Slashed Beauties is an eerie and intoxicating gothic feminist horror that weaves body horror, historical injustice, and revenge into a beautifully grotesque tale told across two timelines. With a chilling blend of folklore and fact, A. Rushby breathes unsettling life into the legend of the Anatomical Venuses, lifelike wax models of women created for male medical students in the 18th century. In this version, they do not stay lifeless for long.

In present-day Seoul, antiques dealer Alys has just acquired the final of three Anatomical Venuses. Known as slashed beauties, these wax women are surrounded by dark rumours: that they are bewitched, and come alive at night to exact vengeance on the men who wronged them. Alys is determined to end her connection to these cursed objects, and she believes the only way to do so is to bring them together in England and destroy them once and for all.

In 1763 London, we meet Eleanor, a naive young woman abandoned in Covent Garden. Her chance encounter with the dazzling Elizabeth and the enigmatic Emily draws her into a life of sex work under the guise of elegance and opportunity. But beneath the silks and promises lies something far more dangerous, as Eleanor learns the price of survival in a world built on male power and exploitation.

Told in alternating timelines, the novel slowly stitches together the lives of these women, past and present, building a haunting narrative of betrayal, sisterhood, and rage. The writing is visceral, often unsettling, and carries an unrelenting tension that lingers well beyond the final page.

I found Eleanor's timeline to be particularly engrossing, with its vivid historical detail and creeping sense of doom. The twisted dynamic between her, Emily, and Elizabeth was full of intrigue and emotional complexity. Elizabeth, in particular, is a magnetic figure whose presence dominates both timelines, even when she is not directly on the page.

The present-day storyline, while gripping, leans more heavily into supernatural and witchcraft elements that occasionally felt at odds with the more grounded horror of the past. That said, the idea of inherited trauma and cursed legacy is powerfully explored, and the final chapters deliver a payoff that is both devastating and cathartic.

There are moments where the characters, especially Alys, feel underdeveloped compared to the richness of the lore and setting. However, this is a novel that thrives more on its atmosphere and thematic weight than character introspection. It asks difficult questions about who gets to survive, whose bodies are consumed, and what justice really looks like when the system is rigged against you.

If you’re drawn to stories of haunted objects, historical horror, and feminist revenge with teeth, Slashed Beauties will cut deep. A lush, unsettling read that stays with you and might just leave you eyeing wax figures a little differently.

Well this was a different read for me but I enjoyed it! Described as a Gothic Feminist Body Horror, this tells the story of three Anatomical Venuses from two POV and two timelines - Eleanor in 1796 London and Alys in modern day Korea and England. The storyline continually kept me guessing and I wanted to know what would happen next. I liked the theme of witchcraft throughout as well and it was sad to see the lack of body autonomy these women had in the 18th century. At the core of this story though is the bonds of sisterhood and how they hold through time.
Definitely one to consider for your own TBR when it’s released!

This story will stay with me for a while. It follows some important themes regarding historical sex work, guilt, innocence, manipulation, betrayal, sisterhood and found family. A compelling story of being the mistress of your own fate.

We follow Alys, an Antiques dealer, present day, who is paid a large sum of money to transport one of three highly coveted Anatomical Venuses, known as slashed beauties, to the UK and destroy it. Alys must sever her ancestral connection. This is the perfect opportunity and something she has wanted to do for ages. This is not an offer she can turn down.

Eleanor, London 1769 is abandoned and promised a life of luxury if she puts her destiny in the hands of Elizabeth, one of the city's most desirable courtesans. However, there is a dangerous secret shared by these four women - a secret that spans centuries, and which will unearth horrors not of this world.

The writing style and language within the two timelines are immaculate; it separates the two eras with ease. I feel so strongly for these characters, too. Every character has distinctive personalities and tone throughout each interaction, and as the story progresses, you can tell A. Rushby has done an amazing job in creating such an eerie/gothic atmosphere throughout the story. Everything was so seemingly woven together. I only wish we had longer with them.

The themes in Slashed Beauties are real, heavy, but written so delicately, and that is something I appreciate very much. It shows the hardships young females endured and how limited their options are if they did not come from an esteemed household.

This is by far my top read of 2025! and I am so happy to be supporting an Australian author.
I want to give a huge thank you to Harlequin Australia and Allison Rushby for allowing me to read this ARC

I really loved the switch between Eleanor and Alys (old time and nowadays). It is probably one of the more interesting and in depth books I have read in a long time. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin (HQ) for this amazing ARC.

Although it took me a chapter or two to become fully immersed in this novel, once it had me, I found it compelling. The plot is simple but engrossing and the characters are strong.

In 1769 three Anatomical Venuses are created – realistic wax models of beautiful women slashed open so that medical students can study their bodies, in and out. These models are rare and beautiful – and magical and horrific. At night they come to life to murder men who’ve wronged them.

In the present, antiques dealer Alys is paid a small fortune to transport one of the Venuses from Seoul to the UK – and destroy it. Alys has waited a long time for this opportunity, yet finds herself strangely reluctant to fulfil her goal.

The simplicity of the plot belies just how engrossing it becomes. The characters are incredibly strong and well drawn, and so the reader quickly finds themselves involved in what’s happening to them. I was surprised at how much I cared, because not all the characters are immediately likable.

The story is told in dual timestreams, and it takes a while to see how it all comes together. By the time it does, you won’t be entirely surprised by the reveal, because you’ll have been feeling a strong sense of dread and suspicion for quite a few chapters.

I would have liked to know more about Alys’ long life. Not only did this seem to have potential to be hugely interesting in itself, it could have enhanced my knowledge of her as a character. I have to admit, though, that it wouldn’t be particularly relevant to the story Rushby is telling here. It’s a mark of how strong the characterisation is, though, that I wanted to go on something of a side quest to learn more about Alys.

Rushby is an experienced writer for children and young adults, with this her first venture into adult fiction. I hope it will not be her last.

I found this a strong and original story, with a straightforward plot made compelling by good writing and strong characterisation. It should be enjoyed by many.

A gothic feminist body horror where the past and present begin to intersect. It becomes clear that the women’s stories are linked in deeper, darker ways than it initially seems.

An exploration of bodily autonomy, feminine desires and the unrelenting need to be heard when all the world wishes to do is silence you. A harrowing exploration that will leave chills down your spine.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐐 𝐅𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐀. 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐲

Slashed Beauties was a book with a really fresh and intriguing premise. The dual narrative between the modern day and the Georgian era worked really well, and the characters in both time periods were well drawn and engaging. The pacing of the story was good throughout, and the twist at the end did manage to catch me by surprise, which helped make it a memorable finale. In terms of its themes, there are horror elements, but not too much, and the story considers ideas of the male gaze and feminism, but never in the overly preachy way I have found off-putting in some other feminist works. It you enjoy historical fiction with a touch of feminism and horror, Slashed Beauties is well worth a read. I am giving it four stars. I liked it a lot, but wasn't so enraptured I would want to read it again.

This review will go live on my blog and Goodreads at the links below on 27 August 2025. I will then also share on social media.