book review the london seance society

Book Review: The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner

Posted March 11, 2023 by WendyW in Book Review , bookblogger , Uncategorized / 14 Comments

***I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***

'A great choice for fans of historical European settings, the power of women, and the fringes of the paranormal' Booklist Starred Review

'Sarah Penner brings history to vivid life in this atmospheric and evocative whodunnit steeped in suspense, mystery, and illusion' Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestseller of The Maid

From the author of the intoxicating bestseller The Lost Apothecary comes an entrancing exploration of the blurred lines between truth and illusion and the grave risks women take to avenge the ones they love.

May mercy be upon the man who finds himself the enemy of a vengeful medium...

1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves...

'Breathtaking' Pam Jenoff 'Smart and seductive' Fiona Davis 'An explosive, immersive, time-bomb of a novel' Laurie Lico Albanese 'Mesmerizing, seductive and absolutely irresistible' Hank Phillippi Ryan

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner is a historical mystery with some romance.  

Story Recap:

Acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire, is about to perform a séance in an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris.  Vaudeline D’Allaire is an accomplished spiritualist renowned throughout the world for conjuring spirits.  

Lenna Wickes wants answers to her sister’s death.  She doesn’t believe in séances but is desperate to discover what happened to her sister.  Mr. Morley, the current president of the Society’s Department of Spiritualism,  needs to know what happened to his predecessor, Mr. Wolckman, who was brutally murdered the same day as Lenna’s sister.  

My Thoughts: 

I enjoyed this atmospheric, Victorian story about spiritualism and murder!  I’ve always heard that the Victorians enjoyed this spiritualism and séances so it was fun to read a story set in this time.  

Although the story has a slow start, once it picked up, I was quickly immersed in the story.  The author does a wonderful job of making me feel like I’m there with the characters.  The mystery was interesting and I didn’t figure it out until the characters did.  

The story switched POVs between Lenna and Mr. Morley which helped move the story along.  

Recommendation: 

I highly recommend The London Séance Society to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.  I received a complimentary copy of this book.  The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About Sarah Penner

Sarah Penner is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of THE LOST APOTHECARY, which has been translated into 40 languages worldwide. Sarah and her husband live in Florida.

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The London Séance Society counts towards my Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2023

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14 responses to “ book review: the london séance society by sarah penner ”.

I loved Sarah Penner’s previous book, so am looking forward to this one. I just downloaded the audiobook. Thanks for the warning about the slow start, I will make sure I stick with it. Wonderful review, Wendy.

Love the cover of this one and it sounds maybe kind of spooky? Great review!

I have this on my audio TBR and have been really looking forward to listening to this but haven’t seen many reviews. I’m so glad to see you enjoyed it!

Seance makes interesting theme in books. Great review, Wendy!

Glad to see you enjoyed this one! I’m excited for it!

I hope you enjoy it too

I’ve been so curious about this one! Glad to see you liked it so much. 😀

Thank you, Lark

I really liked The Lost Apothecary, so I’m excited to read this one.

I hope you enjoy it, Kristi!

Lovely review Wendy!☕🤗📚💜

Thank you, Susan

This sounds like a good read, great review 😊

Thank you, Jenny

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The London Séance Society

Written by Sarah Penner Review by J. Lynn Else

In 1873, the London Séance Society is a gentlemen’s-only club whose president’s murder during an All Hallows Eve soiree has been unsolved for months. Society vice-president Mr. Morley (told in first-person narration) is pressured to produce answers. There’s only one person he can think to call on: renowned medium Vaudeline D’Allaire. Meanwhile in Paris, since her sister’s murder, Lenna (told in third-person narration) has taken an apprenticeship with Vaudeline, who specializes in helping people connect with unsolved murder victims. Lenna struggles with her grief and trusting in that which she can’t see, including a growing affection towards her teacher. Despite having fled London a year earlier for her safety, when Mr. Morley requests Vaudeline’s services, she agrees. Lenna hopes when in London Vaudeline can shed light on her sister’s murder too.

The story is about connections. From the living to the dead, to the characters and their inner circles, the complex web of these connections slowly unravels until the truth is at last unveiled. Penner flips back and forth through time, mostly through character recollections. As past tense verbs aren’t often employed, it’s easy to mix up the past versus present narratives. While Lenna and Morley interact within the same time and place, the changing of narratives from first and third person within the same scenes feels disruptive to the story’s flow. Character-wise, Lenna is frustratingly inept and often hinders her own plans with rash decisions. Plus, it takes her a bit too long to figure things out. A small historical note: the women are referred to and sign off as “Ms.,” a term not in use until the 1950s.

During the seances, a lush gothic atmosphere permeates the narrative in entrancing and spine-tingling ways. Readers will also enjoy the multiple twists and turns of the plot in this supernatural murder mystery.

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Book Review: The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner

Hey, The Lost Apothecary fans! Looking forward to Penner’s new book, The London Séance Society ? So was I! Read on to find out why I didn’t love it as much as her first.

The Summary

May mercy be upon the man who finds himself the enemy of a vengeful medium…

1873: At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

The London Séance Society started out in such an interesting way: with a séance! It really pulls you in and gets you excited for everything that’s about to follow.

There are some real positives about this book. When you read through reviews, you’ll see a lot of comments about the dark, gothic vibes, which I’ll agree was really the star of the book. It really pulls you right into the whole séance scene and makes you feel like you could be sitting around the table with them. Very cool stuff.

