The Shape of Darkness: 'A future gothic classic' Martyn Waites

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The Shape of Darkness is genuinely creepy; not full on horror but it’s enough to leave you feeling distinctly uneasy after each chapter. There are séance scenes that’ll make you want to pull the covers up a little tighter and otherworldly encounters that’ll have you peering warily into dark corners of the house, convinced you can see shapes in the shadows. It triggers the imagination in the best of ways, ending with a series of consecutive twists that’ll alter the whole way you view Agnes and her unfortunate life. Anyhow, Agnes seems to believe that she is being targeted after the very first death. Which is...okay. The plot must go on I guess. I really liked, “The Silent Companions,” a previous novel by Laura Purcell and, although I hadn’t read anything else by her until now, I was looking forward to this and was sad to find I did not enjoy it more than I did. I found the characters somewhat melodramatic and struggled to get to grips with the mystery element of the novel and the later coincidences. Although the setting was creepy; complete with séances and Pearl’s father, suffering silently off stage, I could not engage with, or feel enough sympathy, with the characters to make this work for me. There was too much faintness – legs giving way, spots in front of eyes, physical weakness. I much preferred the fiery Myrtle, for all her faults. Great characters I cared about, dark gothic rooms, seances, one woman who worked as a silhouette artist, a child with a secret.....and that ending! Laura is a masterful writer, her deliciously gothic stories so skilfully woven that you can’t get them out of your head even if you wanted to' Stacey Halls, author of The Familiars

The Shape of Darkness (review) – Horrified The Shape of Darkness (review) – Horrified

Here are a few examples of why I did not like the author's writing: 'But it cannot be, not after all of these years', 'her heart flutters its wings inside her chest', the idea fills her with a sweet glow, 'in her face are those simmering, witchy eyes', 'her slender trunk' (this to describe a woman's figure), 'frightened whispers of her own conscience'. I really did enjoy this one. The three-star rating reflects my preference for more gothic elements to have occurred but I did appreciate the pervading gloomy atmosphere as well as the littered hints of paranormal elements. I really liked how the bloody mystery this focused on mingled with fantastic possibilities and Purcell detained information on either until right at the book's close. This historical novel is set in Victorian Bath, where Agnes Darken lives with her widowed mother and nephew, Cedric. Agnes is a silhouette artist in a time of change, when most of her customers are more interested in having a photographic portrait taken than having their outline snipped. Before long, we learn that not all is well with Agnes; she suffers frail health from an incident in her past, we discover a tale of tangled romance and financial hardship and her only real help comes from local doctor Simon, who was married to her sister, Constance.Compelling and darkly mysterious, The Shape of Darkness is a Victorian murder mystery, woven through with threads of spiritualism and the supernatural. I originally rated this a 4.5 but I’m changing the rating to a 5 because I can’t stop thinking about it. Why did it take me so long to finally read one of Purcell’s novels? Well, I absolutely loved this one! On the other hand, although Purcell used her tried-and-true formula to write this, it can't be criticized as formulaic. For her, the formula is magic, as she manipulates it in such a way that her mysteries aren’t interchangeable. Most positively, she always writes strong red herrings, and although sometimes too twisty, her twists are at least unpredictable. They alone make her books worth reading. The Shape of Darkness is obvious on only one point: that Agnes is hallucinating Cedric and her mom., but this isn’t one of the bigger revelations, and it doesn’t scream obvious. Beautifully eerie. Laura Purcell’s brilliance is in showing you a place and a time you think is familiar, and making every atom of it uncanny – and inThe Shape of Darkness, she does it better than ever.” — Natasha Pulley

The Shape of Darkness - Bloomsbury Publishing

Winner of Historical Crime Book of the Year category at The Fingerprint Awards 2022. Shortlisted for an Edgar Award and a Dead Good Readers’ Award. The Shape of Darkness is a little different from her other stories in that women take hold of their own destinies, manipulating others for good or ill. Sister relationships are also delved into with no positive result. Lore-wise the drow warriors are so accustomed to fight in low to no light conditions, that they are not especially hindered by it, which doesn't translate well balance-wise into the game. The spell is widely used by the drow in the Forgotten Realms novels. Uses included: A great murder mystery, aided by the author’s excellent application of deception, (I never guessed the way it would end!) along with the added intrigue of supernatural events. If you've enjoyed any of Purcell's previous novels then I think you'll enjoy this one too. It has all the same hallmarks, and I'll be recommending this one to anyone who will listen.Silhouette art isn’t just art in this gaslamp mystery by Laura Purcell. It’s uncommon now, but in the Victorian era, when photography was rare and expensive, silhouette art was prized. The Shape of Darkness is about an unassuming silhouette artist, Agnes Darken, and how her creations suddenly turn sinister when they become connected to some local murders. Having read all of Purcell's previous Gothic novels, I was very excited for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of her latest offering via NetGalley. Towards the end the story becomes so dramatic as to be frankly risible. There were a few scenes that were meant to inspire suspense or whatnot but they way they go down would have suited more a B movie.