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My Starry Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: One of the most complex and entertaining spiritualist fiction books I have ever read.
What I Learned: We are all haunted.
Publication Date: May 14, 2024 by Atria Books
Genres: Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Occult Fiction
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?
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REVIEW:
Spitting Gold by Carmella Lowkis is stealthy spectral historical fiction novel full of twists and turns, appearances and disappearances, and the real and imagined ghosts that haunt us.
Charlotte and Sylvie are two estranged sisters and former spiritual mediums, whose fakery and trickery fooled their clients but foiled their relationship. Sylvie, now a baroness, decided to leave it all behind in favour of a life of prestige and comfort, while Charlotte was left behind, poor, and forced to care for their dying and abusive father. When Charlotte appears on Sylvie’s doorstep one day begging her to join her for one last scheme, Sylvie will have to decide where her loyalties lie.
I have read many spiritualist fiction books, and this is by the far the best one I have read. The cat and mouse game that occurred not only between the sisters and their clients, but between themselves, almost read like a clever crime thriller, where blackmail, vengeance, and misplaced guilt were the real ghosts haunting the sisters. Love and loyalty were bargained and bartered so that each sister while trying to save herself, endangered each other in unforgiveable ways. Secrets from the past were the high stakes that each sister needed to grapple with, so that like a ghost, what was true and what was a lie became blurry and hauntingly intrusive. The supernatural aspects of the story supported the intricate plot involving the haunted family, whose own secrets and tragedies mirrored the sisters complex relationship. I liked that the book was written with a dual perspective, one from Charlotte’s, the other from Sylvie’s point of view because it helped to drive home the idea, that nothing was as it appeared to be.
If you like ghostly fiction and stories about sisterly bonds, mother daughter relationships, and Parisian historical fiction, then I would highly recommend Spitting Gold. It will surprise you.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carmella Lowkis grew up in Wiltshire, UK, and has a degree in English literature and creative writing from the University of Warwick, where she was mentored by Sunday Times (London) bestselling author Sarah Moss. After graduating she worked in libraries before moving into book marketing. Carmella lives in North London with her girlfriend. You can follow her on Twitter @CarmellaLowkis. Spitting Gold is her first novel.
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