Lenna is keen to learn how her young sister Evie came to die and so follows her journey into the world of séances and mediumship. Understudying for renowned medium Vaudeline D'Allaire, Lenna follows Vaudeline on her journey back to London where they both learn that the London Séance Society has more secrets than just how it helps mourners connect with their loved ones.

Full of interesting twists and turns, Sarah has wonderfully captured the mood of the time while also allowing the story to remain current.

Thank you so much for the ARC of this book.

This was a wonderful blend of suspense and intrigue. I loved the setting and read it in one sitting.

Highly recommended!

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for sending an ebook in exchange for review.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. When I first read the synopsis it intrigued me, but I didn’t expect the book to go where it did! Although I predicted a lot of the plot twists, it didn’t ruin the experience for me and the thrilling suspense of the book after around the 60% mark was completely captivating.

I also loved the sapphic representation and the way women’s struggles within society were portrayed. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Sarah Penner!

The London Seance Society was set in London in 1873. Lenna Wickes starts investigating the mysterious death of her sister. She teamed with a spiritualist named Vaudeline D'Allaire, known for providing seances to solve murders. Together they ended up at the London Seance Society and got tangled up in their dark underworld.

I loved the Lost Apothecary by the same author, so I knew I needed to request this book too! I really enjoyed the book, and it was as captivating as her other book. The premise drew me in with a story about ghosts, seances, and vengeance. The two POVs, Lenna and Mr. Morley created the perfect balance between the two characters. Learning about the spiritualism movement in the Victoria era was interesting, and the topic was fun to read. This was another enchanting novel by Sarah Penner!

Thank you to NetGalley and Legends Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

Spooky and saucy this was great!
Wonderfully set in Paris and London around the time that spiritualism was high on the Victorian agenda (including writers like Conan Doyle and Rudyard Kipling -who could do automatic writing too like his sister!) and the book describes in interesting not research preaching about all the different methods of seances, spiritualism and exorcism.
The characters are great. Lenna Wickes - our seance apprentice to the glamorous older Vaudeline D'Allaire is drawn further beyond her own wish to discover the truth about her sister Evie's death alongside her friend Eloise and father Mr Heslop. The 'murders' have piled up and this is many cases of spectral sleuthing which added a nice new twist to the historical crime novel.
The past connection of Vaudeline to London bringing her back when the head of the London Seance Society - Mr Volckman is also found dead brings Lenna into the 'magic circle' of spiritualists where spells are concocted to try and manipulate seemingly vulnerable women - when in fact they have the upper hand in detection and ability to work beyond the earthly sphere.
Very atmospheric and sexy! Evokes the time well and brings excitement to the portrayed stuffy gentlemen's clubs in London where women were normally forbidden. The truth will out....

Thank you to NetGalley for this early read! A gothic mystery set in 19th century London. Ghosts, spirits, seances and just a good slow burn of a story. I found myself turning pages quickly to get to the conclusion. I love this authors storytelling!

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the Lost Apothecary and this book was just as enjoyable. Definitely a stay up late to finish kind of book.

This book is set in 1873 London and the author makes you feel like you are actually there.

This book features ghosts, spiritualists, seances, murders and so many twists and turns.

I absolutely LOVE Sarah Penners writing and will always read anything she puts out. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loved The Lost Apothecary or just anyone in general!

A dialogue with the dead.

Don't say it's not possible.

Sarah Penner sets this black-craped carriage in motion creaking down the streets of London. Lift the fog and you'll see mourners lined in rows. Death has become a valuable business for these Victorians. From mourning clothes and memorable jewelry to covered mirrors blocking an exit in error, death takes no holiday.

Spiritualism gains a front row seat. To have reassurance that your loved one is safe on their journey, people would pay any price. The London Seance Society stepped forward in 1860 to provide a service. But the naysayers ridiculed their efforts calling them charlatans at best. Snarky individuals took advantage of the mourners and a sub-basement industry was formed.

Let's peer over the shoulders of Vaudeline D'Allaire and Lenna Wickes. It's 1873 in Paris and the women speak in whispers. Vaudeline is a well sought after medium whose talent lies in solving the murders of loved ones. Lenna, from London, is an apprentice in training. Her younger sister, Evie, yearns to be a medium herself and is involved in the London Seance Society.

But when Evie's dead body is found, Lenna must return to London. She and Vaudeline will combine talents to find Evie's murderer. The focus will be on the London SeanceSociety itself. Something is not as it should be within these walls. Besides that, the establishment in the West End of London is for gentlemen only. Vaudeline senses the danger, but Lenna rushes headlong into finding out who killed her sister and why.

