Laura Purcell is one of my must-read authors so I was delighted to receive this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't disappointed; this had me gripped throughout. Victorian gothic at its best, creepy, full of atmosphere and intrigue. Purcell clearly does her research and comes up with a really unusual story every time, all based on actual historical context – this time, the fashion of mesmerism, the emergence of photography and the horrific consequences of working in match factories. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Another astounding chiller from Laura Purcell.

This book picks you up gently and carries you deeper and deeper into dark, cold waters. Complex characters and a nice evocation of period Bath helps bind Laura's new book into another gothic suspense story of the highest order.

More Gothic goodness from the wonderful Laura Purcell.  This book is set in Bath in the 1850s.  Agnes works as a silhouette cutter, trying to make ends meet and support her diminished family.  Clients are very few and far between and when her former customers start showing up as corpses Agnes worries that someone is targeting her personally.  She seeks out the assistance of a young clairvoyant in the hopes that the killer can be identified and stopped before Agnes herself comes to harm.  A very entertaining spooky, twisty read.

This gothic story set in Bath follows Agnes who is silhouette artist and young Pearl who is a medium. Through certain circumstances both characters are to find each other and the story goes on from there.

I really enjoyed The Silent Companions and The Corset, didn't enjoy Bone China as much and this book The Shape of Darkness even less. 

What I did enjoy was the historical setting and descriptions, and from that I did get the sense of place. I also enjoyed how the silhouettes that Agnes created alongside with the mediumship are connected. This premise for me had so much promise.

What I didn't like was for me the story went on and on. I felt towards the latter part of the story that it was been filled out more and more, how much more plot can there be added. The story did drag on and I found myself becoming very bored.

I hate having to give 2 stars to a book by Laura Purcell and will read more by her in the future but this book just didn't do it for me.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review the book.

I have read and enjoyed several other gothic novels by Laura Purcell, so I was excited to get the chance to read her newest work. I am glad to say I was not disappointed.

Agnes is a silhouette-cutter and artist, living in Victorian Bath. She is recovering from an illness that has left her breathless and frail, trying to make ends meet from her profession which is losing out to the new fashion for daguerreotype photography. When some of her clients are killed shortly after she took their silhouettes, Agnes turns to a local spiritualist for help and meets Pearl, an eleven year old albino girl working as a psychic.

Pearl and Agnes each experience weird ghostly phenomena while trying to help the other.  How much of what happens is supernatural and how much is caused by a human hand?

Recommended for those of us who like our murder mysteries to be historical and spooky.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

There has been a big of a resurgence in Gothic literature over the last couple of years, with Purcell at the front of the pack, leading the way with her terrifically spooky and at times simply terrifying novels. The Corset, Bone China and The Silent Companions have each carved out a place in literature, bringing back a level of spooky novel writing and reading that would make du Maurier envious. 

With The Shape of Darkness, Purcell continues her skillful assent. The characters of Agnes and Pearl are very different, yet there is a unity in their desperate need to have some comfort from a person in their past that they can do nothing about. The first part of the novel gradually builds to Pearl and Agnes meeting for a consultation and this is the first time we get to witness Pearl's ability, whereas before that, she passes out and is unable to relay what she is seeing, hearing, and feeling. 

The descriptions of ghostly beings are enough to make even a skeptic believe, both within the novel and without. It's very cleverly written, the historical fiction aspect only enhancing the spooky feel to the whole set up. It is also a poignant tale of the situation unmarried women found themselves faced with just generations ago, struggling to support themselves and any dependents they end up with through various circumstances. 

It's not an easy book in many ways, and is certainly an emotional ride, but it is a brilliant story, and one I would recommend to anyone looking for something spooky, or just a bit different as a read this coming year.

Set in Victorian Bath, Laura Purcell once more excels in taking us to a time and place. She does spooky and historic so well. Agnes, our main character, isn't easy to like, but as she has had a really difficult life and I found myself badly wanting her to find some peace. There are twists and turns and clever use of plot and characters. I would definitely recommend this to those who like mysterious plots and strong female leads. A feast for fans of the genre and for those who are intrigued by gothic historic novels. 
Thank you to the author, Bloomsbury Publishing and @NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this intriguing and memorable book.

