Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC. Full review to be found on Goodreads and on my website.

I really enjoyed the world building and of course, I love Vampire stories. I was very confused early on in the book but overall, I think this was a good read.

Excellent adventure with historical figures. My kind of historical fiction! Would definitely read more books by Mr. Masello.

When a golden box is found in the Carpathian mountains and is brought back to Victorian London. They don't know the power and the ancient evil that is taking root in the city .When Bram Stoker is pulled into the deadly world spread by the founders of a mission for the poor which harbours a very dark secret . Stoker , they explorer and a poor match girl must find the ancient enemy . The enemy will take them on an epic journey that will lead them to the unsinkable ship .
The characters in this story are well written and you will really like them . Stoker is a man wanting to find adventure He is ailing and just wants to have adventure . Mina is the explorer that helps Stocker out , She is an adventurer and also ends up as a character in the book . She kicks butt and helps Stocker through a lot, Together they ar a formidable team tracking down the evil .
I sat down and started reading this book in the evening . and at the beginning of the book I had a hard time getting into the story . As I read though I really started to get into the story . It was a roller coaster ride that took us from the mountains Carpathian mountains to the back alleys and graveyards of London .The author has a way of drawing you in and keeping you on the edge of your seat the whole time . The suspense will keep you reading all night long and the supernatural parts of the story will grip you and hold you tight. There were times in the book it just seemed like it shouldn't be there . Like the time with the Titanic just didn't fit in and it dragged . Over all I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery and supernatural elements were great . Check it out .

Did not enjoy this book at all. It lost me after the first couple of chapters because I did not like the writing style whatsoever.

A wonderful book that’s part supernatural and part historical fiction. I enjoyed seeing the fictionalized characters of Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Thankyou to NetGalley, 47North and the author, Robert Masello, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Night Crossing in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and at times, downright creepy. Very atmospheric. Was up into the early hours to finish
Definitely worth a read for fans of the genre.

Loosely falling into the category of historical urban fantasy, this delicious tale places Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, center-stage. Literally, since Stoker ran the theater that featured Henry Irving, the first actor to be knighted. And figuratively, since this is essentially Bram’s adventure. In the 19th Century, “Egyptomania,” enthusiasm for all things ancient Egyptian, swept Western Europe. Ordinary travelers as well as serious scholars pillaged archaeological sites looking for treasure and curiosities, which they of course brought back to England. Never mind the damage done by amateurs to the archaeological sites. To be sure, some artifacts ended up with serious collectors who cared about provenance and preservation. Accounts relate “mummy unwrapping parties.” People apparently considered a fine way to pass an evening with port wine and removing the coverings of a mummy, searching for small articles folded in the bandages, which were then distributed as trinkets. (Some scholars now dispute these accounts, although not those of scholars holding similar public events.)

In the world of urban historical fantasy, Egyptian burial practices involve supernatural elements, including the ability to prolong life and reanimate the dead. Bram, searching for a high-concept premise to launch his literary career from obscurity into best-seller territory, takes notice when he runs afoul of a brother and sister duo who are using Egyptian magic to do just that.

Enter (Minerva) Mina Harcourt, intrepid Anglo-Romany adventurer, her century’s female Indiana Jones. While investigating the monumentally huge Carpathian sphinx (there really is such a thing), she comes into possession of a mysterious golden box (see the cover image). Enter also Lucinda Watts, a timid young woman who works in a match factory (owned by the brother of the above-referenced nefarious pair), suffers from phossy jaw (formally known as phosphorus necrosis of the jaw, from the white phosphorus used in match manufacture) and is the mother of an illegitimate son (the brother being a rapist, as well) who dies when the evil duo suck out his soul. (That’s an approximate summation of the process, which is actually more than a bit more complex.)

Before long, Bram and Mina are on the hunt not only for the Egyptian immortality thieves but the origin of her golden box and the shadows that mysterious escape from it. The mash-up of historical setting and real personages, the fictional inspirations for Stoker’s Dracula, and the dramatic twists and turns make this a delicious and occasionally shiver-producing thriller. The narrative style, rich in detail, atmosphere, and well-drawn personalities, kept me turning pages even through the parts of slower action. The variation in pace allowed for context, nuance, and emotional resonance, making The Night Crossing more than just a “fun read.” I’ll be on the lookout for more from this sensitive, skillful writer.

The usual disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book, but no one bribed me to say anything about it.

