Winner of the Caledonia Novel Award
A shiver thrilled my spine at the thought of what might be contained in collections to be kept away from ordinary eyes ...
London, 1873. Madeleine Brewster's marriage to Dr Lucius Everley was meant to be the solution to her family's sullied name. After all, Lucius is a well-respected collector of natural curiosities - his 'Small Museum' is his life's work, although firmly kept under lock and key. His sister Grace's philanthropic work with fallen women also adds to the polished reputation of the family.
However, Maddie finds herself unwelcome in her new home and the more she learns about Lucius and Grace, the more she suspects that unimaginable horrors lie behind the respectable façade.
Then Maddie is framed for a crime that would take her to the gallows and leave the Everleys free to continue their dark schemes. Her only hope is her friend Caroline who must prove Maddie's innocence before the trial reaches its fatal conclusion.