SILENT COMPANIONS
By
Laura Purcell
A nail-biting gothic mystery to look forward to: Silent Companions by Laura Purcell will be available in US only next year (March 6th 2018, Penguin Books), but if you are lucky enough to live in the UK you can grab a copy this coming fall (October 5th 2017). For all lovers of bone-chilling tales a la Susan Hill and Shirley Jackson.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Expected Publication
October 5th 2017 by Raven Books (UK); Hardcover
March 6th 2018 by Penguin Books (US); Paperback, 320 pages
Mystery, Gothic, Horror
When newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband's crumbling country estate, The Bridge, what greets her is far from the life of wealth and privilege she was expecting . . .
When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husband's awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure--a silent companion--that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstition--that is, until she notices the figure's eyes following her.
A Victorian ghost story that evokes a most unsettling kind of fear, this is a tale that creeps its way through the consciousness in ways you least expect--much like the silent companions themselves. Inspired by the work of Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill and set in a crumbling country mansion, The Silent Companions is an unsettling gothic ghost story to send a shiver down the spine…
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| UK edition |
“If The Silent Companions lands on your night table, don't plan on leaving your bed anytime soon. Immersive, meticulous, and reminiscent of the masters of gothic fiction—not only a compulsively readable ghost story, but a skillful, loving ode to the entire genre.”
—Lyndsay Faye, bestselling author of Jane Steele
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura Purcell lives in Colchester, the oldest recorded town in England. She met her husband working in Waterstones bookshop and they share their home with several pet guinea pigs.
Laura’s 'Georgian Queens' series explores the lives of royal women during the Hanoverian era. She also writes spine-tingling Victorian Gothic fiction.
Visit Laura's website to find out more about her and read her history blog.
DESSERT PAIRING
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| Photo source: Bing |
To match Laura Purcell’s spine-tingling novel Silent Companions, I would recommend a pleasurably and equally chilling dessert. Ice cream/sorbet pies are the perfect ‘no-bake’ treat for the summer and beyond: no stress around the oven, nice and easy, all you need to do is fill, chill, and serve. My pick is Strawberry Ice Cream Pie With Corn Crust paired with a sweet and crispy Moscato wine from Italy — a lightly-bubbled Moscato d’Asti is just the ticket. Cheers!
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| Photo source: Bing |
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