The Night Crossing
WRITTEN BY ROBERT MASELLO
REVIEW BY SARAH HENDESS for the Historical Novels Review

Vampires have been done (forgive me) to death. Which is why Masello’s suspenseful new novel about Bram Stoker is such a welcome offering. In The Night Crossing, we meet Stoker in 1895 as a frustrated writer, desperate for a good story idea. To pay the bills, he works—not unhappily—as the manager of the Lyceum Theater in London. But in rescuing a poor match girl who has thrown herself into the Thames, he finds himself tangled up in the nefarious scheme of the founders of an East End mission house.

Meanwhile, in the Carpathian Mountains, an explorer discovers an ancient golden box. She brings it home to London, not knowing it contains dangerous powers that the mission house founders will wield to murder thousands. She, Stoker, and the match girl try to stop the evil spreading through the city before more lives are lost—and in the process, Stoker finds the story inspiration he needs.

Told in short, punchy chapters with nary a vampire in sight, The Night Crossing vividly describes the Victorian London in which Egyptomania reigned, where the wealthy elite entertained their dinner guests by unwrapping a mummy after dessert. The novel has a few faults. Either third-person omniscient viewpoint or third-person limited would have worked for this story if Masello had but picked one. Additionally, the book calls for a good sweeping up of its liberal passive voice, and the storylines of a couple minor characters go unresolved. But Masello has woven such an enjoyable, at times downright scary, tale that most readers should be able to forgive these small shortcomings. I recommend curling up with this book on a crisp fall night, preferably with the wind howling outside.

In trying to figure out whose story this is I ultimately decided it didn’t matter because it is fascinating with richly drawn characters and creative twists, turns parallels and perpendiculars. It is historical, it is supernatural, it is mystical, it is a little out there.

The story opens in 1895 with a group of three men and one woman trekking up a Carpathian peak searching for the Bucegi Sphinx. The leader of the photographic expedition is Minerva Harcourt. Her crew is of a questionable nature. But the expedition finds more than the sphinx. Taking refuge from a storm in a cave a skeleton is found clutching a small gold box. And you can be sure the little gold box is going to be stolen, passed off and changed hands many times.

Bram Stoker, graduate of Trinity College, manager of the Lyceum Theater, general factotum for the great actor, Henry Irving, and member of the illustrious Beefsteak Club, and future author of Dracula, is walking home when he happens upon a young woman, Lucinda Watts, who has thrown herself into the Thames. We find out that she is a match girl at the mission house.

Bartholomew Thorne and his sister Winifred known as The Matron of the mission house represent all things evil.

Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle, Oscar Wilde, Gilbert and Sullivan, the unsinkable Molly Brown all make appearances.

Sound a bit disjointed? Maybe but it all gets pulled together if a little fantastically. I enjoyed this book and I thank NetGalley and 47North for a copy.

*Thank you to 47North (via NetGalley) for approving my request to read this eARC, in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review. Every thoughts, feelings, and opinions about this review is solely MINE. *

​This novel tells about the supernatural adventure of Bram Stoker, a theater manager and an aspiring writer; and Minvera "Mina" Harcourt, an explorer of ancient artifacts. Set in the gothic London (around Victorian era), their lives are got tangled when Harcourt have in her possession a mysterious gold box while Stoker came across Lucinda Watts at a bridge on his way home. Told in their prespective third -person POV (points of view), it has set a series of unexplainable events that somehow involve familiar names like Henry Irving, Conan Doyle, and the like.

This is my first time to read one of the works of Masello and I was so surprised upon reading because I never expected famous people of the past will be present in this novel. I absolutely love that he basically reimagine the characters of Stoker, Doyle, Irving and the rest in this story. It even made me wonder if this actually happened in our history or that he made it more interesting by involving them in his "world". It is like filling-the-gaps of their lives, probably making the readers like me to imagine what is it like back then. I like his writing style and creativity!

However, I almost did not finish this as the first few chapters are slow and I felt it was dragging. There are some instances or scenarios that I felt that they are not necessary for the story. I cannot find a connection to those specific scenes. But as I continue to read, the pace picked up and the story got more intense - filled with unexplained mystery and full of suspense. It was so intriguing (which got me excited) and was truly set you at the edge of your seat.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
If you are looking for a unique, historical mystery book - then I recommend this! Not only it has a mystery element but also, you will be able to imagine your favorite historical personalities what were their lives during the Victorian era.