I'm a huge Laura Purcell fan and have read her previous three blockbuster titles with relish but sadly this latest one from her didn't click for me. It is set in Victorian Bath, has Gothic tropes in abundance, seances, deaths, mystery, a silhouette artist is one of the two main female protagonists and a child spirit medium, Pearl, is the other. I thought this haunted Gothic package couldn't miss - I was the ideal reader for this fare and I dug into the e- arc (from Netgalley) with great anticipation, which gradually, as I progressed, decreased to mild interest then to just not that bothered. The characters never came alive or leapt off the page, and the setting, the city of Bath, was vague and could have been any Victorian city really. There was a lot of spooky scene setting but no real scares and that level of erudition and multi layering which I've come to associate with Purcell seemed, strangely, to be missing. Various historical facts were shoehorned in as set dressing but were not organically woven into the narrative as they have been in the past. I'd have taken this for a debut novel, not the work of an experienced, several novels down the road book. I'd recommend starting with one of the other Purcells if you want to sample this author.

What a treat this book was! Laura Purcell just gets better and better with every book.
Agnes is a struggling silhouette maker in 1840s Bath. Haunted by a lost love and the shade of her vengeful sister, Constance, she lives with her Mother and Nephew in a tiny, unkempt house, where magpies caw and cackle on the roof. Then some of her clients are murdered in hideous ways and she tries to establish a connection via The White Sylph, a young girl called Pearl who is dominated by her older sister, Myrtle West.
Myrtle has an iron grasp on her money-generating sister and in a back room Pearl’s father slowly fades, expiring in horrific degrees from ‘phossy jaw’ from his time in a match factory.
Once again, Purcell centres the quiet desperation of the lives of poor women in that era and she excels at drawing the reader in to their narratives. There are male characters but they seem largely ineffectual. Men of science against an onslaught of female spirits who simply will not let go.
The final twists were genuinely shocking without being far fetched. I shall look forward to buying a physical copy of this book to enjoy it again on publication.

Agnes is a silhouette artist in 1850s Bath, caring for her nephew and her mother and struggling to make ends meet. When her sitters start dying one after the other, she requests the help of young Pearl, 11, who can communicate with the dead, and she tries and finds out who murdered the people whose silhouettes she cut in paper and who is thus hurting her business. 

I find Laura Purcell's historial fiction exquisite - well-written, full of suspense, with characters that you get attached to, and when you think you have guessed the whole story, she finds ways to keep surprising you. I know 'The Silent Companions' is a favourite of many readers; personally I preferred 'The Poison Thread' and I found this one to be more similar to it than to 'The Silent Companions'.

Once again Laura Purcell gives us perfect winter reading fare with her atmospheric Victorian era Gothic spine chiller set in the filthy, disease ridden, bleak streets of Bath in the late 19th century. Agnes Darken has been struck by illness that has left her fragile and vulnerable, a woman with responsibilities to provide for her elderly mother and her much loved orphan nephew Cedric. As a silhouette artist, she is struggling in a time where people are turning to and preferring the new fields of photography and daguerreotypes. So when her silhouette clients start being murdered, it is understandable that Agnes is left a worried and frightened woman, why would anyone want to target her business?

She looks for answers and the identity of a killer from beyond the grave, more specifically from 11 year old albino spiritualist, Pearl, a girl with her own issues, some of which echo those of Agnes, and who has a dominating half sister in mesmerist, Myrtle West. In a story of the supernatural that includes seances, ghosts, where in an ever increasing menacing, creepy and eerie narrative, horror and danger lurks. Insightful information is provided about the matchstick industry and the terrible and deadly effects it has on its workers. This is dark, sinister and dramatic read of grief and loss, secrets and deception, filled with Purcell's trademark twists and surprises.

What makes Purcell a stand out author is the depth she provides with her evocative rich descriptions that make this location and this period of history come to vibrant life. It is a time of societal flux, a novel that captures the extreme inequalities and class distinctions, the Victorian obsession with spiritualism, the position of women, new ideas and technologies. If you are in search of dark gothic novel, then this should fit the bill, it is well crafted and a compulsive murder mystery and so much more. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC.

