonistic halls of Oxford's elite, Evie hunts for answers, stalked by whispers of an ancient monster and an ever-shifting, ominous symbol.

But when a young woman's body surfaces in the Cherwell, bearing that same mark, Evie uncovers a truth far more terrifying than a single murder. Now, Evie isn't just seeking justice; she's fighting to save her sister, in a dark and twisted adventure where gilded boys unleash hell and defiant women must pick up the pieces. Nothing will stop her investigation, not outraging Edwardian notions of female propriety, and certainly not offers of romance.

Blending historical fantasy with Golden Age classic crime, Circle of Shadows is a dark and twisty adventure through an occult Edwardian England where wealthy boys toy with powers they don't understand, and a lone woman takes a stand against them. Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, The Frozen People and Rivers of London.

What did I think?

Circle of Shadows is Marisa Linton's debut adult fiction novel and it is a cracker. I loved every single page of it and didn't want to end...it does actually end like it's the start of a series and I hope it isn't the last we've seen of Evie Winstanley.

It does have hints of Sherlock Holmes about it but with a very strong and tenacious female main character who I absolutely loved. It's Edwardian England where women should be seen and not heard but Evie Winstanley is determined to break that mould.

Marisa Linton takes the reader on an atmospheric journey from the rugged landscape of the Yorkshire moors to the historic streets of Oxford. The séance that Evie attends is one of the most vivid scenes I have ever read and I almost jumped out of my seat when I was reading. I love how sceptical Evie is though and she is determined to investigate to find out the truth.

It's a fabulous mystery as well as a haunting historical fiction novel and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I read it in two sittings and would have easily read it in one if I didn't have to sleep!

Circle of Shadows is an evocative and compelling historical mystery that surprised and delighted me. I really enjoyed it and hope to read more of Evie's adventures in the future.

I received a gifted hardback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Thursday, 10 September 2026

A Calamity of Waters - Chloe Turner

JANUARY 1607. THE SEVERN VALLEY. THE GREATEST FLOOD IN LIVING MEMORY.

Habren has never quite forgiven herself. Her father only sings bawdy carols for farthings these days, none of the sweet songs he used to sing their mother, and perhaps it’s no wonder her sisters Syble and Margret have put many leagues between themselves and their old home. But then Syble summons her to Gloucester, and if Habren can keep on the right side of their pin merchant master, perhaps it’s the chance she needs to make up for the past.

Then the river rises. In a single January morning, the Severn floods the vale and upends every life in it. And somewhere down that swollen estuary is Ambrose, the man Habren loves.

With Syble and new friend Raynould beside her, Habren sets out for Bristol to find him, through a city the flood has torn apart. And as they search, secrets they have kept close to their hearts begin, one by one, to surface.

What did I think?

Wow! What a magnificent piece of historical fiction! A Calamity of Waters is a breathtaking novel that completely blew me away. I haven't read any of Chloe Turner's books before now but I have added some of her previous novels to my wishlist on the strength of this wonderful novel.

It is inspired by a real event: the flooding of the Severn Valley in 1607 and it is brought to life through the eyes of teenager Habren who follows her older sister Syble into work at a pin manufactory. The sisters don't have the best of relationships and my heart was aching for them both as they try to find their way in an unfair and dangerous 17th century world.

It's part coming of age and part historical fiction and I loved every second of it. Children really had to grow up fast in the olden days and with such high mortality rates they often had no parental figures to guide them.

The river Severn plays a huge part in the novel, naturally as it's about the famous flood, but it is also part of Habren's life as she was named after it and the river feels like a character in its own right. As humans we may try to control the elements but it's a stark reminder of the strength of water and the power of nature.

Chloe Turner's writing is exquisite as she vividly brings the story to life and creates incredibly well developed characters who virtually pop out of the page, although I tried to stuff the odious Alderman Taylor back in!

Immersive, compelling and unforgettable, A Calamity of Waters is an absolute must-read for fans of historical fiction and it's one I will be recommending for a very long time. Absolutely brilliant!

I received a gifted ARC from Hannah Hargrave PR to read and review and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Thursday, 3 September 2026

BLOG TOUR: The Other Life of Mary English - GD Harper

Two Different Women. One Shared Destiny.

