Reviews

It's official: I'm now on a Laura Purcell binge. I fear I may even be coming a fan of Victorian gothic!
Like a tasty treat, find something you like and you keep reaching for it.

In desperate need of employment, Jenny takes up a job as a dresser at the Mercury Theatre. However, the post comes with strings attached, in that she must spy on the lead actress, Lilith. The latter is a true artiste, with a demanding nature, and a secret that threatens Jenny's employer. As events unfold, this becomes a story of superstition and revenge, with a range of startling deaths to match.

I love that the story is so immersive, which is down to a clever plot but more importantly believable characters that evolve over the course of the novel. None of the characters are sugary sweet, they all have an agenda which is tested in different ways as the cost of loyalty is tested.

I read "The Whispering Muse" after [bc:The Corset|39098246|The Corset|Laura Purcell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1521746242l/39098246._SY75_.jpg|60683917] by the same author. The Corset was so good I started two other books and just couldn't settle to them. Lesson learned. I'll complete a Laura Purcell binge before trying any other authors.

jayniemack89's review

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.0

md21's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes

endlessmidnight's review

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dark informative lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Honestly this thing really touched me again, as to how the main character Jenny has to learn to appreciate and understand not everyone was who she sees, the Dryers, her brother, Georgiana. Lilith is the most surprising change of giving her a human quality beyond the harlot more or less. I was impressed by how much of a twist. The ending was as per usual, breathtaking even if bittersweet, at least she was done with the theatre. The question does linger about Mrs Dryer, how she knew it, and her roles, and yet everyone here is mysterious, dangerous. And all the actors will do anything to mesmerize or captivate an audience, through supernatural means. It does talk about the fleetingness of stardom more or less. And it's wonderful.

myadventurewithbooks's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

pagesofblonde's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

filipapintovieira's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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