A really interesting read with a fun and quirky writing style. I was really swept up with this book and thought it was very clever and I didn't want to put it down. Definitely will look out for more from this author!!

When Maude Horton's sister Constance does not return from her expedition to the Arctic in 1850, Maude cannot just let it go. She will figure out what hapenend to Constance out on the ice, if it's the last thing she does. With the help of her diary, Maude reconstructs what her sister went through, and who might be to blame.
The switch between Maude's POV and Constance's diary did a lot for the story and showing their relationship without ever showing them in the same room. I personally could have done without Edison Stowe's POV, but I understand how it benefitted the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and the creepiness and eerieness of a lot of story elements - the hangings, the apothecary, the ship. I was a bit unsatisfied with the ending, I had hoped for a bit more agency for Maude, but all in all, I I really liked this book. I'll be looking forward to reading more from Lizzie Pook.

Long plane rides are for scarfing down anticipated reads
I rated Lizzie Pook's debut, Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter a well-deserved five stars, so I salivated over her new release, Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge until Netgalley pitied me and gave me an advanced reader copy. I had a long plane journey in a window seat, so I saved this book to help get me through the experience of being penned in for 12 hours. Pook got me through it - I finished the book with several hours left to go!
Maude Horton opens the story by witnessing a hanging - but whose? The hanging is the future and we find that the start of the narrative is Maude's sister, Constance's, mysterious death aboard the Makepeace in the Arctic and the beginning of Maude's revenge arc. She has her suspicions and embarks on an execution tourism excursion, organized by the creep in her crosshairs. Her clever game is at constant risk of being exposed and the stakes are high - if this creep killed her sister, he might kill her too.
A further complication: Maude's sister was never meant to be on that ship in the first place. The [fictional] Makepeace set sail in 1849 with strictly no women allowed. If found out, this could have endangered Constance's life during the Arctic expedition and makes Maude's investigation more complicated, secretive, difficult, and dangerous. Despite the high likelihood of foul play, Maude cannot go to the Admiralty. As she probes deeper, she finds that maybe the Admiralty is already involved.
This book contains grisly descriptions of public executions, assault, and murder. It is a fascinating fictionalization of the historical intersection of the "murder mania" of execution tourism and merch collection and the fascination of the Victorian public on the lost Arctic expedition of John Franklin and the numerous [failed] recovery missions that followed. Lizzie Pook's writing gives me the same rush I get from my other favorite atmospheric and mysterious historical fiction authors Stacey Halls and Elizabeth MacNeal. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know I am a sucker for Early Modern (and Victorian) creep narratives. I can't wait for Pook's next book!

Maude Horton’s younger sister, Constance, has run away aboard a ship bound for the Arctic and the Northwest Passage. She is killed on the voyage, and Maude is determined to have revenge on the man that she’s sure is responsible for. Constance had kept a diary on board - and everything Maude needs to know is within its pages, even though the admiralty reports that the death was an accident.

Maude is an assistant to her Apothecary grandfather, and she will use whatever it takes to get the truth out of the expedition’s scientist. He is conducting public hanging tours, and Maude joins one of them. I had no idea that there was such a thing! How macabre! Very Victorian, though.

Constance’s diary entries were fascinating - what an experience it must have been, how dangerous (especially for Constance!) and completely different from anything she had ever experienced. Victorian London is described so well, and the hardships of the Arctic, equally so.

Maude’s dedication to her sister is admirable, and it’s refreshing to read about a young woman with so much skill and knowledge. The danger that Maude puts herself in, had me on the edge of my seat!

I listened to this on Xigxag audiobooks, and the narration was excellent. The story was brought to life by the narrator, Genevieve Gaunt.

An adventure-filled, gripping story!

This was such an interesting setting for a book, both in all its locations and in the period. I admired the unbreakable bond of sisters in this, and how they would do anything for one another.

I couldn't read this as an ebook for some reason so will get it when it comes out! Sorry! (Leaving a 4 star review to be fair.)

I simply adored the adventure that this book took you on.
Connecting with the characters was easy, because they are so well written.

You were really routing for Maude to avenge her sister.
I would have liked to have found out the real reasons for the Navy's deception and cover up, but that's just me. Knowing it's important to the overall story.

"Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge" by Lizzie Pook is a gripping historical mystery set in the heart of 1850s London. When Constance Horton disappears under mysterious circumstances, her older sister Maude refuses to accept the Admiralty's explanation of a tragic accident. Armed with determination and fueled by the discovery of Constance's journal, Maude embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth and seek justice for her sister. Pook masterfully brings Victorian London to life, immersing readers in its dark underbelly and sinister secrets.