Mary English, a dockworker’s daughter from Faversham, England, travels to South America to escape a scandal from her past. She ends up running a cacao plantation in Colombia, at a time when women were not legally allowed to own businesses there.

Manuela Sáenz, tempestuous lover of Venezuelan revolutionary Simón Bolívar, serves as a colonel in his army. She joins him in battle to fight the Spanish and twice saves his life from assassination attempts.

This is the story of two real-life remarkable women, both fighting oppression, hardship and danger in 1820s Colombia, who come together to change the course of a nation’s history.

What did I think?

Having loved Arden by GD Harper I was keen to read more of his books so I was delighted to get my hands on a copy of The Other Life of Mary English. South American history is not something I know a lot about but I thoroughly enjoyed the history lesson and the unusual setting.

My favourite things to find in a book greeted me when I turned the first page: a cast of characters and a map. As the book is inspired by real people and real events, the characters are all real people from history and the things in the book actually happened. GD Harper just uses his imagination to embellish the facts with what the characters might have thought or said to create an incredibly entertaining and interesting story.

It is meticulously researched and told from the points of view of Mary English and Manuela Sáenz, two very strong women who made a lasting impression on the country of Colombia. Mary is escaping scandal after her bigamist husband rendered their daughter illegitimate, and Manuela's own illegitimacy didn't hold her back from becoming the trusted aide and mistress of South American liberator Simón Bolívar.

I found the whole story fascinating as I had never considered the history of South America before. I knew that the Spanish had settled there but I didn't know how the countries ultimately gained their independence. There's also a photographic section about two thirds of the way through the book to enhance the reading experience and bring the whole story to life.

The Other Life of Mary English is a compelling, interesting and fascinating historical fiction novel. I loved it and would highly recommend it.

I received a gifted ARC for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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About the author:

GD Harper became a full-time author in 2016. He has written three psychological thrillers, Love’s Long Road, A Friend in Deed and Silent Money, and two historical novels, The Maids of Biddenden and Arden.

The Maids of Biddenden was the winner in the historical fiction category of the 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the largest international awards program for indie authors and independent publishers, and was shortlisted for the 2023 Selfies Award at the London Book Fair. Arden was placed third in the 2024 Yeovil International Literary Prize. The Other Life of Mary English was a finalist in the Eyelands Book Awards. He has also been longlisted or shortlisted for fourteen other awards.

His books have had over one million page reads on Kindle Unlimited, been number one most downloaded e-book on Amazon UK, number three on Amazon worldwide, and garnered over two thousand reviews and ratings on Amazon and Goodreads, with an average rating score of 4.4.

He lives in East Sussex and, when not writing, can be found wild camping in the Scottish mountains or in the mosh pit at live music events.

Social Media Links:

Website: www.gdharper.com

Instagram: gdharperauthor

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Thursday, 23 July 2026

BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: A Fatal Choice - Alison Baxter

In Victorian England, propriety was everything. But truth was often the price.

Three women bound by duty, class and expectation find their lives intertwined within the confines of a seemingly respectable household.

Julia Pennefather has spent her life longing for the security of a home and family. Ellen Fugill knows the price of loyalty in a world where servants are expected to see everything and say nothing. And talented Ada Ashley arrives concealing a secret past that makes her painfully vulnerable.

When disaster strikes, the women do not confront the truth but deny it. Stifling the voice of conscience, they each make choices shaped by fear, love and the limits placed on them by Victorian convention. Choices that cannot be undone.

As the consequences ripple through their lives, the cost of silence becomes impossible to ignore. In a society that offers women few options, and even fewer protections, survival depends on endurance. But sometimes that is not enough.

A richly atmospheric historical novel, A Fatal Choice explores the ways that women both support and betray each other, perfect for readers of Jessie Burton and Sarah Waters.

What did I think?

Wow! A Fatal Choice is one of the best historical fiction novels I have ever read and it is even more stunning when you read the author's note at the end and discover that it is inspired by real people and actual events.

