PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK --- Mrs Violet Wood is a highly celebrated medium in 1870s London. With the assistance of her faithful companion, Miss Sarah Newman, her seances and gatherings are attended by society's finest, but Mrs Wood is starting to feel a little worried. Her finances need bolstering, and she wants to attract new followers. When a rather ragged and uneducated young girl, Emmie Finch, appears, Mrs Wood sees something attractive and biddable in her, and takes her under her tutelage. Despite Miss Newman's misgivings, Mrs Wood pushes Emmie into the spiritualist world - but is Emmie really all she seems? A colourful and evocative novel, with well-rounded characters and a satisfying story arc that looks kindly on the Victorian urge to reach those on the other side. - Lindy
’Gorgeous, an utter delight’ MARIAN KEYES ‘A charming debut that sparks with fun and fizz’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING ’A must read!’ SOPHIE IRWIN ’Storytelling at its finest’ STYLIST A DAILY MAIL ‘novel to devour in 2023’
Mrs Wood is London’s most celebrated medium. She’s managed to survive decades in the competitive world of contacting the Other Side, has avoided the dreaded slips that revealed others as frauds and is still hosting packed-out séances for Victorian high society.
Yet, some of her patrons have recently cancelled their appointments. There are reports of American mediums nearly materialising full spirits and audiences are no longer satisfied with the knocking on tables and candle theatrics of years gone by. And then, at one of Mrs Wood’s routine gatherings, she hears something terrifying – faint, but unmistakable: a yawn.
Mrs Wood needs to spice up her brand. She decides to take on Emmie, a young protégé, to join her show. But is Emmie Finch the naïve ingenue she seems to be? Or does she pose more of a threat to Mrs Wood’s reign and, more horrifyingly, her reputation than Mrs Wood could ever have imagined?
Lucy Barker was the runner-up for the Curtis Brown First Novel Prize with an early extract from The Other Side of Mrs Wood. She holds an MA in Victorian Studies from Birkbeck College and is a Curtis Brown Creative and Novelry alumna. Lucy worked for years as a PA in theatre and heritage, including coordinating the Solstice celebrations at Stonehenge, before moving into social media management. She is currently a freelance copywriter and lives in rural Hampshire with her husband, two young children and the dog.
'I absolutely ADORED it. Such a juicy read and written so beautifully. Charming, gorgeous, an utter delight.' Marian Keyes 'Engaging and wonderfully original' Katie Fforde 'Intriguing, witty and unique. A must read!' Sophie Irwin, author of A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting 'A joy to read, completely fresh and original with a wonderful cast of characters. The ending is absolutely perfect - so satisfying! The Other Side of Mrs Wood is an exhilarating gallop through the seances of Victorian London, featuring rival mediums, dark secrets and some truly delicious double-crossing. Witty, evocative writing and wonderfully drawn characters add up to a huge treat of a novel. I loved it!' Lucy Diamond 'Think All About Eve, but set in the spellbinding world of Victorian mediums - a brilliantly witty twist on the rivalry between an ageing star and a wide-eyed ingenue who isn't all she seems.' Frances Quinn, author of That Bonesetter Woman 'Crackles with wit and mischief, a delicious read.' Louise Dean
