“A man with intentions in his mind is far more dangerous than any animal that acts on instinct alone.”

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up Circle of Shadows, but I was absolutely hooked from the first chapter.

Set against the backdrop of early 1900s England, Circle of Shadows follows Evie Winstanley - sharp, curious, and quietly rebellious - who refuses to conform to the role society demands of her 💁🏻‍♀️

When her father, an occult book collector, dies in mysterious circumstances, Evie is determined to uncover the truth. What follows is a supernatural mystery with strong Agatha Christie vibes: tense, clever, and full of secrets 📜🕯️

You can expect:

🔮 Hauntingly immersive setting – from a séance on the Yorkshire moors, to Oxford’s shadowy alleyways, the atmosphere is rich with unease and tension.

🕯️Mystery and intrigue - Evie’s investigation takes her closer to danger with every step, as she unravels decades-old clues while navigating a maze of misogyny, elitism, ancient cults, and a secret society that’s giving strongggg ‘Riot Club’ vibes.

⚖️Power and corruption - the book explores the lengths people will go to for power and social dominance, and the murky morality that often comes with it.

🤯Twists and revelations - just when I thought I had it all figured out, the plot was blown wide open again! I loved it.

If you’re looking for an eerie, gothic, historical fantasy packed with secrets, suspense, and a dash of horror, then Circle of Shadows is for you ✨🖤

The story itself is a standalone, but the ending leaves it wide open for a related series so I really hope that happens! 🤞🏻

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

An eerie and evocative Edwardian occult mystery, with a wonderful protagonist in Evie. From the very beginning this is a compelling story, taking us from the wild Yorkshire moors to the dark underbelly of Oxford and the secret societies there.

This story is well-written and paced just right to create a creepy, foreboding atmosphere while still being fast-paced. I also loved the side characters, and would have liked to see them developed further. I'm hoping this will become a series, and I look forward to reading more in the future!

I'd give this book 4.25 stars and highly recommend, especially as an autumnal read. It seems perfect for a rainy day, with the nights drawing in and a hot beverage in hand. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was intrigued by the description of this book as a blend of historical fantasy and Golden Age crime but overall I'd disagree and suggest this is more of a gothic Lovecraftian potion of a book. Evie is the usual fantasy heroine that doesn't want to stay at home and instead wishes to get stuck into more interesting things than fashion and homemaking - naturally this gets her in some sticky situations but she holds her own despite that.

Unfortunately for me, I'd mainly been drawn in by the promise of a Golden Age fantasy which I don't feel materialised but I can see how others might enjoy this book if they are fans of feminist gothic fantasy.

A suspenseful historical fantasy where a young woman will do anything to investigate her father's death and expose the dangerous men behind the tragedy. A dark tale of the occult where wealthy men play with powers they don't understand and woman are left to pick up the pieces.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫 & 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐨𝐧 | 𝐇𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧

Brilliant, I loved this book. So much going on without becoming confusing. Evie Winstanley disturbs an intruder in her late father's study. After a a bit of investigating she realises what her father was working on before his death and what the intruder was after. As she broadens her investigation understanding of the occult, she gets drawn deeper into the mystery. She's tough and she doesn't give up. Plenty of twists and an all round great story. I hope there will be more books featuring Evie!
Thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton, and Marisa Linton for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest, free review.

In Circle of Shadows, Marisa Linton conjures an Edwardian mystery thick with occult tension and razor-sharp insight. It’s a story that creeps rather than charges, leaving behind traces of dread and flickers of unease.

Evie Winstanley is a quietly defiant force—a woman unwilling to be boxed in by society’s decorum. When her father dies under suspicious circumstances, she steps into the shadows he left behind, chasing whispers and half-truths across candlelit moors and cloistered Oxford halls. Each clue draws her deeper into a world woven with secret symbols, ancient monsters, and the chilling arrogance of privileged men dabbling in the dark.

Linton’s prose is measured but evocative, guiding us through séances, riverbanks, and dusty libraries with an elegance befitting the era. But beneath the polished surface lurks something primal—a tale of grief, ambition, and inherited danger.

This is not just a mystery. It’s a meditation on power, identity, and the quiet resilience of women who refuse to be erased. Atmospheric, intelligent, and utterly absorbing, Circle of Shadows will linger like the scent of candle smoke long after the final page.

Evie Winstanley is an exceptionally well drawn character and the story drew me in more and more. Occult forces are at work in this novel, and there are certainly twists to the book, that I am not going reveal, because it would spoil the novel. Highly recommended, five stars for this book.