The London Seance Society is lined with impeccable research by Penner. She wraps you in the aura of the Victorian time period. The last pages of the Author's Note fill us in on the historical perspectives of their rituals. Sometimes the weight of that can be felt here and there as Penner sets the stage for the seances and the ritual particulars. And the journey to the final conclusion becomes a lengthy one. All in all, Penner's atmospheric touch and her talented writing certainly draws the reader in. So let's sit around that table and clasp hands..........just feel the chill.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks toPark Row Publishers and to Sarah Penner for the opportunity.

While the concept behind The London Seance Society was fascinating- Victorian society with all its propriety mixed in with the paranormal, I found the story a little lacking. The initial pacing of the story was very slow but the description of the characters and settings was informative of what was going on throughout the different parts of the novel. Some parts were entirely too predictable. The author does deserve to be commended for trying to incorporate the struggles of women during this period of time (especially in regards to sexuality).

Many thanks to Sarah Penner, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The novel is due to be released in ebook form on 7th March 2023 and all other editions 21st March 2023.

I absolutely loved The Lost Apothecary so was very eager to read this and I certainly was not disappointed.
The era the book is set in is intriguing and fascinating in its own right and the author skilfully transports us back in time to a deeply atmospheric backdrop. I certainly share the Victorian’s fascination with the occult and afterlife so that fact that the premise behind the storyline centres around séances definitely piqued my interest too. I have previously researched seances and the trickery and techniques used at them so this story rang very true to me and provided an excellent story around the theme plus extra information about the ruses and sub notes which I devoured enthusiastically. It really is a well rounded tale with twists and turns, centred around historical facts to prove it plausible and with engaging characters. A true win for me and excellent entertainment. Heartily recommend.

A captivating gothic mystery filled with gorgeous and gruesome detail. The story follows Lenna, an apprentice to famed spiritualist Vaudeline D'Allaire, as she tries to piece together the mystery of her sister's death, as well as Mr. Morely, a member of the London Seance Society and former secret lover of Lenna's sister, trying to solve the mystery of the Society's president's murder. While the story feels a bit slow in the first half, the dark tone and period elements do a great job of drawing you in. The narrative pacing of these two storylines begins to pick up around the halfway point, leading to a thrilling final act with some good (albeit slightly predictable twists). I loved Lenna and Vaudeline's relationship and Lenna's character progression through this story. I'm excited to see what dark and moody paths Penner will take us on in her next novel.

I gave The London Séance Society 4 stars

1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

-------- REVIEW --------
I loved Sarah Penner's first book, The Lost Apothecary, and was so happy to receive an ARC for this book. The London Séance Society is set in Paris and England during the Victorian era, a golden age of belief in supernatural forces and energies. As with the first book, the author managed to transfer me back in time and I loved reading about the séances as well as trying to figure out the mystery about the murders.

It was a bit slow at times, but nothing that bothered me. I tend to read a lot of mysteries, and this book is not really a whodunit for reasons I don't want to tell (spoilers). However, I really enjoyed it and even if the mystery part didn't surprise me, the journey to the end was a pleasant one. It was very atmospheric and I really love the writing style. I highly recommend it! Can't wait to see when and where the next book will take place and what the focus will be on.

This book comes out 21 March

Thank you Net Galley and Legend Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpNl-Ryr5oe/

Book review
The London Seance Society
By Sarah Penner

Tropes
Sisters
Ghosts
LGBTQIA+
Mystery and murder
Victorian era
Armchair travel- Paris, London
Multiple PoV

Thoughts
Think victorian era paranormal mystery version of Murder She Wrote.
This book reads like a British TV show with a steady pace of breadcrumbs leading the reader to the logical conclusion (with a few twists at the end).

Full of intrigue with a smattering of romance and feminism, Penner’s story touches upon a bit of everything a reader could want.

Overall, Penner pens a good tale, highly entertaining.

Thanks to @netgalley and @legends for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

An intriguing and beautiful read. I expected big things as I love The Lost Apothecary and this delivered but just not on the same level. I was hooked at the 60% mark.

Thank you to NetGalley and Legend Press for gifting me this ARC! The premise sounded incredibly interesting and I’ve heard good things about this author so I was excited to read this!

This is a historical mystery/thriller with magical realism elements set in 1873. We’re following two perspectives, Lenna a young woman who’s sister was recently murdered and is now learning the art of séances under the famous medium Vaudeline D’Allaire and Mr Morley who is vice president of the London Séance society, a society that only admits men and performs séances and various other clairvoyance around London for families of murder victims. The president of the society has also been murdered, on the same night as Lenna’s sister and so Mr Morley asks Vaudeline to come to London and conduct a séance to find out who killed him. What follows is an intense investigation that only escalates as the novel goes on.

This one really surprised me, I expected to like it but I wasn’t expecting to read it in two sittings. The twists and revelations just kept coming and I couldn’t put it down! I didn’t see many of them coming as well which made the experience all the more enjoyable. As the reader you are constantly kept guessing and you don’t know who to trust and I loved that.