Another thing I loved about this book is Vaudeline. She’s just awesome – a stand-out woman when it was incredibly hard to be such a thing. She knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to go for it. Not to mention, she’s in touch with the spirit world 👻. In my opinion, she stole the show, and the female narrator, Lenna, was just okay.

The last thing I’ll touch on (no spoilers, don’t worry!) is the ending of the book. Things got pretty intense at the end with a very dark, very high-stakes séance. The whole book really is leading up to this one big thing (it’s talked about through a lot of the story), and the big thing didn’t disappoint for me. It actually gave the book back half a star!

Now, the parts I didn’t love so much…the pacing. Somehow I was bored at times, and just wanted to get to the juicy stuff. It seems like that’s what the author was trying for, as there’s some sort of “dun dun dunnnn” reveal/revelation at the end of just about every chapter for a good stretch. That kind of pacing made it a little cliché for me.

There’s also one point near the end of the story where you find yourself yelling at a main character, “What the heck are you doing?? Don’t you think maybe you should get the heck out of there?!?” There was just this whole plan put together, and then the character arrives where she’s supposed to get something and leave and she just….sits there. It didn’t make sense to me and made me want to throw the book down. Come on, character, get your act together.

So, overall there were some pain points for me, but the ending redeemed the book a little. I have no doubt The London Séance Society will have many fans and delight readers everywhere, but for me it was 3.5 stars.

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Kate’s Review: “The London Séance Society”

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Book : “The London Séance Society” by Sarah Penner

Publishing Info : Park Row, March 2023

Where Did I Get This Book : I received an eARC from NetGalley.

Where You Can Get This Book : WorldCat | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description : 1873.   At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike .

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves …

Review : Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this novel!

I was very enamored with Sarah Penner’s previous novel “The Lost Apothecary”, as it told the story of women who had to take their lives and sense of justice into their own hands during a time when there were so few options granted to them should they be abused by powerful men. Talk about cathartic! So I knew that when she came out with a new historical thriller/mystery I would definitely want to check it out. You can probably guess that when I saw that her new book was called “The London Séance Society”, I was VERY excited. Not only was Penner doing another woman centric historical thriller with a feminist bent, but she was also maybe bringing in GHOSTS! Or at the very least the ideas of ghosts, mediums, and séances from the Victorian Spiritualism movement!

The thriller and dark fantasy elements of this book worked really well together, branching out from her previous genre that’s steeped in non-supernatural themes and doing so with success. I really loved the mystery as renowned medium Vaudeline and her apprentice Lenna are pulled into the mysterious death of Vaudeline’s friend Mr. Volckman, who was the head of the men’s only spiritualist group The London Séance Society, and how both women have their reasons for wanting to find the truth about him and his group. For Vaudeline, she is trying to keep the reputation of spiritualism untainted, and the LSS is rumored to be a bit suspect. For Lenna, it’s that her sister Evie (a former student of Vaudeline and aspiring medium) was murdered, and Lenna is trying to figure out what happened to her, while realizing that she, too, may have gifts that she doesn’t really believe in.

We had a couple perspectives, the first being a third person perspective of Lenna as she tries to solve her sister’s murder. Lenna is skeptical and grief stricken, but is also finding herself growing more attracted to Vaudeline as they prepare to conduct a séance with the LSS. The other perspective is that of Mr. Morley, one of the high ranking members of the LSS, and his is in the first person and generally in the past. With both these perspectives we get the pieces of the two puzzles, and we start to wonder who can be trusted and what is real and what is not. I did find myself questioning the motives and perspectives of a few of the characters, and I was surprised by a few of the reveals. It’s a well done mystery with some moments of true suspense, as well as some solid supernatural bits and elements that worked well. I liked Lenna enough, I REALLY liked Vaudeline, and most of the characters had interesting moments and felt pretty grounded in reality given the time, the place, and their motives. I also liked that from the jump we know that while Lenna is skeptical, Vaudeline has a very real gift and talent, and that the ghost aspects of this book were leaned into and made for an interesting fantasy angle.

I really do have to gush about the setting of this story, as the Victorian Era has something of a special place in my heart due to the fact I used to work as an interpreter in a Victorian mansion in St. Paul. Penner hits the nail on the head with the historical tidbits when it comes to spiritualism, séances, gender and class divisions, and superstitions of the time period, and uses it all to create a well conceived mystery with it’s fair share of timeless themes. I loved that our protagonists Vaudeline and Lenna are two women mediums who are trying to solve the murders of Volckman and Evie, but are coming up against a men’s only group that has taken the skills of women mediums, twisted them for monetary gains, and has banned women from the group altogether while creating fraudulent practices that endanger the reputations of real spiritualists like Vaudeline. I mean, how freaking typical (and also true! The LSS is based on the actual Ghost Club from that time period, and no, women were NOT allowed even thought it was women who were the pioneers of the spiritualism movement, fraudulent as it was). There is also a very handy historical note at the back of the book that puts a lot of this into context AND has recipes for a couple refreshments of the time period AND has a candle making guide! This is my total jam and it was a fun surprise at the end of the book.

I enjoyed “The London Séance Society”, and Sarah Penner has started a streak of engaging historical thrillers. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

Rating 8 : A compelling mystery that puts women mediums at the forefront and explores spiritualism, misogyny, and an obsession with the dead during the Victorian Era.

