A departure from Purcell's usual bone chilling Gothic novels. This one is more grounded in reality but at the same time dips into horror territory.
Purcell spins a gorgeous tale of the fascinating world of theatre. A world full of magic, yet a world abiding my limiting rules, rife with jealousy, superstitions, muses that won't grant wished without a price. In the middle of all this we have Jenny, a kind yet strong maiden who cannot make heads or tails of the events spiralling around her, threatening to pull her in.

As Jenny is navigating this magical world, trying to learn as much as she can yet at the same time understand the events unfolding around her; and also come to terms with what she is "forced" to do; we are pulled along as witness to a string of horror occurrences, culminating in an explosive event that hopefully will purge everything.

A gothic tale set in the Victorian theatre. Full of chills, blood and sprinkled with horror. A pact with the devil and you know that never ends well. A real gothic tale that kept me reading late into the night.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Fantastic, atmospheric, gothic chiller immersed in the world of Victorian theatre. Told in sections linked to the plays that are being performed, and with a narrative through line of a Faustian pact linked to a broach, there are some lovely allusions to the plays themselves.

Really enjoyed the characters and their relationships, even the minor characters felt real and the complexity of emotions came through.
One critique - the gothic melodrama could have either gone further in the supernatural ghostliness, or left it deliberately ambiguous as to whether it’s all a matter of belief.

Rating: 3.8/5

In the "Acknowledgements" section, Laura Purcell makes reference to the personal upheavals she was facing as she endeavoured to produce her latest novel. She also explains that having shelved several substantial drafts, this final version is something quite different to what she had originally envisaged. Though nothing will ever make up for the emotional losses this author suffered during this time, she can perhaps take a semblance of comfort from the work she has ultimately produced during that time. "The Whispering Muse" is quite possibly her best work to date.

It was already evident from her previous output that Laura Purcell was well capable of producing intelligent and atmospheric novels. Her work has already achieved a fair amount of critical acclaim, though personally I found her previous work tended to be a bit one-paced and - I would have to confess - a touch tedious. "The Whispering Muse" builds on the positive elements of her previous novels, with intriguing characters, evocative atmosphere and appealing settings, but it also adds the dramatic appeal that was such a feature of the best fictional literature of the nineteenth century. A compelling read and I hope the author continues along this path.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

A very enjoyable read even though I do not usually like supernatural stories. Jenny is left unemployed with her sister and 2 brothers to take care of after her eldest brother Greg steals from her employer and takes all her money. His old employer offers Jenny a job at her theatre to spy on the leading lady and her husband. Death seems to follow who ever owns a special watch - is it really the muse of the watch that is killing actors?
The story is well written and keeps a good pace. It is fairly short so I read it in 2 evenings. Although the ending leaves a few questions regarding the future, I wonder if the author deliberately left the reader to to decide.

Laura Purcell is at her best with this unputdownable tale of sinister intrigue in a Victorian Theatre. I just absolutely ate this up! Anyone who enjoys a Gothic adventure will get lots out of this. Very enjoyable.

A really entertaining read set in the world of Victorian theatres with plenty of chills and gore and gothic horror. I lapped the story up and found it very atmospheric, maybe some of the characters could have been more rounded but lots of twists and turns and pacts with the devil make this a page turner.

This is the second book I’ve read by Laura Purcell; I liked, but didn’t love, the first one I read, Bone China, so was hoping for better things from this one. It certainly sounded good – a Gothic novel set in the theatres of Victorian London – and I wasn’t disappointed at all. I was gripped from start to finish!

Our narrator is Jenny Wilcox, a young woman who has been left to support herself and her younger siblings after her brother Gregory ran off to America with an actress, taking the family savings with him. Jenny is deeply grateful when Gregory’s former employer, Mrs Dyer of the Mercury Theatre, offers her a job as dresser to the new leading lady, Lilith Erikson. Before she even begins work, however, Jenny discovers that Mrs Dyer has not just offered her the position out of kindness – she believes that her husband is having an affair with Lilith and she wants Jenny to spy on them.

At first, Jenny shares Mrs Dyer’s dislike of Lilith, but gradually she becomes concerned about the behaviour of the beautiful young actress. Why is she so obsessed with a watch engraved with the face of Melpomene, Muse of Tragedy – a watch that once belonged to the actor Eugene Grieves, who died on stage while performing Dr Faustus? Could Lilith have formed some sort of pact with Melpomene, to help her achieve her dream of becoming London’s greatest tragic actress? And if so, what will Melpomene demand in return?

The Whispering Muse is divided into five acts, mirroring the five tragedies performed by the Mercury theatre company over the course of the novel, beginning with Macbeth. Theatrical settings are usually atmospheric and this one is no exception! I loved the insights we are given into what goes on behind the scenes and the descriptions of Lilith’s powerful stage performances are so vivid I could almost imagine I was watching them from a seat in the front row. The book is wonderfully creepy in places – and a bit gory in others, although not excessively so. What makes it so compelling is that we’ve never quite sure whether Lilith really has made a pact with her muse and supernatural forces are at work within the Mercury Theatre or whether the strange events that begin to take place have a more human explanation.

