The London Séance Society

1925: A young spiritualist named Lenna Wickes travels to Paris to study with world-renowned medium Vaudeline D'Allaire. Lenna seeks answers about her sister's death and aims to master the art of contacting spirits under Vaudeline's guidance. Their path leads them to London when they receive a request to investigate a murder at the mysterious Londonderry Manor. They join forces with the London Séance Society, a secret organization dedicated to tracking paranormal activity and solving supernatural crimes. The women navigate a world of séances, spectral evidence, and Victorian-era spiritualism while facing mounting dangers. Their investigation forces them to question whom they can trust as they pursue both earthly and otherworldly leads. This atmospheric historical mystery explores themes of grief, deception, and the eternal human desire to bridge the gap between the living and the dead. The novel examines the complex relationship between faith and skepticism in an era when science and spiritualism collided.

Readers found the Victorian-era atmosphere and supernatural elements compelling but noted the plot moved slowly, particularly in the first half. Many appreciated the female-driven storyline and historical details about séances and spiritualism. Liked: - Gothic ambiance and period-specific details - Representation of women in science - Dual timeline structure - LGBTQ+ relationship elements - Educational aspects about spiritualist practices Disliked: - Pacing issues, especially early chapters - Predictable mystery elements - Characters felt underdeveloped - Some found the ending rushed - Less engaging than author's previous book Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (35,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (2,800+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (300+ ratings) "The atmosphere was perfect but the story dragged" - Goodreads reviewer "Strong start but lost steam halfway through" - Amazon reviewer "Historical details saved an otherwise slow plot" - LibraryThing reviewer

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🔮 Author Sarah Penner's debut novel, "The Lost Apothecary," was an instant New York Times bestseller and has been translated into 40 languages. ⚜️ The book is set in 1873 Victorian London, a period that saw a surge in spiritualism and séances, particularly after Queen Victoria's attempts to contact her deceased husband, Prince Albert. 🏛️ The story features real historical locations in Paris and London, including the infamous Paris Morgue, which was actually a popular tourist attraction in the 19th century. 💫 The character of Vaudeline D'Allaire was inspired by real Victorian-era mediums like Florence Cook and Eva Carrière, who conducted elaborate séances for London's elite. 📚 While writing the novel, Penner extensively researched 19th-century spiritualist practices, including the use of "ectoplasm" - a mysterious substance that mediums claimed emerged from their bodies during séances.