Reader’s Advisory :

“The London Séance Society” is included on the Goodreads lists “Bone Book Club” and “Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2023” .

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The London Séance Society

Lenna Wickes, and her younger sister Evie, are very different people. Lenna is interested in the world and how it works. She has an interest in science, even though she knows that a young lady in Victorian London is not supposed to be interested in such things. Evie, on the other hand, is interested in the spirit world. She is interested in spirits, séances, and the world a step removed from our own. The two sisters regularly taunt and challenge each other on their interests and perspectives of the world.

And then, suddenly, Evie is gone. She is murdered and the police do not seem to have any answers regarding the questions of why Evie died or who killed her. In desperation, Lenna travels to Paris to seek out Vaudeline D’Allaire. She is a noted spiritualist and the person under whom Evie was studying the spirit world. Lenna has many doubts about Vaudeline and her abilities. But she also knows that the woman has a reputation for discovering the identities of murderers by communicating with their victims. Lenna pledges herself as an apprentice to Vaudeline, in the hopes of gaining the skills necessary to learn who killed her sister.

When Vaudeline is asked to return to London to investigate the death of the president of The London Séance Society, Lenna joins her. It turns out the society president, Mr. Volckman, died on All Hallow’s Eve – the same night Evie died. Is it possible that the two deaths are connected somehow? Will Vaudeline be able to identify not one, but two killers?

In The London Séance Society, Sarah Penner, author of 2021’s marvelous The Lost Apothecary , returns to Victorian London with a story of murder, obsession, and secrets, both kept and revealed. She explores Victorian London’s fascination with the paranormal, and how that interest was often subverted and weaponized. She illustrates how the impacts of the spiritualist movement on the larger culture and also how it was approached, and experienced, differently by men and women. She also shows how paranormal interests and activities were one of the few places in Victorian society where women were allowed to have a measure of authority and autonomy. It provided them the opportunity to control their own activities and lives in ways that were simply not acceptable in other areas of polite society.

The mysteries of who killed Evie Wickes and Mr. Volckman provide a marvelous framework for all of this, and culminate in a series of revelations and confrontations that are fantastic in every sense of the word.

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Review: The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner

From the author of the sensational bestseller  The Lost Apothecary  comes a spellbinding tale about two daring women who hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead. 1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike. Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

Whether one believes that death is merely the gateway to the next great adventure, or that one is ascends to heaven or descends to hell, or that it is an end to all things – or holds some other belief altogether – we don’t actually KNOW in the empirical, scientific, provable and replicable sense. All that is certain is that death is inevitable – even more so than taxes in spite of the cliché.

The desire to know may be universal. When this story takes place in the 1870s the belief that it was possible to communicate with the dead, to reach behind that veil and either send or receive a message from those who had left us behind, was at its height. And also, as this book tells, its all too human, fallible and corruptible depths.

In other words, spiritualism was a very big – and very profitable deal in the 1870s. Victoria and the Victorian Era she gave her name to practically fetishized death. In the Re-United States there were few if any households who had not lost a friend or a loved one in the recent war. Plenty of people were looking for comfort or solace or simply closure.

No matter how prevalent beliefs in the spirit world may have been in the 1870s, later investigations proved that most of what was purported to be proof was actually proof of fraud and the gullibility of grieving people to believe what they needed to believe to get through their grief – or not, as the case might be.

But what if some of those beliefs were not misplaced? What if some mediums really could reach beyond the veil to bring true messages from the dead?

Lenna Wickes begins the story only believing in things she can see and hear and touch. But in her desperation to discover the truth about her sister’s murder, she turns to noted spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire to learn the tricks of her trade in the hopes of learning that truth – or at least of expiating her own guilt that their last conversation was yet another in an endless series of arguments.

What she finds instead is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and a fish that has rotted from the head down and threatens to engulf her and the woman she loves. Unless it blows up in her face.

Her previous novel combined “a bit of a time slip story with historical fiction, a soupcon of magical realism and just a touch of mystery.” The London Séance Society skipped the timeslip, but told an even more fascinating tale of historical fiction with a much larger portion of magical realism and a heaping helping of mystery.

The magical realism is the part of the story that is both lampshaded and played straight at the same time – which keeps both the reader and the protagonist guessing from beginning to end.

Lenna Wickes represents the 21st century reader who does not believe in anything she can’t see or touch. Before her sister’s death, she collected fossils. But her sister Evie, who seemed to be a firm believer in spiritualism, claimed that those fossils were a kind of proof that it was possible to reach beyond the veil. That those preserved insects in amber, or the impressions of long-dead leaves and creatures in rock was just another way of reaching beyond death.

The sisters – as sisters do – strongly disagreed and were in disagreement when Evie was murdered.

Lenna dives into the world of spiritualism in an attempt to either communicate with her sister or figure out why she died, or both. She doesn’t believe, but she does feel that there might be something there. It’s also entirely possible that what she feels is considerably more related to her teacher than what she is being taught.

Whether Lenna believes or not, whether Vaudeline D’Allaire is a true medium or a fraud, it’s clear from the beginning that there is something rotten at The London Séance Society, a rich and powerful gentlemen’s club that prides itself on providing séances and other proofs of spiritualism.

