-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
by Anna Mazzola
A thrilling debut based on the real case of Sarah Gale, a seamstress and mother sentenced to hang for her alleged role in a shocking murder, bringing together the accused with an idealistic young lawyer assigned to investigate whether she is a guilty murderer or an unfortunate victim.
Something is keeping Sarah Gale silent despite the risk of a death sentence. Is it guilt? Fear? Love?
Sentenced to hang for her alleged role in a shocking murder, Sarah confronts the young lawyer asked to examine her guilty verdict. She says she is innocent, but she refuses to explain the evidence given in court ― the evidence that convicted her. Battling his own demons, Edmund Fleetwood is determined to find the truth ― and to uncover why Sarah won't talk.
Darkness hides in Sarah's past, Edmund is certain, but surviving on the streets of London often means that one has to make difficult choices. Does it matter what else she's done, if she's innocent of murder? As the day of execution draws closer, Edmund struggles to discover whether she is the victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice, or a dangerous and devious criminal.
Bringing 1837 London alive in the most visceral way, The Unseeing is a tense novel of human frailty and fear ― and of the terrible consequences of jealousy and misunderstanding.
Edgar Awards, 2018
"This is a cleverly written and intricate mystery that doesn't try to outsmart the reader or become convoluted, and that includes great characters and subplots that eventually intersect to make for a multidimensional read. The authentic setting of Victorian London enhances the reading experience." - Publishers Weekly
"Sizzling first novel.... the characters- cleverly and sympathetically imagined - are of the story." - The Times
"[An] accomplished debut... Mazzola quickly draws the reader in to this intriguing mystery...Mazzola skillfully conjures up a bygone world...If you like historical fiction then you'll love this compelling murder mystery." - Daily Express
"...a satisfying resolution. Haunting characters propel this well-paced story of true crime and imperfect punishment." - Kirkus
"Drawing on the notorious 1837 Edgware Road murder, debut author Mazzola has written a worthy "did she/didn't she" historical crime drama and a vivid portrait of life and criminal justice in Victorian London. For fans of Sarah Waters." - Library Journal
"...well-documented, unsettling, and impressively written." - Huffington Post
"An absorbing novel, marking Mazzola as a name to watch in historical mystery." - Booklist
This information about The Unseeing was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Anna Mazzola's short fiction has won or placed in several competitions. She is a criminal justice lawyer who lives in the UK. This is her first novel.
If you liked The Unseeing, try these:
by Suzie Miller
Published 2025
Based on the Olivier and Tony Award-winning play, Suzie Miller's Prima Facie is an unforgettable story of what happens when a victim is asked to navigate a system that is not set up to accommodate the lived experience of sexual assault survivors.
by Ritu Mukerji
Published 2024
For fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Charles Todd, Murder by Degrees is a historical mystery set in 19th century Philadelphia, following a pioneering woman doctor as she investigates the disappearance of a young patient who is presumed dead.
by Sarah Schmidt
Published 2018
In this riveting debut novel, See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt recasts one of the most fascinating murder cases of all time into an intimate story of a volatile household and a family devoid of love.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
