The Society of Free Spirits: A Grave Inheritance

This is definitely a story for those who love the gothic style, set within the Victorian time period.  The main character Dolores, is introduced as being on her deathbed (for the twelfth time in two months), having lost both her father and elder sister to Cholera in the previous two years.  However, when strange noises and events start to happen Dolores begins to wonder whether the deaths were natural. Together with her neighbour, Ada, who is a fan of the supernatural, they gain the support of a young medium called Violet and set out to discover what is really going on.  This part of the plot is balanced with two sub-plots based around a possible suitor for Dolores and then the young apothecary who helps the girls in their quest to find some answers.  It is fascinating to see how these various threads gradually come together as the plot unfolds.

What an absolutely delicious tale for those who want their mystery stories spiced by a hint of the supernatural.  The three girls are all feisty young people, even Dolores, and are determined to take a lead, even though they are fighting the Victorian status quo.  The author has provided us with a real sense of the time and the way that females are treated in society.  This was a time where females were thought to be delicate, weak willed and subject to versions of hypochondria, so the family doctor felt that her symptoms were in her mind, something which often ended up with the person being admitted to an asylum. Importantly we have the slow build up of tension as we start to understand that there is a sinister scheme to rob Dolores of her substantial inheritance; but who is the villain and can they be revealed before it is too late?  Underlying this is the possibility that the spirit of  Dolores’ sister really is haunting the house and trying to name her murderer, as well as save her sister.  This is a brilliant start to what promises to be a new favourite series of mine, definitely a five-star story.