The Other Side of Mrs Wood: The most irresistible historical fiction debut of the year

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Mrs. Violet Wood is London’s premier medium, a woman of supreme ambition whose and unique abilities have earned her the admiration and trust of London’s elite. Mrs. Wood is indeed a clever and gifted seer–her skill is unmatched in predicting exactly what her wealthy patrons want to hear from the beyond. This is a story based on the real rivalry between mediums at a time when seances, apporting, levitation and materialisations were at their height (and coincidentally, this is something I'm reading about for my own research at the moment, in Medical Medlars, Mediums and Magicians). The vast majority of those who claimed to be able to get in touch with the spirits were proved to be frauds. From the first, it's pretty clear that Mrs Wood is one of them, but her desire to do good, to provide solace and not to harm, in her own mind, make her valid. She is aided and abetted by her long-time friend and companion Sarah, but Sarah is spending more and more time supporting the cause of women's suffrage - and to Mrs Wood's horror, Sarah is also being courted. What follows is a battle between Mrs Wood and Emmie for supremacy and power - and income. Worried that her place at the top of the medium tree could be at risk, she decides that taking on an apprentice might help to keep her craft fresh. The girl - Miss Finch - isn't entirely as controllable as Mrs Wood had hoped. performance wasn't the thing that drove her. The japes were necessary: they validated her as a Medium by affirming her reputation. They allowed her space fkr the quieter moments where she did that thing that mattered: brought comfort and solace to those lost in grief. If she could apport am afternoon tea, complete with milk and sugar, she could channel a message of love." Intriguing, witty and unique. A must read!” - Sophie Irwin, author of A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting

A joy to read, completely fresh and original with a wonderful cast of characters. An exhilarating gallop through Victorian London, featuring rival mediums, dark secrets and some truly delicious double-crossing. Witty, evocative writing and wonderfully drawn characters add up to a huge treat of a novel.' Lucy Diamond I was surprised by this book, it was not what I was expecting at all, as there were no actual ghosts, these women were masters of illusion, but I still really enjoyed it. I found it very entertaining, it was witty, I did have a few laughs, it was full of surprises and I always like a good revenge plot. I loved the ending of this, I’m hopeful there will be a follow on. Overall this was a really good debut novel and I would recommend it.😊What should have been an intriguing tale of "what is real?/who is the white hat?" never had the chance to exist under the monotone style of writing with such feeble characters. Very little happens in this book that isn't well-signposted a long time in advance. It's not an unusual story in its plot, but setting it in the murky world of mediumship is interesting. We can assume that all of the women in this field are charlatans but some of them are better at hiding their fraud than others and all live in fear of being uncovered. What an immensely clever, hugely enjoyable conjuring of Victorian high society - it's clearly so well researched.' Emma Hughes, author or No Such Thing As Perfect Emmeline is fascinating, a genuinely talented person, but I heard warning bells as soon as she appeared. Barker does draw a wonderful portrait of ambitious, driven people in the two women, though it’s clear that Mrs. Wood sees her work as a way to provide succour for her clients’ grief and pain, which illuminates the difference between the two mediums intentions. This was great. Lucy Barker provides us with enough clues to deduce there’s something off with the almost preternaturally competent student, and we see Mrs. Wood’s desperation blinding her to all the signs. She’s not naïve (her mother ensured that), but her frustration with her clients’ constant need for more and newer propels Violet to not think things through before taking on the ingenue, and pushing away everyone in her life who actually cares about her.

I enjoyed the portrayal of Mrs Wood and Miss Finch as well as the supporting cast of characters. I could picture the clothing, the households, the carriages etc and feel the excitement as well as the manipulation and despair.

Mrs Wood is the most successful medium in Victorian London. Together with her assistant, Miss Newman, she hosts spectacular séances that have made her the talk of the town and brought the rich and famous to her door requesting private consultations. Of course, Mrs Wood can’t really communicate with spirits, but she doesn’t feel too guilty about what she’s doing – after all, a widow has to make a living somehow and this is the work she’s been raised to do. Recently, however, things have started going wrong. There are reports from America of mediums promising to materialise full spirits and although Mrs Wood disapproves of such things, she worries that her own more traditional shows are losing their spark. When she hears the unmistakable sound of a yawn during one of her séances, she knows she has to take action. Mrs Wood needs to spice up her brand. She decides to take on Emmie, a young protégé, to join her show. But is Emmie Finch the naïve ingenue she seems to be? Or does she pose more of a threat to Mrs Wood’s reign and, more horrifyingly, her reputation than Mrs Wood could ever have imagined? I really loved the premise of this novel; two female rival spiritualist mediums fight it out for the best patronage in Victorian London. However, I think my trouble with enjoying this book stems from the characterization of the main character and the pacing of the story. When she sees a young promising woman, Violet takes on Miss Emmeline Finch as her protégé, and gradually trains her up, and begins introducing her to her clientele, all of whom are taken with the young woman's skills. And though Violet's partner and best friend Miss Sarah Newsome warns her against the young woman, Violet hears none of this, and only wants Emmy to succeed. Audio Notes: Tracy-Ann Oberman does a nice job with the narration, particularly with a variety of arch society voices and gradually building up tension during seances and other charged moments. My only quibble was her voice for Emmie Finch--it was so simpering and uncertain, it seemed unbelievable that the sharp Mrs. Woods wouldn't have caught on to her schemes sooner.