A explorer discovers a mysterious golden box in the Carpathian Mountains. She is completely unaware of the danger it poses and she takes it home to London. Unaware the evil had started in the city. Bram stoker a theatre manager and frustrated writer finds himself pulled into a plan of the rich owners of a mission home for the poor. Stoker and the explore mist rescue the city from an evil Egyptian enemy!

This book ended up being a fun diversion read for me, as I was reading this amongst the heavy chapters of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, and it was a great escape tactic! The atmosphere of this spooky Victorian story was also a great way to begin the best season of the year!

This is a historical fiction story with a distinct supernatural bent, a reimagining of Bram Stoker’s life before he wrote Dracula and some of the events that ultimately lead up to his inspiration for that novel. The story primarily follows both Bram Stoker and a young woman named Mina Harcourt. Mina is an archaeologist, trained from an early age by her father (a famous archaeologist) and in the beginning of this story, she is searching for a relic in the Carpathian mountains. The relic is ultimately stolen by the porters accompanying her, but ends up back in her hands after they attempt to sell it due to it’s sinister nature and the deadly luck it seems to carry with it.

Mina heads back to London with the relic where she ultimately crosses paths with and befriends Stoker, who is currently shuffling about life in a state of skepticism and hopelessness about his own writing. Both characters are thrown into a series of events of a supernatural nature that lead them both to realize that there is more to the world than they previously thought. There is something very sinister going on at the local mission house and there is something even more sinister about the proprietors of the house, the Thorne siblings. Stoker and Mina must find a way to stop the Thorne siblings and end their horrific reign of terror.

Like I said in the beginning, this book ended up reading like a fun supernatural romp to me, the characters (both good and bad) were enjoyable and I liked seeing all of the historical references. My only qualm with the book was that despite the relic that Mina picks up and the implied ancient evil that it contains, the “evil” isn’t actually dealt with or mentioned that often throughout the story, only cropping up here and there. I enjoyed the plot with the Thorne siblings and I know they were meant to be the ultimate evil presence in the story, but I was slightly disappointed in the lack of detail about the relic and it’s inhabitant. Aside from that, this is an enjoyable supernatural romp through Victorian London with mummies, ancient Egyptian folklore, Dracula references, and even a short Titanic spotlight! Definitely check this out if you are looking for an atmospherically spooky Victorian story without too many horrific elements.

The Night Crossing is the latest entry in what Robert Masello calls his "supernatural historical fiction." His M.O. is clear, and I like it -- take real life characters, like Einstein and Godel in The Einstein Prophecy or R.L. Stevenson in The Jekyll Revelation, place them in (mostly but not exclusively) real life situations, and then introduce them to supernatural forces (obviously fictional). This time the real life protagonist is Bram Stoker, author of the enduring Victorian-era horror story, Dracula.

Stoker, who at the opening of The Night Crossing is a frustrated wannabe author working in theater with a famous actor (all true), finds his life intersecting with Lucinda Watts, a poor match factory girl who has recently lost her young son, and Mina Harcourt, an archaeologist who has recently lost her father and his fortune but has come into possession of a valuable artifact. They are quickly swept up in a fictional story about soul eaters, Egyptian mummies, and mysterious Transylvanian spirits.

I got The Night Crossing from NetGalley on the basis of the author, whom I have previously read (the above mentioned titles). When I started and found myself first in Transylvania and then following Bram Stoker, I groaned to myself. Vampires. Freaking vampires. I know how popular vampires are, but I for one hate vampires (except for satirical vampires like True Blood or Chistopher Moore's Bloodsucking Fiends). Vampires have always served as metaphors and I have always been averse to one I often saw (take a good look at Murnau's Nosferatu).

There's no point getting into, though, because much to my surprise and delight, vampires were not making any sort of appearance as I started getting into The Night Crossing, despite the presence of Stoker and a that mysterious Transylvanian spirit. I expected that spirit to ultimately prove to be a vampire, but by the time we find out its true nature, it was no longer going to be a negative for me.

That's because I was already well invested in the story and the characters. Stoker comes off as sympathetic, Mina is a wonderfully empowered woman in an era where that was barely an option, the real life side characters are fun to have around, and the bad guys are pure evil, the product of the supernatural elements of the story, related to Egyptian mythology (a major fad in England at the time, and something that is made clear from the start of the book). That in turn led me to believe that this might end up being Dracula vs. The Mummy.