It starts with a haunting excerpt from a newspaper about the death of a young lady and her baby and then Alison Baxter takes the reader on a compelling journey as we discover the story behind this tragic event. Told from the points of view of three women: Julia, Ada and Ellen, this is an unforgettable and poignant tale.

Julia Pennefather was left penniless after her father died but through the charity of her uncle she still leads a privileged life. Sharrock Dupen must see pound signs in his eyes when he meets Julia and as he is younger than her, Julia doesn't see the harm in knocking a few years off her age. Sharrock isn't exactly being honest with Julia either.

As Julia's story unfolds, two women enter her life: Ellen, her loyal servant, and Ada, the mysterious and aloof governess who is employed to school Julia's children. The excerpt from the beginning of the book was never far from my mind and I both wanted to read fast to discover what happened and slowly to prolong the life of one of the characters.

The stigma of being labelled a spinster in Victorian England must have been awful and it's no wonder that women chose to be a little creative with their age. It's also quite shocking how easily women were sent to asylums, not necessarily to get any help they might need but more as an excuse to get rid of them so their husband could remarry. I have to share a quote from one of Ada's chapters that really resonated with me:

"Hysteria is a convenient label with which to control women."

Immersive, evocative and completely breathtaking, A Fatal Choice is a book I will be recommending for a very long time. An easy five stars and a very highly recommended read.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Friday, 17 July 2026

The Light Years (The Cazalet Chronicles Book 1) - Elizabeth Jane Howard

1937. Every summer, the Cazalet brothers – Hugh, Edward and Rupert – return to the family home in the heart of the Sussex countryside with their wives and children. There, they are joined by their formidable parents and unmarried sister Rachel to enjoy two glorious months of picnics, games and sun-drenched excursions to the coast. But not even this idyllic setting can soothe the siblings’ fears and heartache.

Hugh, haunted by memories of the Great War, is terrified at the looming prospect of a second. Edward, charming and handsome, is torn between his wife and his latest infidelity. Rupert, a talented painter, is in turmoil over his inability to please his demanding new wife. Meanwhile, Rachel’s unflinching loyalty to the family means risking her one chance at happiness . . .

What did I think?

The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard was first published in 1990 and I'm surprised I haven't read it until now but it's definitely a case of better late than never. It's the first book of The Cazalet Chronicles and I am completely invested in the lives of this quirky and privileged family.

The book starts with a family tree and a cast of characters that are both very useful and I referred to it a lot until I got to know the characters. It's such an honour to see into the lives of each branch of the family tree as they return to the family home for the summer. With England on the brink of war, they are very fortunate to have another home outside of London although one of the brothers would perhaps prefer to stay in London where his wife can't see what he's getting up to.

I think this is the first book I have read where I have really appreciated the short time between the two world wars. Those who fought in 1914-18 are still carrying the scars and their loved ones have barely got over the worry of their husbands and sons never returning home. Even though this is a wealthy family, they have been touched by war.

Elizabeth Jane Howard writes so beautifully and vividly. I could easily imagine the various scenes that played out and I don't think I have ever made a note of so many favourite quotes from the exquisite prose. There are some disturbing scenes as the family negotiate the rollercoaster of life but they are handled very sensitively.

Compelling, immersive and evocative, The Light Years is a wonderful introduction to the Cazalet family and I can't wait to see what is in store for them next. Very highly recommended.

I received a gifted ARC for the Book Break readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Saturday, 16 May 2026

BLOG TOUR: Year of the Lynx - Lizzie Lane

When the news comes of Roman invasion, Morcant the druid, also known as brother of the lynx, heads for home only to find it destroyed, the flames reaching the sky. Overcome by a thirst for vengeance he joins the army of Caradoc, who the Romans call Caractacus. As a druid, he becomes a trusted advisor and his advice is to head west with a view to uniting the disparate tribes. After their main settlement is lost, the bedraggled host head west into action and adventure where not all tribes are willing to fight, and some are too terrible to make allies.

All they can do is survive and perhaps in so doing, the land of their fathers will also survive.

What did I think?

