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In this dark, immersive tale steeped in atmosphere and drama, the author of Theatre of Marvels returns to Victorian London to tell the story of a young Black female doctor's dangerous quest to find the truth that unearth the secrets of the past.
London, 1833.
Doctress Hester Reeves has been offered a life-changing commission.
But it comes at a price. She must leave behind her husband and their canal-side home in Kings Cross and move to Tall Trees—a dark and foreboding house in Fitzrovia.
If Hester can cure the ailing health of its owner, Gervaise Cherville, she will receive payment that will bring her everything she could dream of.
But on arriving at Tall Trees, Hester quickly discovers that an even bigger task awaits her. Now she must unearth secrets that have lain hidden for decades – including one that will leave Hester's own life forever changed...
"Historical fiction fans will be pleased." —Publishers Weekly
"Intensely moving, compulsively readable and beautifully written. Hester is a wonderful protagonist. I thoroughly enjoyed it" —Rosie Andrews, author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Leviathan
"Gripping, heart-breaking and brilliantly told. Hester Reeves is fresh and relatable – I felt every twist and turn of her story and was rooting for her from the get-go" —Lucy Barker, author of The Other Side of Mrs. Wood.
"I loved this original and compelling tale of intrigue, quest, and retribution... one not to be missed" —Mary Chamberlain, author of The Dressmaker's War
This information about House of Shades 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.
Lianne Dillsworth graduated from Royal Holloway with an MA in creative writing with distinction in 2018, and in 2019, she won a place on the London Library Emerging Writers Programme. Most recently she was awarded a bursary place for underrepresented writers on the Jericho Writers Self-Editing course and short-listed for the SI Leeds Literary Prize. She also holds an MA in Victorian studies, and her love for the period shines through her writing. She currently lives in London, where she works for the government on growing diversity within the Civil Service.
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