The Persephone Code

I was lucky enough t9 receive an advamce copy of this novel which has echoes of the Da Vinci Code.
It tells the story of Dora and Dr Sandys who are investigating the death of Dora's brother, who is a member of a secret society the Hellfire Club. They have several brushes with the Illuminati on the way and their life is endangered many times.
There are plenty of twists and turns and noone is quite what they seem. The end made me want a sequel.
A well told story

The year is 1812 and travelling theatre actress Dora Fitz-Pennington can't be said to mix in the same circles as recovering addict and army medic Dr Jacob Sandys. Once Dora's brother is murdered however, their lives become linked in dangerous and confusing ways. Following clues left for her to decipher it soon becomes clear there is far more to Antony's death than either of them first imagined.

Finding themselves caught between warring groups Dora and Jacob know that more than their own lives are in danger as they battle influential and desperate men with far reaching power and no concerns about being held responsible for their actions. As they get closer to discovering the identity of Antony Pennington's killer and its consequences they realise their growing feelings for each other might be the only thing they can be certain of.

Described as 'Bridgerton meets The Da Vinci Code', Julia Golding's novel starts with a bang, never really pauses for breath, and has two main protagonists who are instantly likeable and easy to cheer for! The relationship between them is enjoyable from the start, even though everything which happens is uncertain, with their various antagonists being either violent, cunning, or both! This is slightly different to my normal type of book but I would read more like this in future.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Harper Collins UK, but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this and am glad I took a chance with it.

An atmospheric tense and twisty read that I felt immersed in the 1810s well. A surprising read, and quite unusual in its telling which made it compelling to read.

*Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, One More Chapter for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review*

This book was so good, I couldn't put it down. I instantly loved Dora and Dr Sandys who are teaming up to investigate the murder of Dora's brother. The world building was pretty good too and I seriously couldn't put it down.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I won't lie, I picked this book up because of the cover - absolutely stunning

I absolutely loved this
Was completely hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down
For me, it was a perfect read

Can't recommend this enough. A wonderful read

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. The story starts off a bit Indiana Jones, but then becomes more reminiscent of National Treasure. I enjoyed the dynamic between Dora and Jacob. This book is fulled with adventure, puzzles, and danger. I found it very compelling and wanted to keep reading. I hope there will be more adventures with Dora and Jacob in the future.

One More Chapter offered me the opportunity to read the upcoming release 'The Persephone Code' by Julia Golding. And when I read the book blurb I was instantly intrigued:
historical fiction
secret societies
mysterious murders
what more could I ask for?
Our story commences in 1812 with a gruesome murder and the pace moves quickly onward, without letting up for a moment. The victim of this murder is one, Antony Pennington and Dr Jacob Sandys, is tasked with the unpleasant role of breaking the news to Pennington's half-sister Dora. It's not long before Jacob and Dora find themselves in the middle of a bizarre conspiracy, with threats coming from all sides as they endeavour to find Antony's last message to his sister.
This is a roller-coaster ride with plenty of twists and a great pairing in our two protagonists - I can definitely see them working together in the future.

—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was so much fun. I loved the bridgerton vibes, add a lil action and a mystery and viola!
I love the cover so much as well as the first line in the synopsis lol.

The Persephone Code is simply delicious! Two very different individuals come together in the most unlikely of circumstances to solve a murder!

Dora is the illegitimate sibling of Anthony Pennington, the warden of the Hellfire Club who is murdered in the most heinous way. Dora sets out on a mission to find his killer, through the mire of debauchery, opium dens and the worship of the occult. These things rarely stand alone and, joined by Dr Jacob Sandy (Sandy) along the way, Dora must decode the clues and crack the conspiracy between the Hellfire Club and the ever mysterious illuminati!

This book is absolutely glorious in its execution and in the midst of a lot of Regency retellings, it stands out due to its high-octane plot, a la contemporary action mystery thrillers, but authentic to the sensibilities of a bygone era. There is a wry wit throughout which balances beautifully with the dark themes and typical genility of the time

I really enjoyed The Persephone Code and Goldings narrative kept me hooked start to finish. This was a book to be savoured and I had to limit myself so that I would not devour it it one weekend, it is that good

Defo potential for a rollicking new crime fighting duo!

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author Julia Golding for this rip-roaring historical Mystery ARC. My Review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

This book was so interesting. The main characters are uniquely trying to solve a murder that has taken place, and the bonds they form are incredible. The writing of this book was exquisite and I really enjoyed the action in this book. I was hanging on to every last word. Thank you HarperCollins UK for sending me an ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this amazing book!

Best murder mystery I have read so far!

This book is absolutely fantastic!!! I am so very, very excited. I found this author and can not recommend this book highly enough!

I was so caught up in reading it that I missed lunch, and it was past time to start dinner. Only the rumbling of my stomach made me put it down for a quick meal, after which I resumed my reading.

Highly, highly recommend!

This is not a book I'd usually pick up. I love bridgerton series, and I enjoyed the davinici code at the time of reading, but never did I think I'd want to read a book with the two combined. I should've. The secret society, hidden romances, murder, estranged families all made it incredibly difficult to put down. The main characters, faults, quirks and all, were likeable and easy to root for, especially Dora, a strong actress, who I feel, could have easily been pushed into a high and mighty, superior and unlikable strong female personality, but had me eager to continue the book. I stayed up super late to finish it, so you best believe I will be going back for a reread to pick up any hidden gems I missed.

It feels strange to say a book that starts with a brutal murder and deals with the Hellfire Club and Illuminati was delightful, but there it is. This was delightful. Our flawed main characters are thrown together on a bit of a quest and then must thwart two dangerous secret societies ang bring murderers to justice. Along the way, we get a romance (and a few steamy scenes) and the promise of further developments in a sequel.

Dora is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy merchant, born in the West Indies. Though her family pretends she's dead, she has stayed in touch with her brother while she's been acting with a traveling company. When her brother is found dead in the caves used by the Hellfire Club, the local pastor asks a friend, Dr. Jacob Sandys, to intercept Dora's theater group and notify her of the death. Jacob arrives at Dora's current theater as masked assailants are attacking Dora. They work together to escape and go on the run.

Dora and Jacob wind up fighting two sets of villains as they follow clues to solve Dora's brother's murder. There's a twist that's somewhat evident about halfway through the story, but I still enjoyed the journey towards the inevitable conclusion.

One interesting aspect of this story was the romantic subplot. The relationship between Dora and Jacob isn't slow burn, as is almost ubiquitous in historical mystery. They are attracted to each other and act on that attraction. There's a notable fade-to-black scene that serves this part of the story.

The pace is fast and the main characters are compelling. I can't wait to see what else is in store for Dora and Jacob.

An exquisite Regency murder mystery with Bridgerton and Da Vinci Code vibes. Loved the MCs Dora and Dr. Jacob Sandys, who team up to solve the killing of Dora's brother. Add in an infamous Hell Fire Club, the ever secret Illuminati, and one of the most gorgeous covers ever, and you've got a brilliant read!

I loved this book. I though the twice on the normal old English love story was amazing. This was a fun read with an amazing cast of character and honestly I can't wait to read it again.