Bestselling author Lizzie Lane, who is best known for writing historical sagas, has stepped even further back in time with her first historical adventure novel, Year of the Lynx. It's the first book in an exciting new trilogy that is set in Ancient Britain as the Celts defend their settlements from the Roman invasion.

There's a cast of characters at the start of the book, which is really useful and I often referred to it until I became familiar with the ancient names and the characters themselves. I loved the main character of Morcant the druid and found it fascinating how much faith was put into a druid's predictions. It's a bit like forecasting the weather; they'll be right sometimes.

What I found most interesting was reading about the Roman invasion from the Britons' side as I've read more books that have shown the Roman perspective. With over 60 books in her back catalogue, Lizzie Lane is a natural storyteller and I found it really easy to visualise the scenes and the characters from her wonderfully descriptive writing.

Year of the Lynx is a wonderful piece of historical fiction and a brilliant start to a new series. I can't wait to see where the story takes us next and would highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, especially Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom series.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

Lizzie Lane is the bestselling author of over sixty books, has appeared in the top thirty bestselling paperbacks, translated into several languages, and a past winner of the BBC New Writers’ Award. Has a love of history of all ages. Famous in particular for her WW2 novels set in Bristol and as Jean G Goodhind for The Honey Driver cosy crime series.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: Lizzie Lane

Instagram: LizzieLane40

Bookbub profile: @baywriterallatsea

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Friday, 17 April 2026

The Many Seas to Guernsey - Catherine Taylor

In the last golden years before Europe erupts into WWII a young English writer and a German Roman Catholic priest-in-training meet by chance on the small British island of Guernsey – and are drawn into a forbidden, all-consuming love. Then history and duty intrude, forcing them to choose between complicity and courage in a fight for truth, freedom – and each other. A sweeping, morally complex love story that will stay with you long after the last page, from Catherine Taylor, author of no. 1 best seller Beyond The Moon, shortlisted for the Orion/eHarmony Love Story Prize and longlisted for the Exeter Novel Prize.

In 1936 Kitty Garland-Fry moves to Guernsey with her bohemian, artist parents and unruly siblings. Marooned amid her family’s chaotic lifestyle, Kitty, a passionate writer of fairy tales, fears she’ll die of boredom and frustration if she cannot find a life of her own. In Nazi Berlin, meanwhile, Lukas von Harnitz, an idealistic and devout Roman Catholic seminarian, is reluctantly leaving for Guernsey, too, forced to interrupt his priestly studies for a year to take his newly widowed English-born mother back home to safety. Fiercely anti-Nazi, he can’t help feeling he’s abandoning both his country and his calling at a moment of gathering darkness.

Two fish out of water together, Kitty and Lukas are drawn together in their shared loneliness. Bonding over poetry and books, their days unfold like a quiet, sunlit dream on white sand beaches beneath endless blue skies, sheltered from both the pull of responsibility and the gathering storm of war. But then friendship begins to deepen into something more, and Lukas is forced into a devastating choice between God and the woman he loves, while fate also compels Kitty onto a path that will take her into the very heart of Nazi Germany.

Charting the road to war from both the British and German perspectives, The Many Seas to Guernsey is an emotional, character-driven epic grappling with themes of faith, conscience and the power of love in an age of extremes. Moving from the secluded turquoise coves of Guernsey to the towering Bavarian Alps, then the Gestapo cells of pre-war Berlin and finally the hellish beaches of the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation, The Many Seas to Guernsey is the first in a planned duology and will appeal to fans of novels like All the Light We Cannot See, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Crooked Cross, The Nightingale, The Bronze Horseman and Atonement.

Catherine Taylor is a former journalist, starting off her career at the Guernsey Evening Press, and ending up at Dow Jones News, where she wrote for the newswire and The Wall Street Journal Europe. She was born and brought up on Guernsey, where her own family experienced the German occupation and evacuation, then went on to study German history and language, giving rise to a lifelong passion for the history of the two world wars. She lives in West London with her husband, two children and five cats.

**NB This story unfolds against the backdrop of Nazi Germany and the Second World War. It contains depictions of violence, imprisonment, war crimes, sexual abuse and themes of loss and grief that some readers may find distressing.

What did I think?

