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“The victim–the sole victim, as far as the police are concerned–was a young woman whom Ruth had known for years. A pretty thing, married, not yet a mother. The body was in a dreadfully emaciated state, yet the insides were undamaged, as if supernaturally preserved. Ruth held a trusted position in the household, I have learnt, even nursing the dying woman in her illness, all the while nursing a secret in her bosom, a black serpent twisting around her vital organs.” Laura Purcell, THE POISON THREAD

Publisher Synopsis:

A thrilling Victorian gothic horror tale about a young seamstress who claims her needle and thread have the power to kill…

Dorothea Truelove is young, wealthy, and beautiful. Ruth Butterham is young, poor, and awaiting trial for murder.

When Dorothea’s charitable work brings her to Oakgate Prison, she is delighted by the chance to explore her fascination with phrenology and test her hypothesis that the shape of a person’s skull can cast a light on their darkest crimes. But when she meets one of the prisoners, the teenaged seamstress Ruth, she is faced with another strange idea: that it is possible to kill with a needle and thread–because Ruth attributes her crimes to a supernatural power inherent in her stitches.

The story Ruth has to tell of her deadly creations–of bitterness and betrayal, of death and dresses–will shake Dorothea’s belief in rationality, and the power of redemption. Can Ruth be trusted? Is she mad, or a murderer? The Poison Thread is a spine-tingling, sinister read about the evil that lurks behind the facade of innocence.

My Recommendation:

From the outset of THE POISON THREAD, the reader is plunged into a world where the condemned prisoner is sympathetic, the visitor’s motives are suspect, and all is not as it seems. Though there are flashes of humor and absurdity to relieve the tension, prepare to go down a dark tunnel of tragedy and intrigue.

Purcell’s Dickensian settings, meticulous revelation of detail, and vivid writing bring a gray, long-ago time into searing color, making for a fine, frightening blend. I couldn’t get enough of either point of view character, and was at turns surprised, delighted, and horrified (many times over) by the twists of fate and fury experienced by each.

Fans of ALIAS GRACE will love THE POISON THREAD, but a word of warning: this novel is not for the faint of heart.

I have a copy to give away. To enter, simply comment below with your favorite work of gothic (or other) horror, and/or share on social media by Friday, June 21, noon ET. (US readers only, please.)