1864, Bristol, England

The seamstress is found in the darkened docks, floating, silenced. Those who found her are sure it must be a tragic accident, probably the result of too many drinks in a nearby public house. But journalist Nelly Brooks recognises the dead woman immediately – Nelly has her emerald shawl in her bag.

Because they had met just one day before, when the seamstress had begged Nelly to investigate the death of the woman who’d given her that same shawl – a wealthy man’s wife. Nelly had tried to insist that her job at the newspaper is only meant to be writing about the best ways to darn a sock or to decorate a drawing room. She’s not meant to actually investigate anything. That’s a job for a man.

But the seamstress trusted her, and Nelly knows she must find out the truth. Even though her investigation will bring her up against the great and the good of the city; with connections that go as high as the crown. And she will have nothing but her wits to ensure she does not become a murderous man’s next victim…

Bestselling author Louise Douglas returns with darkly gothic historical novel of love, murder, madness and secrets, perfect for fans of Fiona Valpy, Lucinda Riley and Jane Eyre.

Praise for Louise Douglas:

‘A master of her craft, Louise Douglas ratchets up the tension in this haunting and exquisitely written tale of buried secrets and past tragedy.’ Amanda Jennings

‘Beautifully written, chillingly atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Secret by the Lake is Louise Douglas at her brilliant best’ Tammy Cohen

‘Louise Douglas achieves the impossible and gets better with every book.’ Milly Johnson

‘I love the way in which Louise creates such an atmospheric mystery, building the intrigue and suspense brick by brick.’ Nicola Cornick

‘I loved The Lost Notebook so much! From the opening lines, I was drawn into a gripping story, beautifully written and so cleverly orchestrated. I rooted for the main character, I held my breath at the denouement and as for the climax of the book – just wow. Highly recommended.’ Judy Leigh

‘A brilliantly written, gripping, clever, compelling story, that I struggled to put down. The vivid descriptions, the evocative plot and the intrigue that Louise created, which had me constantly asking questions, made it a highly enjoyable, absolute treasure of a read.’ Kim Nash on The Scarlet Dress

‘A tender, heart-breaking, page-turning read.’ Rachel Hore on The House by the Sea