Bonnie Fairchild escapes her home in the country only to find herself lost and alone in London. Rescued by the charismatic Crawford, Bonnie is soon under his spell and what a spell Crawford casts on all those around him. Cruel and manipulative, Crawford has his eye firmly fixed on the main chance and so when the need arises for Bonnie to make a swift escape from London Crawford arranges that she is taken on as a lady's maid to Cissie Moncrieff at Endellion House, a gothic mansion on the outskirts of London. With the master of the house wrapped in grief for his dead wife and a craving to build a mausoleum in her honour, Bonnie is soon welcomed into this dark and dreary house however, Crawford and his scheming ways are never far away...

The Victorian obsession with death is firmly entrenched in this story and what I found fascinating was the integration into the plot of the rise of organised cemeteries. We go from throwing bodies in lime pits, to the organisation of the grand cemetery, with detailed burial plots, and hidden catacombs in a fascinating Victorian Gothic thriller which captivates from the first page. Decidedly dark, and often gritty, the author has captured the Victorian gloom with ethereal characters who write love letters to themselves and the sadness of others who brood on death whilst at the same time giving us Bonnie, a feisty and determined young woman who will do whatever it takes to survive.

The Burial Plot is a compelling novel about the dangerous nature of obsession, the manipulation of greed and the overwhelming need for dangerous retribution.

A thrilling plot driven novel, centred around the building of a new cemetery in 19th Century London, featuring a gothic mansion full of secrets and mysteries, seemingly having a life of it’s own.
It’s about murder, manipulation and a young woman called Bonnie trying to find the secrets lurking in the mansion.
The perfect gothic thriller - full of atmosphere, suspense and tension
The author really immerses you in Victorian London, her writing style is so vivid, bringing the city to life in the Victorian era and their morbid fascination with death.
Would thoroughly recommend for any historical fiction fan
Thanks @elizabethmacneal @picadorbooks & @netgalley for the atmospheric read

I found "The Burial Plot" to be an exceptional novel. The setting was captivating, and the historical ambiance was palpable. True to the Gothic genre, the eerie atmosphere was masterfully crafted. The characters were well-developed and fascinating, and their growth throughout the story was impressive. The writing was superb, and the narrative was highly engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed devouring this novel and will definitely be seeking out both her previous and future works.

I wasn’t going to read this at first as I’ve read too many similar sounding books in the last couple of years and gone off historical fiction with a mysterious house and secrets etc. But then I couldn’t decide what to read one day and wanted something straightforward and easy to get into, so this felt like the perfect read. It’s true that it did feel like I’d read similar books before, but Elizabeth Macneal is one of the best at the genre and I did enjoy the book. Perfect escapism and well written.

A jarring and absorbing gothic thriller that keeps you enthralled to the very end. Bonnie runs away from a dull future with an older rector, only to fall into the arms of the manipulative Crawford who delights in using people and has a plan to claim back the inheritance he believes is his.

Set in the 1830s it deals with so many different aspects of people's lives and layers of society it offers up a frightening reality that all the characters must face.

It's a gripping read that goes by very quickly and shares it reveals well within a busy plot. Lovely pacing throughout, and a couple of adorable female characters in Bonnie and her stepdaughter Cissie.

"Anyone, given the right circumstances, the right amount of fear, might empty the world of another person."

It's 1839 and in London, Bonnie and her lover Crawford are spending their nights tricking and mugging its wealthier citizens. But when one such robbery goes wrong, Bonnie has to flee.

Crawford has seen an advertisement for a lady's maid at a mansion outside the city, the perfect place to hide. But as soon as Bonnie arrives, she realises the house is full of secrets. Everywhere the house is draped in black in mourning for the owner, Mr Moncrieff's wife Josephine, who drowned herself two years prior. Their teenage daughter, Cissie, who found her mother's body, is deeply disturbed by it and spends her time writing love letters to herself from an imaginary suitor.

Moncrieff, an architect, spends his days drawing plans for mausoleums and fancy burial plots he wishes he could have built for his wife. His finances are ruined though and he cannot afford it. Bonnie convinces him to use some of his land to build a fancy and beautiful cemetery, where the wealthy can be laid to rest in peace.

But then, Crawford arrives, pretending to be Bonnie's brother. And he's about to play the grandest trick of all.

'The Burial Plot' is a gothic historical mystery/thriller about manipulative people and the madness of their greed. The house is oppressively claustrophobic with a pervasive sense of unease, the perfect setting for this tense story to play out.

