Really disappointed in this one. The storyline was strange and slow. I had such high hopes after loving the lost apothecary but this one was just missing the same magic. Found myself skimming the last 1/3 as I just didn’t care what happened.

The London Seance Society is a historical mystery by best selling author, Sarah Penner. I've heard her previous book The Lost Apothecary been talked about extensively so was very curious to dive into this one. Historical fiction is not normally a genre I read and I did find that the style of the book was a little hard for me to get into. In saying that while I personally think I'll stick to contemporary reads, I could definitely see why this author is widely praised. The writing is detailed so you can picture the settings but not so much that you feel it drags on. She creates very vivid and likeable characters and sets up a clever mystery that we want to know more about. I did like the themes of seances and the afterlife. This gave the book also have a gothic and horror vibe. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read this book.

After reading the Lost Apothecary back in 2021, I knew I NEEDED to read The London Seance Society.

The London Seance Society is about a group of mediums who perform Seances for the families of victims of crime. I.E Murdered victims. Leena, quickly becomes involved when her sister (an aspiring Medium) comes u dead. Leena then, knows what she has to do. She contacts no other than Vaudeline D’Allaire, The lady who once interned her sister, to perform a seance in order for Leena to find out what happened to her sister. However, it is not as simple as it sounds. In order for Leena to find the answers she so desperately wants, She might just have to become an intern for Vaudeline D’Allaire herself. However, Once Leena gets involved with the Seance Society, Things aren't as they seem. What actually happened to her sister?

I love Sarah Penner's writing and can not wait to see what else she has to offer us in the realm of story telling! Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this title in exchange for my honest feedback.

After having previously really enjoyed this author’s first book, The Lost Apothecary, I was so excited to be approved for an advanced reader copy of this book. However, it really fell flat for me. The pacing was very slow and I wasn’t invested in the story. Lenna was a likable main character and I enjoyed her POV more than the POV of Morley. I liked uncovering what happened to Evie and how she came to discover secrets of the London Seance Society, those secrets ultimately leading to her death. It was an interesting concept, but the execution didn’t quite hit the mark. Overall, this book was very mediocre. The writing was good and the tone made for a good book, in theory. I would pick up more books by this author, but this wasn’t my favorite.

I thought this was a wonderful paranormal murder mystery with a small amount of sapphic romance.
Lenna's sister was murdered so while seeking out the most renowned medium Vaudeline D'allaire to ask her sister from beyond the grave who killed her, but instead gets instilled as one of the students in the art of seance. While performing a seance in Paris the pair get interrupted with news of the London seance society head has been murdered too and could they return to London to assist in the Police investigation as solve the mystery.
This was such fast paced fun and constantly finding out new information I found myself swept up in the investigation too. Perfect for fans of murder mysteries on the lighter side, this was harmless fun and a wonderful addition to the cosier mystery genre

This book was ok. I had high hopes but I felt like it fell a bit flat. It is a beautiful cover. I didn’t relate to the main character. I felt the book was missing the mystery

Loved the previous book "The Lost Apothecary". I did find this book a bit slower than the previous one. But it was another interesting storyline for us to read. This book has historical fiction, ghosts, mystery, suspense, murders, and more. I enjoyed reading this but I really like the other one better. Overall good book.

I loved The Lost Apothecary but this one was even better even if ti's a bit slow at times.
I'm fascinated by the world of spiritualism at the end of XIX century and how it was popular amongst the members of the high society.
This is a mix of mystery, paranormal and some romance. Even if the romance works it doesn't add a lot to the plot even if it's a srtarting point for one of the MCs.
The plot kept me in thrall, turning pages and following the two POVs. I found the idea of mystery solving seances original and I liked what I learned.
The last part of the story is a firework and I turned pages very fast. The solution was satisfying and I liked it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I'm disappointed to give The London Seance Society 2 stars, but it just did not hold my interest and I did not finish it.

I really enjoyed Sarah Penner's last novel, The Lost Apothecary (4 stars), which grabbed me from the start and had interesting characters and an intriguing plot.