This is also a sapphic book which is an added bonus! The relationship between Lenna and Vaudeline was full of tension and chemistry and I absolutely adored both characters. It was really interesting to explore a sapphic relationship in the 1800s. Mr Morley was awful but he was supposed to be, he was the typical patriarchal man of the Victorian era and I wanted him to take a long walk off of a short pier honestly.

The ending was perfect and although this book is set in the Victorian era it is deeply feminist and explores the domination and power women could exude during séances and how men are not as powerful as they believe themselves to be all the time.

I would definitely recommend this book! It was atmospheric, fast paced and had LGBTQ+ rep, what more could you want? I’m excited to read more from this author! This one is released on the 21st March 2023 so keep an eye out or pre order it now!

Set in London in the 1870s when interest in the occult was high, this is the story of Lenna who is trying to find out more about her younger sister’s death. To do this, she has enrolled as a pupil of the famous spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire as her sister was also a pupil. Lenna hopes that by carrying out a séance, she can find out what happened to Evie even though she herself is a sceptic and only really believes in Science and things that she can see and touch.

Vaudeline is summoned to London to assist in the investigation into the murder of the head of the London Séance Society and Lenna soon begins to realise that her sister was heavily involved with the society.

The historical setting of this story is excellent as we travel along gas-lit streets and into damp cellars. The book is written as a dual POV as we get events seen from Lenna’s point of view and also from Morley, the assistant head of the séance society who has requested Vaudeline’s help. I enjoyed seeing the events from both perspectives especially later in the story when we begin to find out what has been happening.

The book begins quite slowly but picks up pace around the halfway mark and ends with a thrilling climax which kept me turning the pages until late. I loved the spiritualist element and the way in which unscrupulous men could use it to prey on vulnerable women felt very realistic in a society where women had very set roles to play. I really liked Lenna as she tried to find answers and also reconcile the things that she experiences with her scepticism about the occult generally.

This was an atmospheric mystery which was really well-plotted and had surprises right up until the end. I definitely recommend it for lovers of historical fiction with an element of the supernatural.
Thank you to Net Galley and Legend Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Content Warnings: Sexual Assault, Murder, Death of a loved one, Grief, Mild Gore/Injury

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

AAAAAAAAA I WAS NOT EXPECTING HOW AMAZING THIS WAS GOING TO BE????

I like a good ghost story, but not overly into general spirit stuff but the book seemed great and the mystery was super interesting. Unbeknownst to me, the book had pushed a tiny snowball off a very steep cliff that I was just starting to climb as I turned the first page.
When the ginormous snowball hit me face first and caught me up in it I just could not stop reading. I had some very minor issues with the writing (will explain later) but honestly by the end I couldn't see any other deserving rating than a 5/5.

The characters, loved 'em. Sassy, stubborn, quiet, asshole-ish, all sorts thrown in a mixing pot together to create a cast of wonderful characters who played their roles far too damn well. Are they entirely realistic? Not really tbh. Does that matter? Not even slightly.

The only minor issues I had was with a bit of the writing style. At the beginning of the book a few descriptions felt a bit stilted. "Now sit at the desk and go through each item you can see". Later on I realised repetition was getting a bit annoying, one PoV would find out some information about someone, then we'd go to their PoV and that information would be explained in detail again but with just a couple new additions. It was a tad annoying but it wasn't done too often and the new insight and different take was interesting but probably the second PoV didn't need to reiterate the known info.

The bad thing about reading books early, I have no where to post all the absolutely perfect quotes from the ending I have saved! Honestly, going to do that cliche cheesy frame a book quote type things with one of these in particular.

Also as a note, keep reading after finishing the main story. There's so many fascinating things included after the story ends!!

Be gay, do crime - that's for sure! (also goddamn the lesbian and bi rep was so adorable aaaaaaa)

Thanks to Legend Press for the copy of this book.

The Lost Apothecary was a “like” more than a “love” for me, so I wanted to give Sarah’s next novel a try. Plus, seances! This was also a “like” for me - I enjoyed the mystery with twists, feminist themes, seance talk, and dual POV. This book is perfect for people who love Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie and want that with some spirits, brothels, and LGBT themes. I definitely recommend to that crowd - it’s just not a genre that’s usually a favorite for me!

Part slow burn Murder mystery, part sapphic love story, with some mild paranormal aspects! I found the atmosphere of the story to be great, and the portions about the seances to be cool, but it is on the slow side and I found myself skimming at times. It also feels like a YA story rather than adult.

Overall, I wish there had been more excitement but loved the look into seances during Victorian times. If you’re a fan of detective work then this may be appealing. It was slightly too chill for my taste. I am, however, very in love with the cover! So pretty.

Gothic, mystery "whodunit" set in 1800s London. Atmospheric and evenly paced. An immersive story with strong female characters: steeped in the supernatural and paranormal. This novel was a good time.