If you’re after unnerving historical fiction that comes wrapped in a big ol’ bow, then let me introduce you to the Queen of Gothic Spooks, Laura Purcell.

Having read The Silent Companions, The Corset and Bone China I knew exactly what I was getting myself in for and this did NOT disappoint.
This is what you’re in for:

✨ Set in Victorian Bath (the era and the city, not a very old tub)
✨ Spiritual mediums who seem to _actually_ speak to the dead
✨ An artist losing the plot
✨ People dying left, right and centre

So if that’s caught your attention, lemmie introduce you to the characters. First up, the main gal Agnes Darken. A silhouette artist (legit had no idea this was a thing) and the breadwinner for her very small family. Only she has the slight issue of her clients dying after she’s done their portrait. Can confirm it ain’t good for business.

And then you’ve got wee Pearl. A wee 11-year-old spirit medium with the world riding on her shoulders. Essentially used by her half-sister to make them a chunk of cash for séances, she quickly finds herself tangled in Agnes’ mess when all she wanted to do was speak to her dead mum.

Yet there was just something lacking from this. And all I can think about are two things:
– I didn’t fall in love with any characters. Except maybe the dog.
– It took me a while to get sucked in which I’ve never had to deal with when it comes to the other books.

Throwing that aside though, this is a wonderful little book with a very clever story woven through it. Legit never seen the ending coming. Was 100% a pow, right in the kisser moment and I’m real glad my noggin didn’t work it out.

There is nothing I love more than a gothic ghost story.  Laura Purcell is an author that I have always rushed out to buy on publication day but unfortunately this one has missed the mark for me.

I just didn't find anything to relate to Agnes, the main character, I like my female leads to have a bit of sass and stand up for themselves but I just found Agnes a bit boring to be honest.

I found the story started to drag as it got to the middle and I will confess, I never made it to the end.  

While the scene setting was typical Purcell with its dark and gritty descriptions, the characters just let me down.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Purcell's previous novels and The Silent Companions remains one of the best ghost stories I have ever read.  I will definitely still be following her work but sadly, I didn't enjoy this one.

This is the fourth book from Laura Purcell and it’s everything I wanted it to be. By that I mean it’s a Gothic delight with all Laura’s signature elements: a clever story that slowly unravels itself, a lead character you root for and a satisfying hit of the supernatural.

Set in Victorian Bath, the first thing that struck me was the intriguing and tantalising way the story unravels itself. We’re given nuggets of info about the past, slowly, slowly.

Agnes Darken is our lead character and has a rather fascinating job – she is a silhouette artist. Expertly cutting people’s profiles into card – a skill that was called on less and less due to the advent of photography. Agnes is, therefore, finding things financially a struggle. She is unmarried and has to look after her mother and nephew too.

She also has an intriguing relationship with Dr. Simon Carfax – the details of which pull the story together and give you lightbulb moments as they are revealed.

We follow Agnes as she starts to notice a disturbing pattern among the people she cuts portraits for… 'She is still faced with the question: why are her sitters dying?'

Is there a murderer on the loose in Bath? That is the question Agnes must find the answer to. And she decides to do so in an unorthodox method – through the help of Pearl, The White Sylph. She is an 11-year old spirit medium who speaks to the dead. Under the tutelage of her older half-sister, they make a living from this unique way of working.

Agnes and Pearl’s lives intertwine and they attempt to help each other while trying to track down just who exactly has been killing Agnes’ sitters…

I loved the blend of supernatural ideas with the heady atmosphere of Victorian Bath. Plus, the plot felt restrained and tense, which added to the Gothic tone.

While reading this, it brought Things in Jars by Jess Kidd to mind, which I mean as the highest compliment, Things in Jars being a real favourite of mine. While I’m recommending books – if The Shape of Darkness sounds up your street, then check out Laura Purcell’s previous three novels too as they are equally as fiendish and addictive.

