Spitting Gold: A Novel
A deliciously haunting, “lush, and twist-filled tale” (CrimeReads) that blends gothic mystery with a captivating sapphic romance as two estranged sisters—celebrated (and fraudulent) spirit mediums—come back together for one last con in 19th-century Paris.
Paris, 1866: When Baroness Sylvie Devereux receives a house call from Charlotte Mothe, the sister she disowned, she fears her shady past as a spirit medium has caught up with her. But with their father ill and Charlotte unable to pay his bills, Sylvie is persuaded into one last con.
Their marks are the de Jacquinots: dysfunctional aristocrats who believe they are haunted by their great aunt, brutally murdered during the French Revolution.
The scheme underway, the sisters deploy every trick to terrify the family out of their gold. But when inexplicable horrors start to happen to them, too, the duo question whether they really are at the mercy of a vengeful spirit. And what other deep, dark secrets may come to light?
Perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Penner, Spitting Gold is “an auspicious first outing from a writer to watch” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
Paris, 1866: When Baroness Sylvie Devereux receives a house call from Charlotte Mothe, the sister she disowned, she fears her shady past as a spirit medium has caught up with her. But with their father ill and Charlotte unable to pay his bills, Sylvie is persuaded into one last con.
Their marks are the de Jacquinots: dysfunctional aristocrats who believe they are haunted by their great aunt, brutally murdered during the French Revolution.
The scheme underway, the sisters deploy every trick to terrify the family out of their gold. But when inexplicable horrors start to happen to them, too, the duo question whether they really are at the mercy of a vengeful spirit. And what other deep, dark secrets may come to light?
Perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Penner, Spitting Gold is “an auspicious first outing from a writer to watch” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
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Community Reviews
3.25
I don't like it when I feel like a book is trying to manipulate my opinion vs giving me the information and allowing me to come to my own conclusions. The narrative structure of having the older sister's perspective first, and then the second sister's perspective to contradict it, might work better for another reader than it did for me. It felt too much like the author was going for an unreliable narrator trope with the first sister and then decided at the last minute to give her some character redemption at the end. I think if you are more of a thriller reader who reads for the plot/mystery and not so much for the characters, you may enjoy this more than I did. But, I also don't know how well the mystery/plot stands up on its own. I was able to predict most of it. I was going to give this 3 stars for being an okay read that I didn't love, but the ending went slightly better than I expected, so I'll give it slightly more than a 3. The audiobook narration was good.
Content Warnings:
Moderate: Murder, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Child death, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy, Homophobia, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicide
I don't like it when I feel like a book is trying to manipulate my opinion vs giving me the information and allowing me to come to my own conclusions. The narrative structure of having the older sister's perspective first, and then the second sister's perspective to contradict it, might work better for another reader than it did for me. It felt too much like the author was going for an unreliable narrator trope with the first sister and then decided at the last minute to give her some character redemption at the end. I think if you are more of a thriller reader who reads for the plot/mystery and not so much for the characters, you may enjoy this more than I did. But, I also don't know how well the mystery/plot stands up on its own. I was able to predict most of it. I was going to give this 3 stars for being an okay read that I didn't love, but the ending went slightly better than I expected, so I'll give it slightly more than a 3. The audiobook narration was good.
Content Warnings:
Moderate: Murder, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Child death, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy, Homophobia, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicide
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