Evie Wickes and the Society’s President were murdered on the same night – but not in the same place. It makes no sense to either Lenna or Vaudeline that the deaths could possibly be related. Until coincidences start piling up, and it becomes clear that someone high up in the Society was involved in something dirty that needed to be covered up. By any means necessary.

What made the story so compelling was the way that at first it seems like the identity of the rotter is obvious, to the point where one starts to believe one has it all figured out long before Lenna reaches that point. But there’s a niggle that it can’t possibly be that simple, and that’s what keeps one – or at least kept me – turning pages well into the night.

Because the more Lenna digs into the Society, the more dirt comes up, and the more the obvious conclusion looks to be hiding another, more sinister conclusion that is less obvious and even more unthinkable than the first terrible possibility. To the point where just when you think you can see the final twist coming – the story has yet one more turn to surprise you with.

The Lost Apothecary was very, very good. The London Séance Society is even better. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next!

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2 thoughts on “ Review: The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner ”

A seance turns into a real live mystery. Good review; enjoyed it.

https://bookdilettante.blogspot.com

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Booklover Book Reviews

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner, Review: Atmospheric

The London Séance Society is a new atmospheric historical fiction novel from Sarah Penner, the first since her breakout 2021 debut, The Lost Apothecary . Read my full review.

The London Séance Society Book Synopsis

Amid the shrouded parlours of Victorian London, two daring women hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead.

1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

Written with alluring suspense and sultry prose,  The London Séance Society  is an entrancing tale that explores the blurred lines between truth and illusion, and reveals the grave risks women will take to avenge the ones they love.

( HQ Fiction , March 2023)

Genre: Mystery, Historical, Drama, Crime-Detective, Romance

Disclosure: If you click a link in this post we may earn a small commission to help offset our running costs.

Book Review

You do not need to be a ‘believer’ to enjoy this historical mystery novel. In fact, more often than not, this title speaks to the sceptics. In The London Seance Society , Penner has balanced tacit ridicule of the charlatans and naivety of the Victorian society that cultivated them with deep compassion for the individuals so grief-stricken that they fell prey to them. But that was not her only choice regarding story perspective that I found curious.

This story narrative alternates between the third-person perspective of an at times feisty, sceptical and grieving Lenna Wickes and the first-person perspective of a London Seance Society member. At first, I found the enforced detachment with the story protagonist alongside the uncommon intimacy with a character of indeterminate alliances unsettling. But I soon realised it was this unsettling tension, along with the electricity between the two women battling multiple forces unseen, that propels this story along.

“How ironic, she thought, the mention of seance etched into the fossil-studded stone. Two sides of the dead, the illusory and the tangible.” 

While not without a refreshing twist and vivid descriptions of gothic Victorian-era characters, readers’ enjoyment of The London Seance Society will depend on their reading mood; specifically their appetite for escapism and entertaining crime mystery tropes. For me, Sarah Penner’s second novel was a very enjoyable read.

BOOK RATING: The Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4 / 5

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More historical mysteries:.

• Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
• The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
• The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde
• People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
• A Necessary Murder by M J Tjia

More The London Séance Society reviews

“Penner has conjured up another winner. Bristling with tension and featuring strong women who aren’t afraid to defy conventions, this gothic mystery is both smart and seductive. Haunting in the best of ways, I swear I could feel the London fog on my cheek (or was that a spirit…) as I flew through the pages.”  — Fiona Davis,  New York Times  bestselling author of  The Magnolia Palace

“Penner delivers another captivating feminist gothic tale.” — Publishers Weekly

“The novel is never overly sentimental. Instead, it finds its strength in solid character development, a riveting mystery, and the fun that encourages us to seek out tarot cards, ouija boards and palm readers. — BookReporter

About the Author, Sarah Penner

Sarah Penner is the  New York Times  bestselling author of  The Lost Apothecary . She works full-time in finance and is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. She and her husband live in St. Petersburg, Florida, with their miniature dachshund, Zoe. To learn more, visit sarahpenner.com .

* My receiving a copy of The London Seance Society from the publisher for review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions.

A booklover with diverse reading interests, who has been reviewing books and sharing her views and opinions on this website and others since 2009.

REVIEW: The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner

Posted April 23rd, 2023 by Sara @HarlequinJunkie in Blog , Historical Fiction , Review / 7 comments

Picking up after the mysterious death of Evie Wickes, understudy to the renowned spiritualist Vaudeline, Lenna, Evie’s sister begins to unravel layers of a scandal that could ultimately bring about her undoing. As her and Vaudeline embark on the hunt to understand the circumstances surrounding Evie’s death and potentially uncover her murderer, our two female heroes find more than just the answers they are searching for that stirs between them.

Throughout, context and language use was appropriate to the time as well as some assertions on gender and the constructs that continue to shape our present and future; women cross-dressing in disguise to be part of underground societies that were deemed too risqué for the sensitivities of women. And yet, it is Lenna’s bravery and determination to uncover the truth that reveals the fraudulent tricks that sees hundreds of grieving widows become prey to predators perhaps more beastly than your common shark.

With nothing left to do but hold a séance in the underbelly of London, Lenna struggles with the mission, her growing feelings for Vaudeline and the reality that she might not like the truth when she finds it. With some great moments of warmth and tension, and a potential romance that never really blossomed, this one captures the period perfectly and whets the appetite for those who like to dig into the shady side of the British underground.

