Neither Angels Nor Demons

It is 1869 and Hannah Jerram plays a devious trick on her brother, Luke, whilst she is flirting with her adopted brother, Ben. Hannah’s mischief ends in disaster however, as Luke falls off the roof, leaving him with an injured leg that results in a limp that he is stuck with for life. Whilst commotion ensues, the family are all too busy to notice a mysterious woman standing in the shadows, overlooking the scene. 

It is soon revealed that she is known of as Mary Ann Girling, the fanatical leader of the religious sect known as the Shakers. One by one Mary Girling persuades others to join in her beliefs, pronouncing celibacy and immortality. As Hannah struggles with the guilt of her prank and the consequences of it, she too is drawn into the world of Shakers against her will and without her beloved Ben...

Neither Angels Nor Demons is a powerful story of a young woman who is torn between the tortured demands of religious fanatacism and a life of passion and normality. Pamela Pope evokes sympathy and frustration at this divide, creating a highly suspenseful and drama-filled romance against the backdrop of 19th Century Britain.