Marisa Linton is a Brighton-based professional historian, professor (Kingston University), writer and academic, specialising in the history of witchcraft and magical beliefs, revolution and terror. She has worked as a historical adviser, including for the TV series, Dangerous Liaisons (Starz/Lionsgate, 2022). Her previous published books have all been historical non-fiction, including Choosing Terror (Oxford University Press), about Terror in the French Revolution. She also writes for the popular history market such as BBC History Magazine. Marisa won the Times/Chicken House Prize in 2023 for her YA folk horror The Pouka King.
I loved Marisa Linton's Circle of Shadows, the first adventure of Evie Winstanley, Occult Consulting Detective. I hope there are lots more to come * Greg Mosse, author of The Coming Darkness trilogy and The Maisie Cooper Mysteries * I was totally gripped from the very first page of this novel of occult mysteries, dangerous deceptions, and daring investigations. It's a hugely enjoyable mix of golden age crime and supernatural mystery, with a heroine you can really root for, and fantastically atmospheric settings from Yorkshire to Oxford. I can't wait to read more of Evie's adventures into the dark corners of Edwardian England. -- Sarah Brooks, author of The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands A dark and twisty tale full of corrupt magic and even corrupter hearts, but also a stirring story about standing up to evil. A must-read for anyone who likes their academia dark! * Julia Golding, author of The Persephone Code * Circle of Shadows is a terrifically engaging tale of supernatural goings-on in Edwardian England, complete with séances, spell books and sinister academic cults. I can't wait to read more adventures featuring resourceful investigator Evie Winstanley, who understands that men are capable of greater monstrosities than any demon * Tim Major, author of the Sherlock Holmes novel The Back to Front Murder * Circle of Shadows is everything I want from dark academia-the cruelty and capriciousness of the elite; a tangled web of secret histories and utterly immersive occult folklore; and all the cleverness of a Golden Age detective story set in Edwardian England. Absolutely brilliant * Susan J. Morris, author of Strange Beasts and Wayward Souls * I was completely enthralled by this deliciously dark and haunting historical mystery, with a smart and spirited heroine I'd love to see more of * Frances Quinn, author of The Smallest Man * Circle of Shadows compellingly blends the evils of deep dark places with those of high society, building mystery and dread to a breathless conclusion. I was utterly entranced! * Melissa Caruso, international bestselling author of The Last Hour Between Worlds * Marisa Linton takes the Golden Age detective tale and gives it a speculative twist. Moving between Edwardian London, a sinister Yorkshire manor house, and the academic halls of Oxford, The Circle of Shadows keeps the reader guessing to the end. I look forward to more from this author and her engaging heroine * Anne Corlett, author of The Space Between the Stars * Equal parts moving, thrilling, and thought-provoking, Circle of Shadows is an evocative journey of high imagination and unrivalled craft * David Green, Secretary of the British Fantasy Society * I enjoyed this a great deal. I love the creepy, macabre tone of it all, flecked with Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle and John Buchan. Evie is a wonderful creation! -- J.S. Barnes, author of Dracula's Child