I look forward to Penner's next novel.

I am a library associate and received an advance copy from #NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book! As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to read it because historical fiction + ghosts + crime? What’s not to love!

The book is set in the Victorian era, when seanses start to become increasingly popular within society through fascination with the occult and supernatural.

The story follows Lenna Wickes who is trying to uncover what happened to her sister Evie, who was found murdered close to home in London. Before she died, Evie was doing a lot of research into séances and the occult, including being mentored the internationally famous medium Vaudeline.

Upon Evie’s death, Lenna goes to Paris to understand her sister’s obsession and also becomes Vaudeline’s student (despite not believing in the supernatural). Lenna does this in hopes of being able to conducting a seance to reach her sister and finally learn who killed Evie.
However a new murder, that of the President of the London Seance Society, brings both Vaudeline and Lenna back to London. As they try to find out what is happening, under the careful gaze of Mr. Morley (who seems to be hiding his portion of secrets), both Vaudeline and Lenna start to unravel the mysterious deaths and the wrongdoings within the Seance Society.

I really grew to love Vaudeline’s character and her passion for séances and Lenna’s unwavering bravery. The mysteries and unexpected turns throughout the book really gripped my attention and I thought it was really well done.

Overall it’s a 4 stars from me and I would love to know more about Vaudeline’s and Lenna’s future 👀

Thank you for the opportunity to read this eARC in exhausting for my completely honest review.

Review in exchange for netgalley e-arc

Sarah Penner is a master at telling stories that are eerie, spooky and atmospheric yet filled with emotion, characters that win your hearts over, and a plot to keep you gripped.

I loved The Lost Apothecary so much and I had high hopes for this book after loving that one so much, but I was not disappointed. The world penner had brought to life was so vivid and beautifully written, I barely had to imagine it as it was there right before my eyes. This book was a bit of a slower burn but I never felt it was dragging or boring; the attention to detail is what gave the plot that depth that’s so needed on a book like this. I found although it was a slower burn, I was still hooked from page one with this eerie story.

When I finished the book I was left quite stunned. What a book! And now it’s over? What do I do now! I want more content! Another stellar read from Sarah Penner. Fantastic. I can’t wait to get my physical copy and read it again.

I really enjoyed this delightful mix of historical thriller and ghostly mystery. My thanks Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Sarah Penner is a new author to me as I haven't read The Lost Apothecary (yet) I found the authors gothic storytelling to be both atmospheric and captivating. I was immediately drawn into the Victorian world and their enthusiasm for the occult and spiritualism.

I felt that the story unfolded at a good pace and there were some twists and reveals which I didn't guess. I enjoyed the alternating POV of Lenna and Mr Morley and found them both to be fantastic characters.

The research and attention to detail was evident as I was fully immersed in 19th century London. I really enjoyed reading the authors notes and recipes at the end of the book too. That was an unexpected treat.

After reading The Lost Apothecary, I was excited to see what Sarah Penner would write next. The London Seance Society takes place in 1873 and is about Lenna who has recently lost her sister. She is training with Vaudeline D’Allaire to become a spiritualist. She is determined to get to the bottom of who killed her sister.
I really loved reading a historical fiction novel about the spirituality movement that was so popular in the 1800s. I was aware of the time period, but I hadn't read anything specifically about it. Plus bonus points for the LGBT rep with Vaudeline and Lenna's relationship.

Happy release week! Finished this in a day and couldn’t bring myself to put it down. In The London Séance Society, Sarah Penner brings together a mystery, murders, and plenty of twists along the way with dual POV. While some of details were revealed early on, the ending still had some surprises I didn’t see coming.
Thank you to Legend Press & NetGalley for the ARC!

I appreciate the unique characters and storylines that Sarah Penner crafts. It is refreshing to be transported to a time and place that’s part mystery, fantasty and historical fiction.

Personally, I had a hard time connecting with The London Séance Society, until I was about two-thirds of the way through the book. I’m glad that I didn’t give up on this because it did deliver some unexpected turns, but failed to grip me the way that I hoped.