It's never easy to read books set in this period but I think it's important to be reminded of events in Nazi Germany leading up to the start of World War II. The Many Seas to Guernsey leads us in gently starting with a idyllic island setting that is a stark contrast to the brutality and violence of pre-war Germany.

This is the story of Kitty and Lukas but it's not a traditional love story as Lukas is training to be priest. It is clear that they are drawn to one another though and Lukas has to make a difficult choice between Kitty and God. Kitty is part of a very unconventional family, which perhaps explains her willingness to take risks and travel so far from home and fate sees her crossing paths with Lukas once again.

The story is told in three parts covering 1936-1937, 1938-1939 and 1939-1940. There is such a lot going on in such a short period of time and it's only the start of the war so there is worse to come. It's good to have such relatable main characters to add some light and hope to the darkness of the storyline.

It's a very emotional story with shocking and devastating moments that really hit me where it hurts. Catherine Taylor vividly recreates some of the horrific events leading up to the outbreak of war and it gave me chills when I was reading. I was invested in the characters from the start so I felt every emotion with them and I admit to shedding a tear or two over the course of the book.

Haunting, poignant and powerful, The Many Seas to Guernsey is a vivid and emotional historical fiction novel that pulled at my heartstrings and kept me captivated. I'm delighted that it's part of a duology and can't wait to read what happens next.

I received a gifted paperback for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Wednesday, 15 April 2026

BLOG TOUR: Dangerous - Essie Fox

Fiction can be fatal…

Living in exile in Venice, the disgraced Lord Byron revels in the freedoms of the city. But when he is associated with the deaths of local women, found with wounds to their throats, and then a novel called The Vampyre is published under his name, rumours begin to spread that Byron may be the murderer…

As events escalate and tensions rise – and his own life is endangered, as well as those he holds most dear – Byron is forced to play detective, to discover who is really behind these heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the scandals of his own infamous past come back to haunt him…

Rich in gothic atmosphere and drawing on real events and characters from Byron’s life, Dangerous is a riveting, dazzling historical thriller, as decadent, dark and seductive as the poet himself…

What did I think?

I don't know a lot about Lord Byron, other than his links to County Durham town of Seaham, so I was very eager to read Dangerous by Essie Fox and I was not disappointed. Based on real events, Essie Fox conjures a realistic and vivid Lord Byron with her mesmerising and evocative words and it was a pleasure to virtually meet him, albeit in Venice not Seaham.

The life of a 19th century poet is never dull and whilst he may spend a lot of his time with his head in the clouds, Byron leaves a trail of destruction, scandal and heartbreak in his wake. It does seem like Byron doesn't live in the real world but he has to keep his wits about him when he accused of murder.

I really enjoyed all of the strands of the story from seeing Byron as a father with a menagerie of wild animals in his villa to the writer who is incensed when a story he considers mediocre is published under his name. There are so many real details in the book that it is easy to forget that it is fiction and I found myself drawn to look further into the life of this fascinating and scandalous man.

Authentic, atmospheric and alluring, Dangerous is a deliciously dark reimagining of Lord Byron's life in Venice that led to him being described as 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' by one of his paramours. It's beautifully written and well worth a read.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Orenda Books

About the author:

Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, and then George Allen & Unwin, before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design. Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Essie’s Victorian gothic novel, The Fascination, debuted at No 10 on the Sunday Times bestseller list. Her authorised retelling of Wuthering Heights also became an instant bestseller and sold 4000 copies in hardback in the first two weeks. Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian and a podcast: Talking the Gothic. She has lectured at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London. She lives in Windsor.

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Thursday, 12 March 2026

BLOG TOUR: Death at the Altar (Mary Shelley Investigations book 3) - Donna Gowland

The Shelleys are back with a new murder case! For fans of Mary Shelley, Daphne Du Maurier, Diane Setterfield and Laura Purcell.

With Percy under suspicion, can Mary find the real murderer in time…?

1815, London

When her infant daughter dies, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin is plunged into a deep depression.

And it doesn’t help that the father, and man who she loves, Percy Shelley, cannot commit to her as he already has an estranged wife.

When Mary receives an invitation to a wedding from a beloved school friend from her Dundee days, Percy thinks it would provide the perfect distraction.