1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

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7 Responses to “REVIEW: The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner”

Thanks for the review.

Sounds suspenseful.

Amy Donahue

Sounds like something I would enjoy, in fact it’s already on my want to read list.

Sounds interesting. Thank you for the review.

nice review

Dianne Casey

Sounds really interesting. I like reading historical fiction. Already on my TBR list.

Banana cake

Thanks for the review, I don’t usually like historical fiction.

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Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, the london séance society.

• About the Book

From the author of the sensational bestseller THE LOST APOTHECARY comes a spellbinding tale about two daring women who hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead.

1873 . At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves.

Written with intoxicating suspense and sultry prose, THE LONDON SÉANCE SOCIETY is an entrancing tale that blurs the lines between truth and illusion, and reveals the grave risks women will take to avenge the ones they love.

Audiobook available, read by Lauren Irwin and Alex Wyndham

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner

• Publication Date: April 30, 2024
• Genres: Fiction , Gothic , Historical Fiction , Historical Mystery , Mystery
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Park Row
• ISBN-10: 0778334430
• ISBN-13: 9780778334439

The London Séance Society

47 pages • 1 hour read

The London Séance Society: A Novel

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-6

Chapters 7-14

Chapters 15-24

Chapters 25-33

Chapter 34-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

Written by Sarah Penner in 2023, The London Séance Society: A Novel is a historical murder mystery with a tinge of the supernatural. Taking place in 1873, the novel focuses on Lenna Wickes , a science-minded woman who is investigating the death of her younger sister by becoming an apprentice to Vaudeline D’Allaire , the spiritualist medium with whom her sister Evie also apprenticed. Lenna’s investigation leads her into the heart of the London Séance Society, a group that purports to perform reputable séances for grieving people, often widows who have lost their husbands. As Lenna learns more about Evie’s connections to the Society, she begins to uncover the Society’s dark history and the truth of her sister’s murder.

The London Séance Society is Penner’s second novel. Her first, The Lost Apothecary , tells the story of a woman who sells poisons to other women who are victimized by the men in their lives. Like The Lost Apothecary , The London Séance Society uses its historical setting to shed light on the questions of power, oppression, and community that contemporary women face.

This guide refers to the Park Row Books 2023 hardcover edition of The London Séance Society .

Content Warning : The source text and this guide include descriptions of sexism and misogynistic language, along with descriptions of murder, bodily injury, and attempted sexual assault.

Plot Summary

Lenna Wickes is investigating the mysterious death of her younger sister, Evie, when the trail leads her to the London Séance Society, an all-male collective with which Evie was connected. The novel has a braided structure, alternating between chapters from Lenna’s point of view and chapters from the perspective of Mr. Morely , the head of the Society’s Department of Spiritualism, who is coping with the unexpected loss of the Society’s president, Mr. Volckman.

As the novel opens, Lenna and Vaudeline D’Allaire, the medium with whom she is apprenticing, are performing a séance on the outskirts of Paris. Lenna does not believe in ghosts , but she is determined to learn about séances because Evie was an ardent believer and was apprenticed to Vaudeline before her death. Vaudeline specializes in contacting the spirits of those who died under mysterious circumstances. To do this, Vaudeline must perform the séance at the scene of the person’s death. Before the séance begins, a messenger brings Vaudeline news that Mr. Volckman, the president of the London Séance Society, has been found murdered. Her assistance is required to solve the case. Vaudeline used to be connected to the Society but left London for reasons unknown to Lenna. The letter was sent by Mr. Morely, the head of the Society’s Department of Spiritualism, who was a close friend of Volckman’s. Unbeknownst to Lenna and Vaudeline, Morely’s narration reveals that he also met Evie in the months before her death. Morely and Evie struck up a relationship, and Morely offered answers to Evie’s questions about spiritualism and the Society in exchange for spending time together.

Vaudeline suggests that Lenna accompany her to London to perform the séance. This irritates Lenna; although she is apprenticed to Vaudeline and hopes to see concrete evidence of ghosts, she has no wish to constantly disrupt her life. Vaudeline tries to comfort Lenna by holding her hand, but this only leads Lenna to wonder if Vaudeline is romantically interested in her. Lenna used to be secretly romantically involved with a woman named Eloise Heslop, but Eloise and her father were killed in an accident. At the time, the Society performed an unsuccessful séance to get answers about the Heslops’ deaths, but the only tangible result was that the Heslop widow eventually married Mr. Cleland, one of the Society’s members.

After wrestling with her own feelings of lust for Vaudeline, Lenna decides to accompany her to London. On the way, they discuss the items that Lenna found among Evie’s belongings after her death, many of which were used by fraudulent mediums. Vaudeline tells Lenna that she left London and the Society because Volckman became aware of fraudulent mediums operating within the Society and warned her that investigating such mediums would potentially endanger Vaudeline. Vaudeline now insists that Lenna step away from the case and leave Vaudeline to conduct the investigation alone. However, when the two women meet Morely, Lenna realizes that he is wearing a hat that once belonged to Evie, and she insists on accompanying Vaudeline to uncover the connection between Morely and her sister.

