Promotional Information

Beware of the Muse and what she offers you, what she demands in return may be more than you are willing to pay... The Whispering Muse is a beguiling novel inspired by Greek mythology, Faust, and The Phantom of the Opera from the award winning, Sunday Times bestseller, Laura Purcell

About the Author

Laura Purcell is a former bookseller living in Colchester, Essex with her husband and pet guinea pigs. She is the author of six previous novels, among them Gothic novel The Silent Companions, which was a Radio 2 and Zoe Ball ITV Book Club pick and The Shape of Darkness, winner of the inaugural Fingerprint Award for Historical Crime Book of the Year. Her short story 'The Chillingham Chair' was included in The Haunting Season anthology, which was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. She also wrote 'Roanoake Falls', a dramatic podcast for Realm, working with John Carpenter and Sandy King Carpenter.

Reviews

Laura Purcell, a skilful purveyor of gothic tales, has created another darkly twisting narrative in The Whispering Muse * Sunday Times *
Laura Purcell has done it again. An actress sells her soul for fame and success. Dripping in atmosphere, gloriously gothic' -- Erin Kelly, Sunday Times bestselling author of He Said/She Said
Darkly seductive and artfully realised, this is a novel which in true Purcell style weaves a menacing net of intrigue that makes it very hard to put down. Undoubtedly her best Gothic tale yet! -- Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of number one bestseller, PANDORA
Emotional and physical ferocity ... fills these colourful pages * Literary Review *
Spooky, atmospheric, brilliant ... Think I love it the best out of all Laura's books. Watch out for it - but beware... -- Bridget Collins, author of number one bestseller, THE BINDING
Atmospheric, gripping, absorbing - The Whispering Muse is another Gothic triumph from Laura Purcell. It's deliciously creepy, riveting and full of heart with compelling characters and brilliant twists. The theatrical setting and use of the tragedies on stage that are woven expertly into the unfolding story is glitteringly dark and mesmerising -- Jennifer Saint, Sunday Times bestselling author of ARIADNE and ELEKTRA
For those who like to scare themselves silly, there's a new book from the queen of gothic chillers * Good Housekeeping *
In The Whispering Muse, Laura Purcell has crafted a totally immersive take on the Faustus myth - dark and disturbing, but with so much heart. Her best yet. -- Beth Underdown, author of THE WITCHFINDER'S SISTER and THE KEY IN THE LOCK
Dripping with atmosphere and mounting dread, The Whispering Muse will haunt you long past the final page. Laura Purcell is a master of her craft. I still have goosebumps! -- Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS
A gothic masterpiece. Gripping, atmospheric and with an absolutely sensational ending, I loved every single page of this wonderful book -- Elodie Harper, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf Den Trilogy
Every bit as sinister and macabre as we've come to expect from a novel by Laura Purcell -- Rosie Andrews, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Leviathan
Another fantastic outing for Laura Purcell in this gripping, theatrical drama - fabulous characters, twists and turns aplenty. Deliciously dark and very satisfying -- Rebecca Netley, author of THE WHISTLING
Another triumph for Purcell * Woman & Home *
Deliciously creepy and vividly told, this gorgeous Gothic tale is already one of my favourite books of the year. -- JJA Harwood, author of THE SHADOW IN THE GLASS
I have rarely read anything that burns so vividly, so fierce and bright - it is profoundly affecting. I felt it all - the agonising passion of creation and the sacrifice of everything for the sake of it. I read it feverishly throughout a plane journey and got my luggage with one hand while holding the book in the other, inhaling the last pages. The Whispering Muse is a sinuous, dark spell of a story that left me reeling -- Catriona Ward, author of The Last House on Needless Street
A sumptuous piece of gothic theatre set in a theatre populated by the beautiful and the damned. Something wicked very much this way comes. Fabulous -- Sarah Pinborough, author of Behind Her Eyes
Wonderful... I stayed up into the wee small hours finishing it, and absolutely loved it. I am generally a slow reader but this was one of those rare books I kept finding myself called back to, or unable to stop reading even though it was way past lights out -- James Oswald, author of the Inspector Maclean series
Her darkest and most delicious yet. A chilling Faustian tale of rumour, obsession and ambition set in the shadowy world of London theatre in the nineteenth century. Laura Purcell gets better and better with every book -- Anna Mazzola, author of The Clockwork Girl
Welcome to the Mercury Theatre where jealousy and ambition tread the boards and tragedy steals the limelight. The Whispering Muse is deftly written, wonderfully atmospheric and just a touch gruesome. I devoured it -- Sonia Velton, author of Blackberry and Wild Rose
The Whispering Muse is a delightful gothic treat packed with drama, mystery and dread. I couldn't get enough of the spooky events at the Mercury Theatre; Laura Purcell really is a master of the unsettling ghost story -- Jen Williams
A tale of jealousy, betrayal and supernatural horror that will grip you to the very end * Gazette & Herald *
A gothic tale full of twists and turns * Belfast Telegraph *
Eerie throughout and surprisingly gory at times, this book is not for the fainthearted * PA Media *
Eerily atmospheric, this novel heads into the theatrical heartland of Victorian London, presenting a deliciously gothic tale of cursed watches, acrimonious jealousies and illicit love * Mail on Sunday *
Both haunting and tragic, this is an unputdownable gothic fever-dream dripping in deadly drama * Fantasy Hive *
Laura Purcell has been writing excellent gothic horror novels for a while, but her fifth foray into the genre - The Whispering Muse - might possibly be her masterpiece. -- Books & Bao
Swirling storytelling in the backstage machinations of the Mercury "tragic-play" Theatre Company * The Australian Women's Weekly *