Release date: May 14 2024
Publisher: Transworld Publishers
Pages: 327
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Synopsis
A deliciously haunting debut for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Penner set in 19th-century Paris, blending gothic mystery with a captivating sapphic romance as two estranged sisters—celebrated (and fraudulent) spirit mediums—come back together for one last con.
Paris, 1866. When Baroness Sylvie Devereux receives a house call from Charlotte Mothe, the sister she disowned, she fears her shady past as a spirit medium has caught up with her. But with their father ill and Charlotte unable to pay his bills, Sylvie is persuaded into one last con.
Their marks are the de Jacquinots: dysfunctional aristocrats who believe they are haunted by their great aunt, brutally murdered during the French Revolution.
The scheme underway, the sisters deploy every trick to terrify the family out of their gold. But when inexplicable horrors start to happen to them too, the duo question whether they really are at the mercy of a vengeful spirit. And what other deep, dark secrets may come to light?
Review
Spitting Gold is a dark and gripping historical mystery that follows two sisters as they attempt one final con as spirit mediums. Their mark – an aristoricatic family who believe they’ve being haunted by a dead aunt. As the two sisters do everything they can to try and frighten the family out of their money, strange and unnerving things begin to happen. Can the duo discover the truth behind this haunting and the secrets the family so desperately want to keep?
This was a brilliantly atmospheric read! I love gothic historical fiction and Lowkis does a magnificent of bringing the sights and sounds of 19th Century Paris to life. This was a compelling story that I ended up devouring in two sittings. I loved seeing Charlotte and Sylvie work together to plan their con and I loved seeing how they pulled off all the tricks of the trade. Spitting Gold is an entertaining tale told from both Charlotte and Sylvie’s point of view. I enjoyed both POVs and I thought there were plenty of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. I liked the way we got to experience the story from both sister’s perspectives, both of them felt like well fleshed out characters desperate to survive in a difficult world.
Overall, this was a captivating tale, full of seances, mystery and family secrets. I really enjoyed this book and am definitely looking forward to reading more from Carmella Lowkis.
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