When they arrive at the Society, Morely introduces them to Constable Beck, a Society member who is also on the Metropolitan Police Force. Beck has been tasked with protecting the women while they are in London. For the séance, Vaudeline insists on having access to everything that Volckman might have touched on the day he died. Morely shows them the Society’s visitor log, which Volckman would have signed, and Lenna is shocked to see Evie’s initials there. Later that night, Lenna and Vaudeline are restricted to their room for the evening because women aren’t allowed inside the Society. Vaudeline sexually propositions Lenna, and although Lenna wants to have sex with her, she instead opts to leave the room to investigate the log book on her own. Lenna discovers that Evie entered the Society and also attended a series of lectures about fraudulent practices that mediums might employ. This causes Lenna to question whether Evie’s commitment to spiritualism was genuine.

Morely’s narration reveals that he allowed Evie access to the Society’s library and resources in exchange for sexual favors. Despite his attempts to traditionally court her, Morely never convinced Evie to consent to a romantic relationship. Instead, she used his desire for sexual favors to get him to agree to let her attend a Society-led séance—something that no woman had ever been allowed to see.

The next morning, Morely and Beck accompany Evie and Vaudeline to the house of Mrs. Gray, a widow for whom the Society performed a séance that Volckman attended on the day of his death. Mrs. Gray seems mistrustful of the Society members at first, calling them frauds, but her fears are assuaged when Vaudeline proves herself to be an authentic medium. Now trusting Vaudeline and Lenna, Mrs. Gray reveals that Mr. Dankwork—the Society medium who performed the séance—tried to sexually assault her afterward, but was caught by Volckman. (Dankwork is also the same medium who performed the Heslops’ séance.) Mrs. Gray also confirms that a woman matching Evie’s description was associated with the Society.

After leaving Mrs. Gray’s, the group visits Volckman’s widow to console her. Volckman’s widow tells Lenna and Vaudeline that the Society members never offered their condolences or investigated her husband’s death, despite what Beck told them earlier. Lenna and Vaudeline visit a brothel that was listed in the logbook as being the site of a Society séance. In speaking with the sex workers, Lenna discovers that Morely led the fraudulent séance himself. The sex worker tells Lenna that Evie was involved.

Morely’s narration confirms that he is the ringleader of the fraudulent mediums within the Society. When Volckman came to him with suspicions of malpractice within the Society, Morely hatched a plan to use Evie to shore up his department’s credibility. Evie would attend séances, spread rumors of the Society’s good repute, and console the grieving.

On the ride back to the Society, Lenna finally reveals her identity to Morely, but he denies having known Evie. Later, the carriage driver gives Lenna a note, warning her that Morely is lying. With only a few hours left before Volckman’s séance, Lenna and Vaudeline convene in the Society’s library, but Morely traps them inside.

When he comes to fetch them for the séance, the women try to overpower him, but Lenna fails to knock him fully unconscious, so according to the women’s previously agreed plan, Lenna locks the injured Morely into the library with Vaudeline. However, rather than escaping the Society building entirely, as Vaudeline told her to, Lenna goes upstairs to the carriage driver’s room. The driver tells her that he knew Evie and got the driving job because of her. He also tells her that he was with Morely on the night that Volckman was killed at a party that Morely hosted. Evie was also at that party, and Lenna realizes that Evie was killed that night. Searching Morely’s study for clues, Lenna finds Evie’s notebook in a secret drawer and learns that her sister formed a relationship with Morely to gain access to the Society and write an exposé about the institution’s malpractice. Evie wrote to Vaudeline about her findings, and Vaudeline encouraged Evie to investigate the very gathering at which she was killed. Lenna is horrified by Vaudeline’s betrayal.

Lenna also finds a burgundy folio in the desk, which contains a list of all of the people for whom the Society performed séances. Some of these people appear to have been targeted by the Society and possibly even killed by Society members. Lenna also finds a list of “oathmen”—Society members like Mr. Cleland who are married off to grieving widows so that they can funnel the widows’ funds back to the Society. Lenna deduces that Morely intends to kill her and Vaudeline at tonight’s séance.

Morely, having escaped the library, bursts into the room with Vaudeline close behind. Lenna questions Vaudeline about encouraging Evie to attend the event at which she died, but Vaudeline denies having sent that letter. Morely procures a gun and forces Lenna and Vaudeline to the carriage, where they meet Beck. Beck appears distressed by the suddenly violent turn of events but still accompanies them to the wine cellar where Volckman’s body was found. As they begin the séance, Morely’s narration reveals that he has attached a slow-burning fuse to a barrel of gunpowder. It will go off in 34 minutes, and he plans to escape, leaving the others to die. When Vaudeline summons the spirits, Lenna is possessed by Evie’s spirit. Vaudeline expels the spirit from Lenna’s body, but Lenna is left confused by the knowledge that Evie not only died on the same night as Volckman, but in exactly the same place. Vaudeline, overcome with the effort of bringing spirits to the room, asks Lenna to proceed with the séance. Lenna expels all but two spirits from the room: Evie’s and Volckman’s. Evie’s spirit enters Lenna, and Volckman’s possesses Vaudeline’s.