As well as enjoying the fascinating plot, I also found it interesting to see how Jenny’s relationships with the other characters change over the course of the novel. Although I didn’t always agree with Jenny’s decisions, I had some sympathy for her situation – she needs to keep Mrs Dyer happy in order to stay in her job and earn money to support her younger brothers and sister, but the closer she becomes to Lilith the more she starts to feel that Mrs Dyer’s hatred of the actress is unreasonable and the more her conscience begins to bother her. The dynamics between these three characters add extra depth to the story and make it something special. I loved it and look forward to reading Laura Purcell’s other books!

Wow just love Laura Purcell and was not disappointed with her new novel. Immersed in the world of the turn of the century theatre I was taken on a backstage tour. As usual Purcell brings a spooky and sinister twist to her tales and this book had quite a few! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Laura Purcell has firmly carved out gothic horror as her niche and THE WHISPERING MUSE sits perfectly alongside her previous works. The book has an intricate and slow-building plot, with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. The power of Melpomene's watch over different characters is particularly effective. Perhaps a little predictable at times, but overall a great read for spooky season.

What can I say about the virtuosa, Laura Purcell? I credit 'The Silent Companions' with getting me back into reading-for-pleasure after a long stint of reading-as-work, so all Purcell's novels (outside of her Georgian Queen's duology, which I haven't read) carry positive associations for me. 'The Whispering Muse' will satisfy other fans who have been anticipating Purcell's next book (which has been much whispered about itself!), with all the characteristics that we've come to delight in and expect from her writing.
This latest offering has oodles of atmosphere: a cursed object; an orphaned family; mysterious accidents and sinister deaths; possession; mysticism; creeping decay; demonology and the occult... This was a tremendously satisfying read.
Characterisation also lives up to the Purcell trademark: we have a principled though eager-to-please heroine torn between loyalties, at the same time canny yet sentimental, self-contained though quick to anger, grudge-bearing yet sympathetic. Male characters appear similarly multi-faceted, manifesting conflicting motivations, though predominantly practical in their function within the narrative. They mostly serve to effect circumstances in which Purcell shows off her real flair in presentation of women: we have female characters who are in turn tragic, naïve, manipulative, sentimental, gullible, steely, ambitious, disloyal, suspicious, loveable, sly, admirable, weak, enthralling, despicable, fathomless, melodramatic, stunning and mighty!
'The Whispering Muse' holds echoes of Joseph O'Connor's 'Shadowplay' and - most entertaining for me personally - various Ngaio Marsh mysteries, especially 'Light Thickens', which I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys this novel and is looking for another good read.
Theatre-goers (or GCSE English Literature teachers!) will certainly take pleasure in the caper through the classics of English tragedy.
The plot, although somewhat inevitable, equals its promise in a terrific final resolution.
This vivid, engrossing novel is rich and tasty all the way through!
Keep it spooky, Purcell, with one of these per year, please!
My deep thanks go to the publisher, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for a digital advance copy through Netgalley.

Jenny Wilcox is grateful for the sudden and unexpected patronage of Mrs Dyer. Sent to spy on the Mercury Theatre’s new leading lady, Jenny starts questioning the intentions of her patron and the reasons behind the gruesome events that unfold.

I really enjoyed the setting of the Victorian theatre scene. The story builds in momentum as it grows increasingly darker and the suggested supernatural element kept me engaged. I would definitely recommend for people who like historic fiction and thrillers

Though the literary and theatrical world lured me, didn’t quite deliver. 3.5 rating

I requested this with high hopes, looking for some stylish wintery read which would raise the hairs on the back of my neck with pleasurable and mounting weirdness and chilling tension.

This should have worked perfectly for me, with its historical and theatrical world, and all the stagings of Shakesperean and Jacobean drama.

Unfortunately, though Purcell crafts a strong narrative of mounting tension I was not fully believing of her principal character, someone who becomes a theatre dresser to save her family from starvation.

Though there are twists aplenty, my primary disbelief set in at the point when having fixed loyalties in one direction the central character performs a volte face.

I was interested in the world, created rather well, but lacking investment in the central character, I never really walked into her emotional journey, so read this very much from the outside, in an overanalytical fashion

An enjoyable and intriguing historical mystery set in the theatrical world of 19th century London.

In order to support her family, Jenny takes a job as a dresser in a theatre in the West End. Rumours of a mysterious curse abound as tragedy hits the production. Jenny becomes embroiled in the strange goings on amongst a cast of curious characters.

With some pretty gory and fittingly theatrical occurrences, this makes for a gripping and dark read. I felt slightly disappointed in the ending which I felt was a little abrupt; I would have liked maybe one further chapter to round things off.

My favourite novel by Laura Purcell remains The Silent Companions, nevertheless I very much enjoyed this book and found it quite engrossing.

