London, 1838. The controversial practice of Mesmerism, with its genuine practitioners and its frudulent chancers, has hypnotised the city. Mis Cordelia Preston, a beautiful, aging, out-of-work actress terrified of returning to the poverty of her childhood, suddenly emerges as a Lady Phreno-Mesmerist In her candle-lit Bloomsbury basement she learns to harness her talent - in completely unexpected ways.
But success is fragile when you have a past filled with secrets. On a wintry, moonlit night a body is found in Bloomsbury Square, and what began as an audacious subterfuge erupts into a scandal. Cordelia's past is revealed, bringing not only heartache but terror - and the mystery of a cloaked figure who waits for her in the shadowy London streets.

According to the Sunday Telegraph this book is:- 'First-rate...A consistently entertaining, amusing and enlightening novel.'

I've had this book sitting in full view on the small bookcase at the top of the stairs and pass it each night when I go to bed. I bought it because the author was a daughter of friends of my parents and I really wanted to read it - I've enjoyed others of Ewing's books. Why it took so long for me to read I don't know but having bought the sequal sort of recently when I went to a book launch in Karori and really enjoy the short excerpt that the author read I bought that one as well and took the two of them away with me for holidays this summer. Both were quite fascinating although "The Circle of Ghosts" I enjoyed even more than this one.
From Dayana in goodreads
"I didn't know what to expect from the book and I just picked it from a bookstore because I liked the book cover. The story was not very interesting for me but I like that the author research in details about the particular time the story is taking place. This made the story for me very realistic and it was easier for me to imagine how people lived back then. After this book I feel lucky that women were able to fight and gain equal rights with men. I was touch with each personal story of the women involved in the story and how they were able to survive despite the negative attitude towards women in that time. I will recommend it to everyone to read this book especially women because it gives realistic image about women's life and their position in the society in that particular time."

Lent this to a sister-in-law who has now returned it to me, UNREAD. I was rather disappointed but I remember it took me quite a time to start after I bought it. Didn't like it as much as Circus of Ghosts that followed it on that I really enjoyed.

Hello dear reader,
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enjoy

I keep finding more books from the convention I think they're breeding somewhere