Lenna accesses Evie’s memories and realizes that Morely intercepted Evie’s letter to Vaudeline and forged a reply. Lenna also sees what happened on the night of Evie’s death. Evie came to Morely’s party, thinking that Vaudeline had instructed her to do so. As she searched the wine cellar, she discovered a smaller vermouth cellar. Volckman caught her snooping, and when she tried to explain herself, she discovered that Volckman had been in league with Morely all along. Volckman was the mastermind behind the Society’s malfeasance. He was also the one who would murder rich men—including Eloise Heslop’s father—so that the Society could perform séances for their widows and insert their members into the widows’ lives. Volckman attacked Evie with a knife, but she bludgeoned him with a vermouth bottle. They died together, and Morely found their bodies. He then smuggled Evie’s body to the garden, where she was later found, before returning to the party and pretending to discover Volckman’s body.

When Lenna and Vaudeline confront Morely with the truth of what happened to Evie and Volckman, Beck is horrified. As Beck and Morely argue, Lenna sees the barrel of gunpowder and realizes Morely’s deadly plan. Lenna expels the spirits of Volckman and Evie from herself and Vaudeline. Evie’s spirit attacks Morely, giving Beck, Lenna, and Vaudeline time to escape. Morely is killed in the explosion. Lenna performs another séance that summons the spirits of Evie, Volckman, and the newly dead Morely. She frees Evie but keeps Volckman and Morely’s spirits in a state of permanent limbo, never allowing them to return to the spirit realm. later, Lenna returns to Paris with Vaudeline. They begin a romantic relationship, and Lenna completes Evie’s exposé.

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Paris, 1873. Renowned spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire has been training her new understudy, Lenna Wickes, in the art of conducting séances. Vaudenline’s speciality is that she conjures up spirits of murder victims so that their killers can be identified. Lenna had come to Paris on her own secret agenda – she wants to conduct a séance back in London for her younger sister Evie, who was recently found dead. Though Lenna is sceptical about the occult, she can think of no other way to find out what happened. When Vaudeline is summoned to London to solve the murder of the chairman of The London Séance Society, both the women realise too late that the situation is more dangerous than they had assumed. The story comes to us in the limited third person perspective of Lenna, and the first person perspective of Mr. Morley, the top-ranking member of the Society who had summoned Vaudeline to London.

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The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner

A spellbinding tale about two daring women who hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead. 1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike. Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

I’ve started an in real life buddy read with a friend where we alternate who picks the book to read for the month and then we meet up the first Friday of the month to discuss our thoughts. The first book that we read was my friend’s choice, The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner . It looked super interesting and I loved that it was tagged as lgbtqia+. That said, it was a STRUGGLE to get into at the very start, though I think that is my fault. Why?

I am incredibly superficial, especially when it comes to book characters. Honestly, I don’t want to read about ugly characters. If I wanted to talk about ugly characters I’d stick to real life. Cruel, shallow, I know, but truthful. So when this split narrative book described the male narrator, Mr. Morley, as unattractive, I was immediately turned off. I thought about how I did not want to read a whole 300 pages about someone falling in love with this ugly, boring man. I put it off until the end of the month came closer and I knew I’d have to discuss this with my friend.

Things picked up about 20% in when I finally started to realize why Mr. Morley was ugly and what was going on. It became interesting at that point and I was able to finish it in a breeze. However, I did get annoyed with the other main narrator, Lenna Wickes, for being just so dumb. She so easily believed the worst of her sister where I could easily understand what she likely was doing and what her motivations were. It became frustrating but drove me to continue reading just to have some sense of vindication, which did come and was satisfying.

Would I recommend The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner ? Sure! It wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t horrible. It was a good filler book to read. A palate cleanser book to read between heavier novels or series.

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• September 1, 2023
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• 2023 , book review , genre: mystery , genre: paranormal , rated: three stars

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Book Review | The London Seance Society (ARC)

I received an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In The London Seance Society , Lenna is determined to learn how her sister Evie died, so she begins studying under a famous spiritualist, Vaudeline. When she and Vaudeline are hired by the famous London Seance Society to investigate the death of their president, Lenna thinks this has nothing to do with Evie. But the more she learns about the Society, the more she discovers that what she knew about her sister was a lie—and the more danger she herself might be in. Meanwhile, a man named Mr. Morley hopes to get to the bottom of what is wrong in his beloved Society, no matter what it takes.

I read the author’s first book a while back and really enjoyed it, so I was eager to read her second book. And while this one wasn’t as good as her first, I still liked it.

I liked Lenna and Vaudeline. They had an interesting relationship, full of mutual respect and longing for a deeper connection than the mentor-student/friendly relationship they currently had. They are both intelligent, strong characters, and I enjoyed watching them interact. There were other minor characters, but they weren’t as interesting to me. Except maybe the carriage driver; I admit I kind of wanted him to play a larger role in the story, but oh well. He was definitely doing immoral things, but in comparison with the rest of the Society, it was nothing.

As for Mr. Morley, I feel pretty conflicted. We are given lots of scenes from his point of view, and I went back and forth about whether they were needed. Sometimes, they definitely added to the story, but most of the time, scenes from his viewpoint undermined any plot twists or revelations that Lenna encountered. It was almost redundant to have his perspective, and I wonder if the book would have about the same reading experience if one were to skip his chapters, or at least most of them.

Moving on from that, though, I think the scenes featuring actual seances were so cool and eerie. The atmosphere was intriguing, especially during the climax of the story. (Incidentally, this is one of the only sections of the book where Morley’s perspective adds to the tension rather than taking it away.) I loved Lenna in that scene, and thought it was a pretty well written suspenseful sequence overall.

