The Fortunes of Olivia Richmond

This deliciously creepy story set in the 1890s is the perfect Halloween read. Release will be backed by a major PR campaign.

The Cambridgeshire Fens, 1890. Julia Perlie takes a job as companion to Olivia Richmond, a troubled young woman who is obsessed with spiritualism. But what secrets lie hidden in this bleak, superstitious town? And what is the spectre that lies in wait for Julia as she tries to rebuild a shattered life?After a terrible tragedy, governess Julia Pearlie finds herself with no job, home, or references. When she's offered a position as companion to Miss Olivia Richmond, her luck appears to be turning. But Mistcoate House is full of secrets. Olivia has a sinister reputation. The locals call her the Mistcoate Witch, thanks to her tarot readings, and her insistence that she can speak to the dead. Her father, Dr Richmond, believes this to be girlish fantasy and is looking to Julia to put a stop to it. Determined to prove herself and shake off her own murky history, Julia sets to work trying to help Olivia become a proper young lady. However, as she becomes a fixture at Mistcoate, it is soon clear that there may be more to Olivia's stories than Dr Richmond would have Julia believe - not least because somehow, Olivia seems to know something of the darkness that Julia desperately hoped she had left behind. As the danger grows, and the winter chill wraps around the dark woods surrounding Mistcoate, Julia will have to fight to uncover the truth, escape her past - and save herself. Original and engrossing, this chilling Victorian Gothic ghost story is an outstanding piece of storytelling, perfect for fans of Sarah Perry, Erin Morgenstern and Jessie Burton. “The Fortunes of Olivia Richmond is a darkly gothic historical mystery in all the best traditions of the genre. Lyrical writing, a perfect setting, haunting characters and a village of broken people. I absolutely loved it. A standout book that I whole-heartedly recommend. Breathtaking.” – Helen Fields, bestselling author of Perfect Remains and These Lost And Broken Things “This engaging novel cleverly mixes the psychic and the psychological, as we, along with Julia Pearlie, try to make sense of the disturbing goings-on at Mistcoate House. Peopled by vividly realised characters and with a strong period feel, Davidson's novel pays homage to 'sensational' nineteenth-century literature, keeping some of its secrets to the very end.” – Sarah Burton, bestselling author of The Strange Adventures of H "This chilling gothic novel is a well-crafted, twisty mystery." – Candis Magazine