There is just a lot of set-up involved with Vaudeline, Lenna, her sister Evie, Mr. Morley and the Séance Society business. It is all leading somewhere, but takes quite a bit of character and plot development to get there.

For me, this was more of a 3.5 star rating, I’ve bumped it to 4 because Sarah Penner’s writing is beautiful. She sets a scene in such an immersive way and I love that she infused a bit of a love story in this one as well. So while this wasn’t my favorite, I am looking forward to what she pens next.

Thank you to Net Galley and Legend Press for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

Rating - 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

🕯️Enamored by this “enchanting & entrancing” beauty! 🕯️

Wow, Penner has done it again with her unparalleled story telling. Just as with her debut “The Lost Apothecary”, this novel dives deep into spiritualism & the affairs of a séance society set in old London, during the late Victorian period.

Thanks Netgalley & Legend Press for the ARC!

Synopsis –

Vaudeline D’Allaire a renowned spiritual medium, is well-versed in solving murders by conducting sèances. Lenna her disciple, is desperate to learn this art to communicate with the spirit of her dead sister Evie, who was recently murdered. As the two return to London to solve a high profile murder case, they get involved with some of the men from the highly reputed sèance society – leading them to the secrets, they are desperate to keep hidden.

Review -

The book opens with a dark séance of a murder victim in Paris, conducted Vaudeline, introducing us to this fascinating spiritual pursuit. The description of its process, setup & the various stages were mesmerizing!

As a person with a logical/scientific mindset myself, I could understand Lenna’s dilemma & skepticism towards believing in spirits. I came to admire her dedication & determination to achieve her goals. Vaudeline, was a powerful woman who simply commanded respect & so was Evie – adept, resourceful & shrewd, I was truly amazed & was in awe of her.

Lenna & Vaudeline’s entanglement with the society & its nefarious ways, unveils a completely different face of the society & its inner workings - along with Evie’s role in the recent past. This drowns us in an ‘otherworldly’ realm that involves dirty secrets, extraordinary illusion & chicanery!

The storyline is gripping & taut with tension, intrigue & mystery surrounding the society. It oozes the charm of Victorian London, transporting us to this era. The plot surprised me with gut-punching twists towards the end, that made me gasp with disbelief.

With three strong female lead characters – Lenna, Vaudeline & Evie, Penner takes us on a mystical journey, exploring female relationships, resilience, the strength & power these women wielded during those days.

The author’s note at the end was enlightening, as Penner details her inspiration behind the book. She deserves a huge applause for the diligent research. I especially appreciated how historical facts are woven with brilliant imagination!

Let me tell you, if you don’t believe in ghosts & spirits, by the end of this you will!😆👻

I loved Sara Penner's first book, The Lost Apothecary. When I saw that her newest book, The London Seance Society, was available on Net Galley, I jumped for it. The seductive cover and the book's description grabbed me. Unfortunately, I was greatly disappointed. It is obvious that Sara Penner researched her subject. However, the pacing of this mystery is slow, and not much happens for the first 2/3 of the book. The final 1/3, including the big reveal, seemed silly to me. The female love relationship caught me by surprise and did nothing to enhance the story. Sara Penner has a great imagination. I look forward to her next book.

Thank you, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

I don't typically go out of my way to read historical fiction, but when I do it is probably because Sarah Penner has written a new novel. After reading The Lost Apothecary last summer she is an auto-buy author for me.

This novel features female empowerment, sapphic characters, and dual POVs.

Lenna is an intelligent geologist with strong beliefs in science, and Vauldeline is a powerful spiritual medium, both women come together and set out to solve murders though old-fashioned detective work and Vauldeline's occult abilities.

It is a man's world of feminist constraint in the Victorian Era of London, but as the novel concludes: "may mercy be upon the man who finds himself the enemy if a vengeful medium".

I loved the Lost Apothecary so I knew I would love this as well! It was hard to put this down. I loved it and the spooky vibes I got from this book! Highly recommend this!

Obsessed with this author.

Strong female characters, strong storytelling and just a page turner.