In the end, I liked The London Seance Society . The supernatural elements blend well with the grounded historical London setting, and the exploration of how women were treated in that time period was nuanced and interesting. The two lead characters are great, though I would have liked more development of their romance. But the book prioritized the mystery, and I can’t really fault that; the scenes that gave more insight into Evie’s life were excellent. I don’t know that this is the best written mystery, but it is still worth a read.

Content note: There is some sexual content, as well as some violence.

The London Seance Society is available now!

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The London Seance Society, a review by Cat

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ✨ The London Seance Society Sarah Penner

Published March 7, 2023 By Park Row 352 Pages

Find it on Goodreads | Amazon | BOTM

Since I fell head over heels for The Lost Apothecary, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read The London Seance Society.

Lenna Wickes is determined the solve the murder of her sister, even if that means mastering the art of investigative seances.

I was eager to get my hands on The London Seance Society (and ended up with two copies as a result). Regrettably, the book didn’t meet my expectations, though it’s still a decent read. It simply lacks the refinement and captivation of The Lost Apothecary.

I enjoyed the setting and the premise of using seances to solve crimes and the women challenging sexism through the London Seance Society. However, I struggled to connect with the story as a whole.

All things considered, I don’t believe I disliked The London Seance Society. I suspect I may have set my expectations too high. Such is life! I plan to continue reading Sarah Penner’s work, as I’m confident it will be worthwhile.

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Much Madness is Divinest Sense

Books, poetry, baking, life, the universe, and everything, review: the london séance society, sarah penner.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

A spellbinding tale about two daring women who hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead. 1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike. Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

I did not enjoy this book as much as Sarah Penner’s first book,  The Lost Apothecary . The story was not as compelling to me. The ending held some surprises, and I liked the scripted process Penner created for the séance. I also appreciated the fact that Penner created a plausible Victorian lesbian romance—it didn’t feel tacked on, but I think Lenna thought about her attraction to Vaudeline at weird times—like when she was angry with her. Vaudeline, the medium, was an interesting character. I didn’t find Lenna or her deceased sister Evie compelling, and Mr. Morley was a cartoonish Snidely Whiplash type.

Too much of a caricature. I also wanted a bit more of a feel for the setting, which is something I got from  The Lost Apothecary . There was a bit of a feel for the setting, but not much. I saw a Goodreads reviewer describe this book as a “great concept, average execution.” That’s exactly the way I felt.

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Sarah Penner

The london séance  society, instant new york times & international bestseller, from the author of the sensational bestseller  the lost apothecary  comes a spellbinding gothic whodunit introducing two enigmatic women who set out to solve a most unusual mystery. may mercy be upon the man who finds himself the enemy of a vengeful medium... 1873. at an abandoned château on the outskirts of paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist vaudeline d’allaire. known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identity of the people who killed them, her skills are highly sought after by widows and investigators alike..

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves... Written with alluring suspense and sultry prose, The London Séance Society is an entrancing tale that explores the blurred lines between truth and illusion and reveals the grave risks women will take to avenge the ones they love.

Order the b&n exclusive edition  here, enthusiastic praise for the london séance society..., "...for fans of historical european settings, the power of women, and the fringes of the paranormal."  —☆ booklist (starred review) "penner proves herself again to be a writer to watch."  —☆ library journal (starred review - audio) " penner delivers another captivating feminist gothic tale...fans of the genre will eat this up." —publishers weekly "just when i thought sarah penner could not surpass her epic debut, the lost apothecary, she returns with an utter stunner. readers will savor this suspenseful tale of the occult as they are drawn into a world unlike any other. at the top of her game, penner shines, and the result is breathtaking" —pam jenoff, new york times bestselling author of the lost girls of paris "sarah penner brings history to vivid life in this atmospheric and evocative whodunnit steeped in suspense, mystery, and illusion." — nita prose, #1 new york times bestselling author of the maid "penner has conjured up another winner. bristling with tension and featuring strong women who aren’t afraid to defy conventions, this gothic mystery is both smart and seductive. haunting in the best of ways, i swear i could feel the london fog on my cheek (or was that a spirit…) as i flew through the pages."  —fiona davis, new york times bestselling author of the magnolia palace "trick candles, fake messages from the dead, and other secrets of the séance trade are fodder for this brilliant novel set in 19th century london and paris. when a grieving young woman apprentices with a world-famous medium to investigate her sister’s murder, she finds herself communing with ghosts, spirits and demons both living and dead…and discovers secrets too sinister, and supernatural powers too deep, to imagine. the london séance society is an explosive, immersive, time-bomb of a novel. vengeance is never sweeter than in sarah penner’s hands."  —laurie lico albanese, award-winning author of hester "when a book jacket has both sarah penner's name and the word "séance" - the novel has got to be good. once again, penner has conjured up a tale that will have readers spellbound. full of twists, mystical mysteries, and surprise endings the london seance society is a spirited work of historical fiction." —pamela klinger-horn, the valley bookseller "sarah penner is back - this time taking readers into 1870s london and the world of the séance. a historical thriller with a psychic twist, the london seance society is a suspenseful thrill ride filled with feminist energy"  —mary o'malley, skylark bookshop "it's hard to believe, but penner surpassed her other book, the lost apothecary, which is one of my all time favorites. penner is an author to watch."  —rosemary smith, librarian .