Rich in atmosphere and detail, as enchanting as The Lost Apothecary and The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock, a deliciously witty historical debut about the fiery rivalry between two female mediums at the height of Victorian London’s obsession with Spiritualism.“A delicious insider tale that charmed me with its wit, its loyalties, and its betrayals. Brava, Lucy Barker. Thank you for this intriguing and so very smart journey back to London’s medium madness.”—Elinor Lipman, author of Ms. Demeanor

Mrs. Wood is London’s most celebrated medium. She’s managed to survive decades in the competitive world of contacting the Other Side and avoid the dreaded slips that revealed others as frauds, and is still hosting packed-out séances for Victorian high society.

Yet some of her patrons have recently canceled their appointments. There are reports of American mediums nearly materializing full spirits, and audiences are no longer satisfied with the knocking on tables and candle theatrics of years gone by. And then, at one of Mrs. Wood’s routine gatherings, she hears something terrifying—faint, but unmistakable: a yawn.

Mrs. Wood needs to spice up her brand and takes on Emmie Finch, a young protégée, to join her show. But is Emmie the naive ingenue she seems to be? Or does she pose more of a threat to Mrs. Wood’s reign—and, more horrifyingly, her reputation—than the medium could foresee?