But even away from London, they cannot escape people talking about their relationship.

And when the curate is shot dead at the end of the wedding, the locals turn on Percy.

Mary must find the true killer before their misguided suspicions become a witch hunt.

And as Mary has murder on the mind, her stepsister Claire sets her targets on someone else — Lord Byron…

DEATH AT THE ALTAR is the third book in the Mary Shelley Investigation series: thrilling Gothic murder mysteries with a tenacious literary heroine working as a female sleuth.

What did I think?

I am absolutely loving the Mary Shelley Investigations series, of which Death at the Altar is book three. You can read each book as a standalone as there is a new mystery to solve but they are well worth reading in order to learn about Mary Shelley's life.

The mystery in this instalment is very intriguing and it becomes even more critical for Mary to solve the murder when Percy becomes one of the suspects. As it says in the blurb, Mary is is devastated by the loss of her baby daughter and my heart really went out to her as Mary is still a teenager and Percy isn't much support with his flighty poetic nature.

There's quite a lot going on in the book to keep the reader entertained and I enjoyed the spotlight falling on Claire for a while. I wasn't a big fan of Claire in the first two books as she seemed to set her sights on Percy but now she is obsessed with Lord Byron and she comes up with a cunning plan to capture the (already married) poet's heart.

Donna Gowland's writing is very evocative, atmospheric and immersive so I felt as if I was part of the story myself and the characters, being based on real people, are vividly brought to life. I have really come to care about Mary Shelley (and Percy and Claire) and I have found myself reading more online about her life, although not too much as I don't want to spoil the story in any future books.

Entertaining, compelling and enlightening, Death at the Altar is both a gripping murder mystery and a fascinating glimpse into the life of Mary Shelley. A highly recommended read in an extraordinary series.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Wednesday, 25 February 2026

BLOG TOUR: The Lost Girls (Mary Shelley Investigations book 2) - Donna Gowland

Don’t miss this page-turning historical mystery! For fans of Mary Shelley, Daphne Du Maurier, Diane Setterfield and Laura Purcell.

Is someone snatching dead bodies…?

1814, London

After triumphantly solving a murder case in Paris, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin and Percy Shelley return to London penniless.

As Percy is still married to his estranged wife, he and Mary are shunned from polite society for living together out of wedlock.

Isolated and trapped in squalid lodgings, Mary finds herself alone while Percy escapes to the tavern. And one evening when she goes looking for him, a dead body is found.

But when Percy and Mary arrive at the scene the dead girl is gone…

When she receives a note from an old friend and discovers another girl is missing, Mary wonders if the crimes are connected.

What happened to the body? Was it taken by the murderer?

Can Mary and Percy come together to solve another tricky case…?

THE MARY SHELLEY INVESTIGATIONS SERIES:

Book One: The Missing Wife

Book Two: The Lost Girls

Book Three: Death at the Altar

What did I think?

I absolutely loved The Missing Wife, the first book in the Mary Shelley Investigations series, so I couldn't wait to read The Lost Girls and I was not disappointed. You can definitely read it as a standalone if you have just discovered this fascinating series.

Mary and Percy have returned from their elopement to France but the scandal has followed them back to London. Now Mary is pregnant, ignored by her family and living well below the standard to which she had become accustomed. Whilst they have little money for food, Percy certainly seems to find money for drink.

I love the way that Donna Gowland brings these historical characters to life and weaves fact with fiction so that the reader learns about Mary and Percy Shelley in a very entertaining way. I have new respect for Mary as Percy is so exasperating and I couldn't live with him. Mary's stepsister Claire is a strange one; it's good that she provides support to Mary but she is clearly enamoured with Percy so I worry that Claire's motives are entirely selfish.

The missing girls storyline is incredibly intriguing and atmospheric as the dark underbelly of Georgian London is described. I felt as if I was there following in their footsteps as Mary, Percy and Claire investigate this puzzling case.

Entertaining, captivating and authentic, The Lost Girls is a thrilling instalment in this completely unmissable series. I can't wait to read more so look out for my review of book three, Death at the Altar, very soon.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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