by Sarah Waters
First published 1999
In 1870s London, Margaret, a wealthy woman recovering from a suicide attempt, begins volunteering at the grim Millbank Prison. There she becomes captivated by Selina, a young inmate imprisoned after a disastrous séance. As Margaret delves into Selina's case, she's drawn into a shadowy world of spirits, passions, and dangerous deceptions. Determined to free Selina, Margaret concocts a desperate plot - but the price of Selina's freedom may be Margaret's own soul.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, 19th-century, gothic
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: England, London, London (England)
Period: 19th century
Paperback · VIRAGO PRESS LTD
Content warnings: mental-illness, suicide