Laura Purcell worked in local government, the financial industry and a bookshop before becoming a full-time writer. She lives in Colchester, the oldest recorded town in England, with her husband and pet guinea pigs. Fascinated by the darker side of royal history, Laura has also written two historical fiction novels about the Hanoverian dynasty.
“A perfect read for a winter night . . . An intriguing, nuanced,
and genuinely eerie slice of Victorian gothic.”
—The Guardian
“If The Silent Companions lands on your night table,
don’t plan on leaving your bed anytime soon. Immersive, meticulous,
and reminiscent of the masters of gothic fiction—not only a
compulsively readable ghost story, but a skillful, loving ode to
the entire genre.”
—Lyndsay Faye, bestselling author of Jane Steele
“Purcell crafts a virtually flawless work of Gothic fiction with
this deeply atmospheric, foreboding story. . . . In inviting us
into her eerie Gothic world, Purcell masterfully attends to every
atmospheric detail—from the dirty hems of skirts to the slanting
light of dawn. Her novel is reminiscent of the work of all the
greats, particularly Shirley Jackson and Daphne du Maurier, but
Purcell has a style all her own. A must for all lovers of Gothic
literature.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“An atmospheric, eerie Victorian gothic novel . . . its
combustible tale of a 19th-century woman tormented by an English
country house’s creepy curios does produce sparks.”
—Publishers Weekly
“This perfect fireside read combines all the best characteristics
of the gothic genre.”
—Booklist
“Irresistibly creepy, this romps along, Purcell turning her screws
with skill. It’s what crumpets and dismal afternoons were made
for.”
—Glamour (UK)
“A genuinely creepy Victorian ghost story, it’ll keep you up half
the night reading it . . . and you won’t want to turn off the
light.”
—Good Housekeeping (UK)
“One of the most well-written horror stories I’ve read this year,
The Silent Companions is proper Gothic fare. . . . What is
commendable is how Purcell is able to weave all these [classic]
elements in a story that is layered and psychologically complex
till the very end.”
—Book Riot
“The chill of The Silent Companions sneaks up on you and then
settles in like a gray mist on a British moor . . . a shivery
treat.”
—BookPage
“Laura Purcell weaves a classic tale of gothic horror. . . .
Purcell has all the finest ingredients of the gothic tradition. . .
. Reminiscent of Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black and even du
Maurier’s Rebecca, The Silent Companions will chill readers who
fall under its spell.”
—Shelf Awareness
“Ghost stories are having a revival at present, and The
Silent Companions . . . is a worthy newcomer to the genre. . .
. These silent companions . . . are one of the creepiest
concepts I’ve come across in a ghost story, both frightening
and original. . . . The writing is strong and the concept provides
a fresh twist on an old classic.”
—The Historical Novels Review
“Layering on the dark and creepy, this intriguingly
plotted novel is the full-blown Gothic, maintaining
throughout an unsettling claustrophobic atmosphere mixed
with some unusual historical detail.”
—Daily Mail (UK)
“A sinister slice of the Victorian Gothic . . . It is a measure of
Laura Purcell’s skill...that she spins these tropes into something
creepy and page-turning.”
—The Times (UK)
“This atmospheric Gothic novel tells a deliciously creepy ghost
story.”
—Sunday Express (UK)
“Chilling.”
—Sunday Post (UK)
“Creeptastic . . . Laura Purcell has nailed it with a story
that conjures up Susan Hill’s The Woman In Black, Henry James’s The
Turn Of The Screw and a little bit of Rebecca by Daphne du
Maurier.”
— Emerald Street
“You may want to leave the light on once you put down this
intensely spooky gothic chiller. . . . Irresistibly creepy.”
—The People (UK)
“A superbly atmospheric, tense novel full of creeping dread.”
—Red Magazine (UK)
“Really tense and unnerving. It still won’t let me go.”
—Woman & Home Magazine (UK)
“A creepy, unsettling tale that I had to finish reading in broad
daylight.”
—Stylist, “10 must-read books for October” (UK)
“A delightfully creepy, unsettling gothic ghost story that will
send a shiver down your spine and stay with you long after you’ve
turned the final page. Prepare to be chilled!”
—Dead Good
“Writing in the tradition of country house ghost stories, Laura
Purcell has created a book that is unnerving and compelling in
equal measure. The Silent Companions is an atmospheric gothic tale
that chills the blood.”
—Sophia Tobin, bestselling author of The Silversmith’s Wife
“Magnificently creepy . . . I really wished it were longer.”
—Natasha Pulley, author of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street
“Frighteningly atmospheric, genuinely haunting and psychologically
astute, the horror of The Silent Companions lingers like truth in
the darkest corners of the human mind.”
—Helen Sedgwick, author of The Comet Seekers
“Compelling and claustrophobic. The pages all but turn by
themselves.”
—Essie Fox, author of The Last Days of Leda Grey
“Not since The Little Stranger has a book so entranced and haunted
me. Compelling, bewitching and beautifully written. Read it if you
dare.”
—Anna Mazzola, author of The Unseeing
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