The strength of the novel lies in its atmospheric setting and compelling protagonist. Pook's vivid descriptions transport readers to the gritty streets of London, from the hangings at Newgate to the eerie waxworks of Madame Tussaud's. Maude Horton is a formidable heroine, possessing both intelligence and resourcefulness as she navigates the dangerous world of powerful men and hidden truths. Her determination to uncover the secrets surrounding her sister's disappearance drives the narrative forward, keeping readers engaged until the very end.

However, while "Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge" offers a captivating premise and richly drawn characters, it may falter in pacing and plot execution at times. Some plot points feel rushed, and certain aspects of the mystery could benefit from further development and exploration. Additionally, the resolution of conflicts towards the end of the novel may leave some readers wanting more closure or depth. Despite these minor flaws, "Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge" is a solid three-star read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and mystery, offering an immersive journey into the dark and dangerous streets of Victorian London, where justice and revenge collide in a thrilling tale of sisterly devotion.

I loved this! I loved the storytelling which was in-depth, filled with incredible imagery and tension abound. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this nearly as much as I did. Pleasantly surprised and really enjoyable.

3.5 ⭐
This was almost a 4-star gem! I found myself thoroughly engaged in Constance's Arctic escapades—her journal entries were particularly captivating (perhaps my favourite part of the book!). Edison's character entertaining to read as well, though his portrayal as a villain felt a bit on the nose. Maude's revenge felt a little underwhelming, as it lacked the punch I anticipated.

Nevertheless, what truly stood out to me was the meticulous historical research evident in every scene, which truly captivated my interest. The inclusion of a bibliography is a delightful treat for curious readers like me! I’ll be sure to delve deeper into the references provided!

Overall, a very enjoyable read! (and most importantly, one I see myself re-reading!).

Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned. In this case Maude Horton wants revenge on the person or person that killed her sister Constance.

Constance had run away from home and joined the ship Makepeace a vessel making its way to the Artic Passage through unchartered territory, disguised as a man. Her journals are returned and it is from this that Maude realises what her Sister was caught up in and seeks revenge.

Told through the journals of Constance, we are taken into the frozen unchartered land and see how survival was the first and only skill needed. Answers are needed and her sister Maude, back in Victorian London is trying to find the answers as we see her seek the truth. Then we are introduced to Stowe, someone who has been on vessels and is well known amongst the money lenders in London.

Can all of this mystery be solved and revenge served before the end of the book?

This is one of the most fascinating books I have read for a while, I felt like I was in the heart of Victorian London and imagined Dickens was lurking on street corners observing his next characters for his book. I was taken to the rather interesting aspects of a Royal Navy that I don’t recognise from working with it today. All in all a perfect historical mystery fiction book for fans of that genre.

This book is great fun, but for some reason I found it hard to stick with. Maybe it was the bouncing perspectives, but I kept finding myself putting it aside rather than being gripped.

I will be returning to try again, but for now it's a DNF. Apologies!

London, 1850.

Maude Horton lives with her grandfather, Henry, who is a dispensing chemist and runs his own apothecary. Recently, they both suffered a terrible loss – Constance, Maude’s sister, has died in an accident out in the Arctic and her body was never returned to her family.

At the beginning of the story, we meet Maude, who storms into the British Admiralty office, demanding to know what happened to her sister. She reckons that the Admiralty know the circumstances of Constance’s death, but they won’t disclose the truth.

Constance pretended to board a ship Makepeace, pretending to be a young boy, Jack Alridge. Constance/ Jack worked as a ship boy and in every spare minute, she was busy writing in her journal.

A journal that is now in Maude’s possession…

In the journal, Maude discovers that a man called Edison Stowe might have had a hand in her sister’s death. She is adamant to track him down and to evoke her revenge.

Will she succeed?

I absolutely adored this story from start to finish. I loved Pook’s first book Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter, but this one was even better.

We have a perfect villain in the form of Edison Stowe, who’s cruel and manipulative. On the other hand, we have Maude, who’s quite shy and unsure of herself at the start of the book. However, as the time progresses, we see her confidence grow.

I enjoyed the historical background of the book: sending a ship out in the Arctic in pursuit of Franklin’s lost expedition searching for the Northwest Passage. As I’m from Orkney, the birthplace of John Rae, the explorer who discovered Rae Strait – the last link in the only navigable Northwest Passage that existed at the time – this was very close to my heart and made me love the story even more!

Overall, expect peril, adventure, public hangings, and poisons. What’s not to love?

Thanks to Picador for approving my NetGalley request to read and review this title.

I feel a bit betrayed by the title and cover of this book. As much as I loved the author’s debut novel, this one felt a bit too slow and had too many POVs for me.

