Having read all of Purcell's previous Gothic novels, I was very excited for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of her latest offering via NetGalley.
The Shape of Darkness is Purcell's fourth novel, and I will state from the outset that it's the scariest yet! The plot revolves mostly around Agnes Darken: an older spinster, who crafts by hand the art of silhouettes, an art on the cusp of extinction as the more popular daguerreotypes are increasingly preferred. Agnes begins to realise that her patrons (sadly few and far between) are seemingly murdered after sitting for her portraiture. In parallel is Pearl Meers, "The White Sylph": a young albino girl working for her sister as a spirit guide. Pearl's gift is suddenly increasing in its intensity, causing her to experience the same symptoms of the victims of Bath's supposed serial killer.
As their paths cross, the danger intensifies building up the tension and horror to a dramatic and unexpected conclusion which I did not see coming. What an exhilarating read this turned out to be!
With The Shape of Darkness, Laura Purcell has cemented her status as the queen of modern Gothic novels, and I for one, am very much looking forward to reading anything she may choose to publish next!
The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell will be released in the UK on the 28th of January 2021. You can pre-order a copy of this gorgeous hardback from Waterstones or Amazon.
Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 19th October, 2020. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
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