I enjoyed Bonnie as the main character, though I found myself in two minds as to whether to root for her or not. Her actions are dubious and duplicitous, yet she tries to make amends. Elizabeth Macneal writes a good villain full of depth: Crawford is everything you would want him to be – handsome, charming, and a snake. Bonnie never really knows where she stands with him.

A great read if you're looking if you like historical fiction that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

If I could give this a million stars I would, what a fan bloody tastic read. The first book I've read in a while that I've struggled to put down! 😍 I loved all the characters, the gothic imagery, and the ending 🙏 Would love to find out more about Cissie and her future. Sequel?

Can I just take a minute to appreciate the beautiful, gothic front cover. I love it. It was the cover that initially drew me to the book. Then reading the synopsis I couldn't wait to get a copy.

Set in 1839, Victorian London. Cemeteries are full and there is money to be made in death, Bonnie and Crawford lead a life of trickery, surviving off ill-gotten coin and nefarious schemes. But one hot evening, their luck runs out. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie’s feet and now she needs to disappear.

As soon as I read the blurb it reminded me of 'Burke and Hare' the infamous Scottish murders who carried out sixteen murders over ten months in 1828 in Edinburgh, Scotland. By initially grave robbing then realising there was money in the business they started producing dead bodies themselves. The horrid morbid business just dragged me in.

The horrid morbid business just dragged me in. This book was brilliant and I was transported right back in time. I actually read the book in one sitting. As the plot unfolded and we saw the manipulation and lies involved coming to light I was so eager to know what was going to happen next.

This is the first book I have read by Elizabeth Macneal but it won't be the last. Her writing style, obvious research of the subject, period and pacing of the book is right up my alley. The fact that things like this actually happened just makes it all the more enjoyable and your hackles raise as you read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elizabeth Macneal and Picador Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Educated beyond her status and groomed to be the wife of an elderly man, Bonnie rebels and runs away to London. There she falls in with Crawford, a grifter who makes Bonnie help him in his crimes. When one goes wrong, Bonnie is spirited away to Endellion, a house of mourning, to become ladies maid to the young Cissie. However Crawford follows her and Bonnie begins to realise that she is just a pawn in his games.
I really liked The Doll Factory and so was well-disposed towards this novel. It certainly didn't disappoint. Bonnie is the victim of manipulation for a lot of the story but then she begins to see that she could be more. Morally ambiguous characters on all sides however there is a positive ending. I really liked the sense of time and place and the research about Victorian burials.

Thank you for letting me read an early release of this book.

Another amazing, compelling book from Elizabeth Macneal, and another fantastic book to add to my TBR once it is released! Loved every second of reading this story, it held my attention and just drew me in until I didn't know I had been settled all day reading, and its rare a book does that to me.

The truth is buried.
1839, Bonnie comes from an impoverished family, she has ben educated to become the wife of the Vicar who is much older than her, in this way she will be able to help out her family. Once she is married she realises she has no love for the Vicar and the rest of her life will be lonely and dull. Bonnie runs away and meets -Crawford a thief in a pub. Crawford introduces her to an exciting life of theft, rat baiting and intrigue. Bonnie entices a gentleman into an alley with the intention of Crawford and his sidekick Rex robbing him, things do not go as planned and the man falls and appears dead.
There is a house called Endelon which Crawford persuades Bonnie to apply for a post in, mostly to remove her from any suspicion of murder but he has a hidden agenda for her. The master of the house Aubrey is a widower with a young daughter Cassie who is mentally scared by the suicide of her Mother Josephine. Bonnie finds out about the history of the family from her fellow servants, although she misses Crawford, she starts to relax and enjoy the hard work and friendship of Cassie. Aubrey wants to build a mausoleum for his wife and Bonnie introduces him to the idea of a large cemetery on his land which would help to rebuild the family fortunes. Crawford appears and poses as Bonnie's brother with some architectural experience, he persuades her to court Aubrey who eventually proposes to her.
The building of the cemetery and its grounds, the financing and the underhand ways of Crawford make this novel gripping and exciting.
Thank you Elizabeth, NetGalley and Picador for this ARC.

This historical thriller is an absolutely brilliant read, the gothic vibes are perfect and I was completely immersed in the story.

It is London, 1839, and living next to a newly built cemetery is not Bonnie's idea of an ideal life. She lives with Crawford, the love of her life who also uses her to lure rich men into alleys and jump them for their money and jewels. But she will do it for Crawford. She will do anything for him. So when he pushes her to go and be a maid for Mr. Moncrieff and his sickly daughter, Bonnie does it. After all, what else can she do?