The plot doesn’t really focus on the revenge part until the very last quarter of the book and from the cover I was lead to believe that we would be exposed to a string of poisonings. Instead we’re following the granddaughter of an apothecary who’s on a mission to find out what happened to her sister. In my opinion the apothecary setting was underused. As a chemist we could have gone a completely different way with poisons also being a big fascination point in the Victorian era. Instead, the book focuses with the fascination with public hangings which gave a really eerie atmosphere to the book. I love this setting and premise but then why use a chemist as a main character and put a massive bottle that’s likely to be poison on the cover. It’s setting up readers for disappointment. ‘Glorious revenge’ implies to me some plotting and scheming with a very satisfactory ending for everyone by giving the wrongdoer their comeuppance and the ‘hero’ getting their revenge. Unfortunately, it didn’t really feel all that glorious and although some revenge was taken out, it felt overall like Maude had not too much to do with it.

The writing is engaging and easy to follow. I just wasn’t totally sold on the characters, probably because it was divided between our 3 main characters and the reader doesn’t get enough time to really get to know anyone in depth.

Overall, the atmosphere, setting and writing are really good but the pacing and marketing of this book really let it down.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was a tightly plotted historical murder mystery with a strong helping of feminism, so if those things are your jam, then you should enjoy this book. It also touches on elements of the Erebus and Terror story, which was interesting. I'm not sure if it really needed the chapters from Edison's perspective - they certainly didn't make me like him any more - but apart from that it's a solid read and Constance's story is an interesting imagining of what it might have been like for a women to stow away on an expedition vessel.

This book drew me in slowly and inexorably I found myself gripped in its grim and gothic themes.

"London, 1850. Constance Horton has disappeared.

Maude, her older sister, knows only that Constance abandoned the apothecary they call home, and, disguised as a boy, boarded a ship bound for the Arctic. She never returned. ‘A tragic accident’, the Admiralty called it. But Maude Horton knows something isn’t right."

We are told this story through different eyes and cleverly we are drawn into Maude's world. This is not a book for the squeamish but I loved it.

Maude and Constance are very close sisters who have been raised by their grandfather in his apothecary. They are very different in character, with Constance fascinated by the world of exploration whilst Maude is happy to remain close to home.
Constance disguises herself in order to join an arctic expedition but fails to return with the rest of the crew. Maude has to challenge herself to overcome her fears to discover what has happened to Constance, learning more about her sister than she expected.

Maude Horton is determined to avenge her sister Constance, who died on board an Arctic exploration disguised as a ship's boy. Questions around Constance's death plague Maude, as does the man who seems to have been responsible for it. Maude ends up getting closer to the man himself, Edison Stowe, armed with her arsenal of apothecary tinctures and medicines, to get the truth and justice for her sister.

I really liked the premise of this book - and I also enjoyed the time setting this was based in, the mid 1800s with a focus on the public fascination with hangings and other public executions. However, I think the overall story and execution of the plot was a bit disappointing - a story of a sister taking revenge on her sibling's murderer should be juicy and tense, and I felt like the story was flat and lacking in these aspects. I didn't really like that we got so much of Edison's POV as it took away from Maude's journey and therefore we didn't get some scenes that could have been really good in her perspective, but got a little run down of why it had happened instead from her when we switched back. The fact Maude is a chemist and knows her tinctures should have been a really big part of the story but it just wasn't, it was so disappointing.

This book didn't quite deliver to me the story I wanted, and unfortunately it's the second time a Lizzie Pook book has done this to me. I think in terms of historical setting and premise, she writes very well but the actual execution of the plot, the building up and connection with the characters always fall short for me. She tends to have really gorgeous covers that don't end up matching the inside of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for the ARC of this book.

The story is about a woman named Maude whose sister Constance ran off to work on a ship (dressed up as a boy) which was bound for the arctic. While there she suffers what the captain of the ship says is an accident and does not return. Maude gets her hands on Constance's diary which she kept with her on the ship and Maude soon learns that her sisters death was no accident and decides on revenge.


The book is broken into parts from different vantage points; Maude, Constances diary entries and Mister Stowe. I found this helped the story and made it even more interesting to me. There is an excerpt at the end where the author explains some of the research they did for the book and I must say it shows that they did.

The only minor gripe I had with it is I felt the revenge at the end felt a bit rushed and not as much thought was put into it as the story itself but overall it was an engaging read and I enjoyed it.

Muade Horton was truly a formidable character and I really enjoyed her. She said she was going to get the job done, and get the job done she did.
Maude is on a quest for vengeance after thinking there is a cover up around her sister's murder at sea. She sets in motion a series of events that delivers delicious justice to her sisters murderer.
I really enjoyed particularly the twist at the end about Constance's lover helping Maude all along, and the way that they cornered the murderer was excellent.
For me, this book could have benefited from a bit of additional editing. I thought there were too many chapters from the POV of the murderer. We already understood he was greedy and his underlying motive to kill what he thought was a sailor boy. I think the author was trying to solidify his character but to be honest that was already achieved, and we were left with a lot of chapters I didn't particularly care about.
But overall it was really fun and satisfying.