But the book ended up being neither this nor that -- it is just a good book, spanning the genres of historical fiction, supernatural fantasy, and a mystery in the well-worn mode of The Da Vinci Code. That the denouement takes place on the maiden voyage of the Titanic is no secret. I personally found it jarring for the story to transpose itself from where it had been all along to the Titanic (hence a four star rating rather than five). But once I got past the sudden shift in time and place, it proved to be pretty good anyway.

Author Robert Masello’s latest travels back for another go of historical fiction set in Victorian London. Two years back, Masello had Robert Louis Stevenson stalk Jack the Ripper in The Jekyll Revelation. Upping his game, Masello bites into the most-enduring of all horror stories, Dracula. The Night Crossing exhumes Bram Stoker’s background as he investigates, of all things, an ancient Egyptian curse that is the potion needed for his famous novel’s origin. Along the way he is enamored, and ably assisted, by a regal Gypsy lovely who possesses knowledge of that most desolate of lands, Transylvania. Yes, that plot summary is as heavy-handed as the novel itself and unfortunately comes nowhere near a hopeful Dracula vs the Mummy crossover.

Instead of MST3K-worthy schlock, Masello writes an intriguing and well-documented piece of work, truly making his fiction as historical as possible. He doesn’t craft Stoker as a retread of a hero, rather as a fiery Irishman who is solely attempting to do something good, albeit for the sake of gathering story material. Tales of Victorian virtue don’t always make for the most gripping of literary devices, so in Stoker’s quest for doing the right thing, the plot jumps around as ungrounded lightning. The current is there, both bright and hot, but the straight flash of the story becomes lost. Carpathian adventures, a cemetery ghost story, unification of labor workers, a cursed gold box, and a certain trans-Atlantic voyage wraps The Night Crossing within several layers of heavy gauze, entombing the sure-shot tale into a deeply buried sarcophagus. Gothic horror and Victorian crime is a genre ripe for blood-letting. Masello needed to abandon the historical plight of man and let it flow. Less of the theater backstage, and more of the spectacle, please.

Masello is asking his readers to take a ransom cab with him and explore Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula. The story is sound, and the ride a fun one - dark and creepy with fog and large insects - but impaling the Egyptian Book of Dead with the legend of Vlad Dracul was an unexpected mashup that required an unnecessary amount of explanation. The beginning for Dracula should be as easy and smooth as an Irish carbomb. Whisky. Guinness. Done. Anyway, didn’t the Lore podcast already cover Drac’s origin tale?

Garlands of garlic and fangs of thanks to both NetGalley and 47North for the ARC. And hey, Masello… I’m truly a fan. Looking forward to your next book.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Night Crossing
by Robert Masello from NetGalley and 47North in order to read and give an honest review.

The Night Crossing is a well written and intriguing gothic novel that blends historical fact, paranormal twists and a mystery, to create a tale that will keep you flipping pages. There are three main plot lines running through this story which all blend together into a fantastical tale that takes a very unexpected tangent about two-thirds the way through the book.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Egyptophile and archaeologist Mina sets out on an expedition to the Carpathian Mountains to visit and document a mysterious phenomenon of a Sphinx which when the sun sets appears to come to life. Mina and her guides climb a mountain to get a perfect vantage point to capture a photograph of the Sphinx. After getting the shot they start on the journey down the mountain when an unexpected storm forces them to seek shelter in a cave. Too dark to continue they decide to set up camp in the safety of the cave. Mina awakens to find two of the guides have abandoned them during the night. She retraces their footprints which leads her to the back of the cave where a skeleton whose hands have been damaged after an artefact of some sort had been forcibly removed. Mina finally tracks down the artefact, a mysterious gold box, to a gypsy camp but when she arrives they are in the throes of the funeral and can’t give Mina back the box quickly enough.

Aspiring writer, Bram Stoker working as the manager of the Lyceum Theatre in 19th century London has his life turned upside down when he stops to rescue a young waif, Lucinda, who has jumped off a bridge on the Thames River in an attempt to take her life. Being a kind gentleman, he continues to care about this young woman, her body ravaged by chemicals from working making matches in a mission house where she and her son resided. Lucinda’s suicide attempt was a result of being distraught over the death of her young son Davey and the guilt she feels not knowing what happened to his body. Stoker becomes a friend and a father-like figure to her and offers her kind words and support. When Lucinda returns to work at a mission house she is intent to find out what happened to the body of her son, but nothing can prepare her for what she finds. When Mina, Bram and Lucinda cross paths, a family-like bond is formed and together they fight an evil that could be the death of them.

