Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Hodder & Stoughton (2018), 352 pages
Description
The year is 1831. Down murky alleyways, acts of unspeakable wickedness are taking place and London's vulnerable poor are disappearing from the streets. Out of these shadows comes Hester White, a bright young woman who is desperate to escape these slums by any means possible. When a chance encounter thrusts Hester into the beguiling world of the aristocratic Brock family, she leaps at the chance to improve her station in life. But whispers from her past slowly begin to poison her new existence, and lure her into the most sinister of investigations. As she finds herself dragged into the blackest heart of the city, little does she know that something more depraved than she could ever imagine is lurking. . .
User reviews
LibraryThing member bibliobeck
Victorian London and something dastardly is afoot. People are disappearing and no-one knows what's happening to them. Our heroine Hester, raised as a parson's daughter, has fallen on hard times and is now living in the slums of London, taken in by her family's former gardener and his wife.. A
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misfit amongst the illiterate and criminals of the slums, she fits in by mimicking their accent and their ways, but she is desperate to escape. Then suddenly her luck seems to turn as she is taken, Pygmalion-style, by the dashing Mr Brock to spend time being educated by his mysterious sister Rebekah. As the two grow closer, so they find themselves embroiled in a mystery as thick as a London pea-souper. I really enjoyed this book, so evocative of classic Victorian literature with a twist. Definitely a recommended read. Show Less
LibraryThing member hjvanderklis
Set in the shallow alleyways in 1831 downtown London we meet Hester White. This teenager is desperate to escape the slums differently from many peers that suddenly disappear. When she is accidentally hit by a carriage, the owner, mister Calder takes care of her and brings her to the Brock family.
The plot combines the quest to discover who's responsible for the missing women and children in London, a tale of love and intimacy, but also the deadly consequences of keeping secrets. Laura Carlin did a wonderful job to use the 19th century English setting the scene and fueling the conversations in The Wicked Cometh. Although I was not familiar with many of the vocabulary, I continued enjoying this novel. Wickedness is finally overcome by transparency. The book's ending is quite a surprise. A well-written debut!
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Hester becomes the maid for Rebekah Brock who gives her the opportunity to learn to speak and write English.The plot combines the quest to discover who's responsible for the missing women and children in London, a tale of love and intimacy, but also the deadly consequences of keeping secrets. Laura Carlin did a wonderful job to use the 19th century English setting the scene and fueling the conversations in The Wicked Cometh. Although I was not familiar with many of the vocabulary, I continued enjoying this novel. Wickedness is finally overcome by transparency. The book's ending is quite a surprise. A well-written debut!
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LibraryThing member TheEllieMo
This could have been a great book but the author kept stopping the action for lengthy explanations from some of the characters, to pad out the plot. Too much tell, not enough show.
LibraryThing member DebTat2
This book is hard to review especially as so many other reviews have summed it up perfectly so the highest compliment I can give this book is that
Even before I was half way through this book I preordered a copy from Amazon so I will receive this book release day!
Even before I was half way through this book I preordered a copy from Amazon so I will receive this book release day!
Awards
Authors' Club First Novel Award (Longlist — 2019)
HWA Crown Awards (Longlist — Debut — 2018)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2018
Physical description
352 p.; 5.51 inches
ISBN
1473661374 / 9781473661370
Local notes
Down the murky alleyways of London, acts of unspeakable wickedness are taking place and the city's vulnerable poor are disappearing from the streets. Out of these shadows comes Hester White, a bright young woman who is desperate to escape the slums by any means possible. When Hester is thrust into the world of the aristocratic Brock family, she leaps at the chance to improve her station in life under the tutelage of the fiercely intelligent and mysterious Rebekah Brock. But whispers from her past slowly begin to poison her new life and both she and Rebekah are lured into the most sinister of investigations, dragging them into the blackest heart of a city where something more depraved than either of them could ever imagine is lurking.