Oh This was fun fun fun fun funnnnn for the late October spooky vibe. It reminded me a lot of the author's first work THE LOST APOTHECARY but also it was different. A nice exploration of London in the past, and a wonderful execution of séance and witchy/spooky/cult vibes.

In Victorian Paris, Lenna Wickes has suspended her disbelief in the supernatural in the hopes that a celebrated medium will reveal the truth about Lenna’s sister’s death. Spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire is known worldwide and sought after by the families of murder victims in the hope she will reveal the name of their killer. Despite her previous assumptions, Lenna finds herself impressed by Vaudeline and when the famous medium is summoned to London to help solve a case, Lenna goes with her, hoping to learn from her mentor. The women find themselves working with the Seance Society, a group comprised only of men, where they are made to feel less competent because of their gender. But they have bigger problems as even as they try to solve a crime it seems they are caught up in one themselves. I loved The Lost Apothecary and was thrilled to have a chance to read Penner’s new historical novel. This is an author to watch