The Whispering Muse is a chilling Victorian Gothic story set in the Mercury Theatre in London telling a spooky story of a cursed watch that everyone who owns it eventually dies after having all their wishes and desires granted .This is an atmospheric tale with some wonderful characters ,a little gory but I think that adds to the story .An excellent read and one I won't be forgetting for quite some time .I look forward to reading more by this Author .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

Review ✒️
The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell
Publication date: 02.02.2023

🎭 Synopsis

At The Mercury Theatre in London's West End, rumours are circulating of a curse. It is said that the lead actress Lilith has made a pact with Melpomene, the tragic muse of Greek mythology, to become the greatest actress to ever grace the stage. Suspicious of Lilith, the jealous wife of the theatre owner sends dresser Jenny to spy on her, and, desperate for the money to help her family, Jenny agrees.

What Jenny finds is a woman as astonishing in her performance as she is provocative in her nature. On stage, it's as though Lilith is possessed by the characters she plays, yet off stage she is as tragic as the muse who inspires her, and Jenny, sorry for her, befriends the troubled actress. But when strange events begin to take place around the theatre, Jenny wonders whether the rumours are true and fears that when the muse comes calling for payment, the cost will be too high. 

My thoughts

The whispering muse is a great victorian gothic book by one of my favourite authors!!
In this spooky historical mistery, the reader is introduced to Jenny, a fighter and the strength of her family, after being abandoned by her brother. A lifetime opportunity is offered: a job and a chance of having a better life. But like all, there will be a price to pay. In the center of the action, is a Muse watch with an undeniable power of giving people what they want!!!
I have to recommend this book to all booklovers, once more is Laura Purcell at her best.

Thank you to @bloomsburypublishing and @netgalley for this #gifted review copy

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest novel by Laura Purcell. This is my favourite of her works mainly due to the atmospheric, gothic setting in a dramatic theatre set in Victorian London. The plot is intricate and slow-building, concentrating on character and scene setting to great effect. The impact of the denouement is deeply satisfying and works well with all that has come before. The MC, Jenny is very affable and determined as she wends her way through the creepy occurrences at the theatre. Highly recommended.

Dark and atmospheric a great gothic read from Laura Purcell. it is gripping and scary at the same time. full of twists and turns and edge of your seat moments. I highly recommend. this book. its five stars from me. A good winter night read by the fire.

Thanks to NetGalley and Raven Bloomsbury for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I absolutely adore Laura Purcell. Every subsequent book of hers is better than the one before and I really admire her as an author.

I never knew how much of a fan of gothic fiction I would be, but since she introduced it to me, it’s become one of my favourites. I can’t explain how thrilled I was when I received an early copy of her newest book, I couldn’t stop smiling.

This didn’t have the same tone as her others - at least not at first. It doesn’t have the same pure gothic terror element. It definitely has nods to it don’t get me wrong, but there’s also horror and romance and subterfuge. At first I was a bit wary. I know what I love, and this was taking it in a different direction, but it quickly found its flow and I came to appreciate this new edge.

Everything is so vivid and mesmerising, sometimes in a horrifying way, that you almost become a character yourself, completely absorbed in the story. Everything is described so beautifully - even the horror elements, there’s a beauty about them. I’ve never seen simple things like gas lights or a mirror or bandages described so epically that you might as well be in the room with the characters themselves.

There are a number of characters, main and background, and each one of them is simply wonderful. They’re fabulously flawed, but have their own positives and negatives, that they become so real, so human, so like you and I - just in extraordinary circumstances. Jenny steals every scene she’s in, and considering she’s the main character she’s in most of them. Lilith and Mrs Dyer are equally brilliant; they are fabulous foils for Jenny, on opposite sides of the spectrum with her right in the middle.

It is a very enjoyable book, very entertaining, exceptionally well written with great storytelling. Not necessarily what I was expecting but very much appreciated all the same.

It is gruesome and thrilling and shocking and surprising and terrorising and just everything I’ve come to expect and love from her writing. There’s the main plot (as described in the synopsis), but there are also a handful of other plots weaved through. In the hands of a less experienced writer, this may have been confusing and difficult to follow. But Laura has expertly knitted them together that you don’t feel you could have one without the other.

Having read the acknowledgements, I express my love and care to Laura and I can see how it may have come to influence the book.

I don’t think anyone can do this genre justice as much as Laura Purcell. Her talent is immense and every word just jumps off the page. You’re completely absorbed in everything she writes. She takes your hand and throws you in at the deep end and you’re never completely sure if you’ll be safe. I highly recommend everything she’s written, including this one. I can see myself reading every book she releases as I simply can’t deprive myself of any of her words.

I have read Laura's previous books and this one didn't disappoint! It is dark and mysterious... the setting is a theatre and I enjoyed reading about what goes behind the scenes, as I love going to the theatre! I always try to imagine how a city I know quite well would look like back in the day so it sets the mood for the read. Everything that happens seems to revolve around a watch and there are twists and turns, as usual. It keeps you what is going on and how it could happen. I enjoyed the ending, I didn't expect it.