Monday, March 27, 2023

Julie's Review: The London Séance Society

Author: Sarah Penner
Series: None
Publication Date:  March 7, 2023
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 352
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Gothic, Mystery
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: A bit of the supernatural within a mystery
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: 1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike. Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves… Written with intoxicating suspense and sultry prose, The London Séance Society is an entrancing tale that blurs the lines between truth and illusion, and reveals the grave risks women will take to avenge the ones they love. ~amazon.com

Review: I was not the kid who at sleepovers would be the first to touch the Ouija board even though it was mass produced from Parker Brothers and definitely not the adult to attend a séance. It doesn't mean I don't believe in the supernatural, I just don't want to mess with them. You just never know what you are going to get. I loved Ms. Penner's debut, The Lost Apothecary, so I was curious about her sophomore novel about seances, powerful women and of course the men who ruled the world at that time. 

Lenna heads to Paris to learn the ins and outs of being a spiritualist by famed teacher Vaudeline D'Allaire, who also taught her sister, Evie. She also wants to know what Vaudeline might know about her sister's death. Vaudeline also left Paris quicky under mysterious circumstances which of course leads to all kinds of rumors and inuendo. Vaudeline is called back to London due to the murder/death of a fellow spiritualist. Of course things aren't always what they seem and they aren't at the Séance Society. 

I liked how Ms. Penner used her imagination for the incantations for the seances in the books but if she hadn't I would have been none the wiser. I did figure out some of the mystery but there were a few twists that I didn't see coming and some red herrings. I will definitely be reading more of what Ms. Penner writes. 

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