Laura Purcell does it again.

It's rare for a book to stop me in my tracks, trap me in a chair, away from all else and where I keep saying 'just one more chapter, just one more chapter.'  But 'The Shape of Darkness' by Laura Purcell did just that. And now it is over, I am sad, and wondering what could fill the Agnes shaped gap in my life.

Let's get it right up front that I love all the books Laura Purcell has written and so I was thrilled to find myself with an early copy of her latest book, courtesy of the author, publisher and NetGalley. 

I'm not sure how many copies of 'The Corset' I have sent to others and how many people I have recommended her books to. This book will be the same.

This story ticks all my boxes.

• Victorian setting 
• Large gothic style houses in Bath
• Agnes, the main character who is Silhouettist
• Mesmerism, Seances, an albino child medium
• Mysterious deaths and ghostly goings-on
• A dead sister who won't let go
• Dark Shadows
• Oh and let's not forget a pug called Morpheus

I'm not going to share with you what happens, other than to say if you like books with a supernatural element, evocative settings, intriguing characters and with a plot that keeps you turning the pages right until the very end with some twists that make you go ooh - then this is the book for you.

There was also some gorgeous writing along the way, some of which I took the time to highlight so I could return to reread these sentences at a later time.

It's out on January 21st 2021 so save some of your Christmas money so you can get your hands on it on the release date or preorder now. The cover looks a beauty too.