The Shape of Darkness: 'A future gothic classic' Martyn Waites

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Been living there?’ he asked. I said, ‘Yes.’‘Fine lot these government chaps—are they not?’ he went on, Weight of the Feather: The vampire can reduce their effective mass and density, making themselves almost weightless. This allows them to avoid triggering pressure sensors as well as avoiding major damage from falls, collisions, or being thrown. The power cannot be used for longer leaps, as the vampire’s strength is proportionally reduced. Dripping with atmospherewith a corkscrew plot,Laura Purcell just gets better and better.” – Stacey Halls, author of The Familiars and The Foundling

The Shape of Darkness | Laura Purcell | 9781526602541 - NetGalley The Shape of Darkness | Laura Purcell | 9781526602541 - NetGalley

Winner of Historical Crime Book of the Year category at The Fingerprint Awards 2022. Shortlisted for an Edgar Award and a Dead Good Readers’ Award.Seances are the perfect venue for suspense, fright and terror, and Purcell does not miss the opportunity. Purcell also keeps some of her cards hidden. There always seems to be information, vital information that will enlighten the reader, just out of grasp. Teasing little snippets of the dead sister every now and then. What happened to Agnes’ sister, Constance? What happened to Montague? Characters who are always on the periphery of the narrative but seem to be integral. The constant references to an accident. Horrid Form: The vampires takes on a truly monstrous form. Amalgam: Dominate 2. Requires Vicissitude.

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Let's get it right up front that I love all the books Laura Purcell has written and so I was thrilled to find myself with an early copy of her latest book, courtesy of the author, Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley. As with Purcell’s previous books, there is a good balance of apparently supernatural shennanigans vs. more rational explanations for events. While this juggling act keeps the reader guessing as to what exactly is going on, the mystery is paced perfectly, with new information dripped in at just the right moments to give you a chance to figure it all out for yourself and the final twist is delivered brilliantly. At this point, Laura Purcell is an auto-buy author for me. The particular sort of Gothic Historical Fiction that she writes is just exactly my sort of fiction, and so this was one of the most anticipated releases of 2021 for me, and I have to say, she didn't disappoint. 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?'

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It’sher best one yet and that’s saying something. A story of a woman haunted in every way possible, I think it’sa future gothic classic.”- – Martyn Waites

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Historical detail and an era-specific atmosphere are such significant elements of what makes The Shape of Darkness so easy to get lost in. Purcell’s books are frequently compared to Daphne Du Maurier but whilst they might channel the paranormal undercurrents and masterfully unsettling yet often bleak storytelling, Purcell’s books stand out as future gothic classics in their own right. As ever, her next book will be something for readers to look forward to. THE SHAPE OF DARKNESS, by Laura Purcell features Agnes, a silhouette artist in Victorian Bath. She's struggling to support her mother and nephew in a time where more modern devices are becoming popular. When her customers start dying shortly after their sittings with her, she breaks down and sees a child medium--the older sister clearly untrustworthy, but the younger appears to be genuine. This much we gather from the synopsis, but the book is so much deeper than that.

Agnes Darken is an artist, a creator of silhouettes which is a dying art with people now preferring daguerreotypes. Pearl Meers, ‘The White Sylph’ is an albino spirit guide and her half sister Myrtle West is a mesmerist. These three women connect in the most surprising of ways in this Victorian Gothic Murder Mystery set in Bath. Thank you! The Silent Companions scared me witless! 🙂 I haven’t found any of her other books frightening, but they’re still spooky and chilling. 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. An] extraordinary, memorable and truly haunting book.” — Jojo Moyes, #1 New York Times bestselling author Silhouette artist Agnes is struggling to keep her business afloat. Still recovering from a serious illness herself, making enough money to support her elderly mother and her orphaned nephew Cedric has never been easy, but then one of her clients is murdered shortly after sitting for Agnes, and then another, and another…