But he soon arrives, claiming to be her Brother, and getting his fingers in the door and into an enterprise that will help Mr. Moncrieff save his fine house. But how far will Crawford push Bonnie, and to what end?

This is a wonderful period piece with love, betrayal and murder at its heart. If you are a fan of a period mystery then this is the book for you!

A clever and pacy historical thriller set in 1830s Richmond. A fun gothic tale that harks back to Macneal's debut The Doll Factory. Propulsive and easy to read.

Burial Plot is a tense gothic novel set in 1839. At the start of the book Bonnie the protagonist kills a man unintentionally in London when a scam she is part of with her partner Cameron goes wrong. Bonnie fleas London and ends up as a maid in the home of a gentleman called Aubrey and his daughter Cissie.

All is not what it seems and as the story progresses there are plenty of twists and turns.

I found the book a tad slow initially but started to enjoy it from part two and was keen to find out how the story progressed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Recently published, I was very excited to read Elizabeth Macneal’s new novel The Burial Plot. I have read her first and second books and love the way that she takes me to another place and time. The atmosphere of her novels are second to none, in my opinion. With strong female characters and intriguing historical themes, I am always intrigued. In this case, we learn about the building of huge and gothic Victorian cemeteries. Inspired.
Bonnie, the main character is going to be hard to forget. She is damaged but brave, a victim of her upbringing and her relationship with a abusive man, but also a very well written heroine. I loved her.
Elizabeth Macneal had such a talent with historic thrillers that are atmospheric and clever. I reckon her books will become classics.
Also want to give a shout out to the cover artist - WOW!

Struggling to survive in 19th century London, Bonnie is forced to follow her lover Crawford’s latest plan in order to escape prison.

In her new role as a lady’s maid for the Moncriefs, Bonnie warms to her sensitive teenage ward and the widowed lord of the manor.

Dumping bodies and pocketing part of the burial costs is just one of Crawford’s current money-making schemes and the next part of his plot is for Bonnie to persuade Mr Moncrief to build a vast cemetery on the grounds, with Crawford in charge.

Not content with the cemetery plans, Crawford also has sights on Bonnie charming her way into the Moncrief family. He is full of dangerous secrets and Bonnie soon realises it is no coincidence at all that he sent her here.

Yet Bonnie has secrets of her own and now has nothing but her wits and charm to unveil the burial plot and reclaim her life.

There were many things I liked about this book and many things I struggled with, I think ultimately it just was a bit slower-paced and not as "gothic" as I would have liked

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. Bonnie runs away from home to avoid marrying a husband chosen by her father, and is “saved” by Crawford. They begin conning men out of money until a theft goes wrong one night and leaves Bonnie on the run again.

There were so many twists in this book that I didn’t see coming. It was engaging and hard to put down. I was rooting for Bonnie the whole way through despite some of the questionable decisions she made.

This was my first read by Elizabeth Macneal and definitely won’t be my last.

In late 1830s London, Bonnie Fairchild falls in with the charismatic Crawford, a handsome swindler who makes her go weak at the knees while running a rat-baiting betting racket and picking pockets. His biggest wheeze is scamming money out of those wanting to bury loved ones in London’s overburdened cemeteries. It stinks. Literally.

When a theft goes wrong Bonnie flees from the law, hiding as a maid at Endellion, a Neo-Gothic house on the banks of the Thames inhabited by Mr Moncrieff, an eccentric architect in mourning for his wife, and his strange daughter, Cissie. When Bonnie half-jokingly suggests it would be a good spot of a burial ground, she unwittingly opens up the possibility of a brighter future for herself, but Crawford has other plans. Not nice ones. But at Endellion, nothing is quite as it seems…

I’m up to my eyes in academic reading and entries for the Cheshire Novel Prize at the moment and needed something not too heavy for a mental pause this weekend. This fitted the bill very well. It zips along and is delightfully atmospheric, with echoes of Victorian sensation novels, plus ‘The Turn of the Screw’ and ‘Rebecca’. Bonnie makes mistakes, but is a wholly sympathetic heroine; Crawford is a villain you can really enjoy hating, so rotten that flies buzz around him. Moncrieff seems almost unbelievably credulous, but it’s a small thing, and perhaps, like his house, there’s more to him than meets the eye (or perhaps not).

Out now.

Big thanks to @netgalley & @picadorbooks for the eARC!