In Night Crossing, Robert Masello creates an interesting well-rounded cast of characters with a few familiar names such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the “Unsinkable Molly Brown”. I was impressed by the intelligence, strength and resiliency displayed by his female characters as well as genuinely evil villains who the reader can’t help but despise. The author also tackles some of the social issues prevalent at the time such as racism and sexism which he addresses accurately and with class.

As a writer, I also enjoyed the way Mr Masello gives us insight into the fictional inspiration behind Stoker’s Dracula. Although I found the tangent as well as the time jump of 19 years a bit frustrating at first, I eventually grew to appreciate the author’s unique way of tying two very different storylines together making it fairly cohesive once it unravels.

All in all an interesting read that I would recommend to those looking for a gothic thriller with threads of the paranormal.

I have to say first off I am not one who likes historical fiction very well. With that said, I did, however, enjoy The Night Crossing. Robert Masello did do his research on this novel to the extent that was needed and left enough room for the story. Which the story was great and well written.

When I first started to read this book, I really didn't know what was going on. Because first we are on top of a mountain and the second we are in London with no other than Bram Stoker!!! And then a tale is weaved so well together you could almost feel the excitement with every turn.


I was given this eBook by Netgalley for an honest review.

An intrepid explorer discovers a mysterious golden box in the Carpathian Mountains. She is unaware of the danger it poses and she takes it home to Victorian London - unaware that evil has already started to take root in the city. Bram Stoker, a theater manager and frustrated writer, finds himself pulled into the nefarious plan of the rich owners of a mission house for the poor. The shelter isn't the safe haven it promises to be, but instead harbors a horrific secret. Stoker, the explorer, and a mission resident grieving the loss of her child must work together to save their city from ancient Egyptian enemy, but first they'll have to survive London's overgrown graveyards, rat-infested tunnels, and even the maiden voyage of the Titanic.

I'm so pleased to find out I was approved to read this novel - I mean, how could you go wrong with a historical fantasy horror featuring the legendary authors Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan Doyle? As it turns out it works out really well with only a few minor issues. Like I know I've mentioned before, historical fantasy is one of my favorite genres to read and I love how Masello combines real history, and real facts about Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan Doyle with awesome fantasy elements. I've always been interested in Egyptian mythology and it's pretty interesting how the author integrates that with real world Victorian London. My only major issue with this story are in the number of POVs. They all move pretty quickly and held my interest once I got into the swing of the style, but I only found myself truly invested in Bram Stoker's perspective chapters. Honestly, I could have done without at least one fewer POV - the novel may have flowed a little more without it. I will say, though, that I enjoyed how things begin to come together with Stoker at the lead.

Overall, The Night Crossing by Robert Masello is a creative and unique scary historical fantasy novel. It is definitely must-read for fans of the author Bram Stoker, who begins to find inspiration in the horrific events going on around him for what eventually becomes Dracula. Even though I had a few minor complaints I was still quite addicted and on the edge of my seat to see what would happen. This is my first experience reading Masello, but I'm going to have to read more from him in the future and I believe I'll have to start with The Jekyll Revelation. Thanks again, NetGalley!

The Night Crossing is a historical fiction/horror novel that tells the story of the events of Bram Stoker's life that lead to the writing of his infamous novel, Dracula. Bram's story itself does include some historically accurate facts, leading to me to believe that the author did their research. Other aspects of this historical period are included as well, to include the match girls and the role of Egyptian archaeology in wealthy British society. The other main supporting characters (Minerva or Mina, an archaeologist who discovers a cursed ancient artifact and Lucinda or Lucy, a match girl haunted by the loss of her son) are complete works of fiction, but represent great sources of inspiration for characters in Dracula. The supernatural aspect of the story was quite creative, focusing around a mysterious golden box found in the Carpathian mountains which harbors an ancient power from the deserts of the Sahara. My only real complaint was that I felt the story was told from way too many different points of view. It distracted from the main story line at times and I found it a bit unnecessary to have to go through that much detail to just explain a supporting events to the main story line. I appreciated the creativity behind the story itself and recommend this book for fans of Bram Stoker, Dracula, or historical fiction/horror stories.

Full of unneeded minutia

Mr. Masello has filled this book with details – furnishings, decorations, evil smelling workhouses for the poor, occupational illnesses, mountain fastnesses, gypsy caravans. Not much plot though in the first 25% and I was not interested in finishing. It bears a striking resemblance to ""Penny Dreadful".