The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell
Having read Laura Purcell’s previous three novels I was looking forward to this new book and it delivered everything I expected.  It is the very best Victorian gothic; set in Bath in 1854 and drawing upon the Victorian obsession with spiritualism and supernatural events.
Bath itself, which at this time had lost some of its wealthier visitors, provides a wonderful backdrop for the events of the book and is very evocatively drawn.  There are dark, creepy streets where malign spirits seem to lurk.  
Agnes Darken, a spinster lives with her mother and her orphaned nephew Cedric.  She makes her living by cutting people’s likenesses in silhouette form.  A skill which is becoming increasingly out of fashion as photography becomes more widespread.  She is struggling to make ends meet and then her job seems threatened by terrible events which befall those who have sat for a likeness.  
She becomes convinced that someone is out to destroy her business and persuades herself that Pearl, a young girl who is a spirit medium, can help her to discover the identity of the murderer.  The book gives a detailed insight into the terrible effects of working in the matchstick industry with white phosphorus and one of the characters is dying slowly from “phossy  jaw” or  phosphorus necrosis of the jaw.
The story has elements of the supernatural, it is unnerving, spine tingling and unsettling. Throughout the novel there are very powerful images which create the malevolent atmosphere which pervades the book.  You can almost feel a fog enveloping you as you read.  
An interesting and engaging read which I would recommend to those who like dark, ghostly historical novels. I would like to thank the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I have loved every book published by Laura Purcell and this one was no exception. 

Purcell has such a talent for creating believable and atmospheric historical settings which she uses to brilliant effect when telling dark, haunting and mysterious stories. 

The Shape of Darkness follows a woman named Agnes, a silhouette artist in Victorian Bath, who discovers that her clients are being murdered shortly after sitting for her. To unravel the mystery she enlists the help of a young girl named Pearl who is a child medium and can pass on messages from the dead. 

This book has many plot twists and turns, some of which I didn't see coming at all. There are some brilliantly vivid and gripping scenes, particularly the séances with Pearl. 

My only real criticism of the book is that the pacing was a bit off. There was quite a big lull in the middle of the book where not much happened and then the ending felt quite rushed so the final twist lacked impact. 

Overall though I always enjoy Purcell's storytelling and will continue to read anything that she publishes. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Raven Books for the ARC.

Even though I’ve enjoyed Purcell’s books before (The Silent Companions is a masterpiece), this failed to grab me. There are no engaging characters and the plot lacks both cohesion and verve. It felt like there was nothing to hold on to. Eventually I put it down and never picked it back up again. 

Many thanks for allowing me to try it in any case.

I loved this book! I felt transported to Bath in the Victorian era by the language used. It was spooky gothic spiritualism that kept me up late reading because I just had to find out what happened next! 

Thank you to #NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. #TheShapeOfDarkness #LauraPurcell

Agnes is a silhouette artist living in the town of Bath with her elderly mother and her orphaned nephew when the police contact her about her latest client.  Following his appointment he is found dead. Of course Agnes is shocked to learn the news but when it happens to the next client, she becomes afraid.

Laura Purcell for me is someone l always keep my eyes peeled for, in the hope that I'll discover another book which makes me question whether historical fiction is for me but this one just didn't hit home.  I didn't love it but didn't hate it.  There are a lot more questions than answers at the end of the book for me but I'm wondering if this is a book I should return to at a later date to re-read. I do love a gothic ghost story but I feel it more when I'm connected to the character and Agnes just didn't click for me.  

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy to review.

I love Laura Purcell. The Silent Companions is one of my favourite books and the book I regularly recommend as one of the scariest ghost stories I’ve ever read.

The Shape of Darkness is the story of Agnes, whose sister is dead and who works making silhouettes in Victorian Bath. It tells the story of the mystery around people dying who have recently been customers of hers. 

Alongside Agnes’ story is the story of Pearl, who works as a kind of spiritual medium with her older sister.

This is a great, spooky gothic story which I’ve come to expect from Laura Purcell with lots of twists and turns. I really enjoyed it, as I’ve enjoyed her other books, but it’s not quite as scary as The Silent Companions, but I’m not sure what is!

4 stars