The London Séance Society

How it reads

The London Séance Society is historical fiction (historical gothic mystery, specifically), and its dominant mood is eerie. It's atmospheric and uncanny, with a sense that something is wrong. The pace is moderate — neither a page-turner nor a slow burn — so it holds up whether you read it in long sittings or short ones.

It's set in a big city setting, in the historical past, told across two timelines. Its central concerns are secrets, identity and friendship. In weight it sits in the middle: substantial without being heavy going.

It stands alone, so there's nothing else you need to read first or after. The ending resolves happily. At 352 pages it's an ordinary novel's length. It's well known, the kind of book most keen readers have heard of.