The Taking of Irene Hart

a creepy gothic historical novel perfect for fans of The Essex Serpent

1859. Somerset, England.1859. Somerset, England.

When widow Hester Hart decides to sign over all her family’s worldly goods – and their freedom – to a secretive religious community, her daughters, headstrong Ruby and fragile Irene, have little say in the matter.

Led by the charismatic Reverend Peters, the women enter a world with its own set of rules and where Irene, cursed with seizures and ill health, is believed to have second sight. But as Hester and Irene are drawn into the community’s twisted philosophy, Ruby detects a darker truth stalking its shadowy corners.

When a shocking discovery throws the community open to scrutiny, the stakes are raised and Ruby realises that it is not only their souls that must be saved…