Crown/Three Rivers Press
419 pages
$14.95
ISBN 978-0307406118
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The Spiritualist
Acclaimed author Megan Chance weaves together a tale of murder and intrigue, class and the occult, as one woman’s desperate search for a killer reveals that truth may be the greatest illusion of all…
On a cold morning in January, 1856, Evelyn Atherton’s Knickerbocker husband is found murdered. Having “married up” into New York society, Evie instantly becomes the prime suspect. To clear her name, she must retrace her steps; it is a dangerous journey that takes her deep into the strange world of spiritualists and séances, and ultimately to a man who had great influence over her husband: the renowned, charismatic medium, Michel Jourdain. Evie’s working class instincts tell her that the smooth-talking Jourdain is less of a mystic and more of a charlatan—and she vows to expose him.
But getting close to the enigmatic Jourdain means embracing a seductive and hypnotic world where the clues to her husband’s murder come only from the dead. Quickly embroiled in a perilous game where she is equal player and pawn, predator and victim, Evie finds there is no one to trust, perhaps not even herself. And as the law and society join ranks to condemn her, Evie must race to uncover the ghosts of her past—and to find answers in a world she knows can’t possibly be real….
Praise for The Spiritualist:
Borders “Original Voices” pick for June 2008
"With a twisted ending that would rival Henry James’ finest, Megan Chance’s The Spiritualist is a true literary sleight of hand."
"Moody, haunting and atmospheric, The Spiritualist is a suspenseful tale of dark obsession and erotic mysticism. From the upper class drawing rooms of New York high society to its dark underbelly, Megan Chance explores one woman’s fall from grace and its spellbinding aftermath with intricate plotting and elegant characterizations that will keep readers turning the pages faster and faster toward the startling, unexpected conclusion."
- Kristin Hannah, New York Times Bestselling author
"Darkly mesmerizing historical suspense infused with a fabulously seductive supernatural atmosphere and riveting authenticity."
- Amanda Quick, New York Times Bestselling author
"The Spiritualist sweeps the reader into the richly detailed world of upstairs/downstairs New York City of the 1850s. The heroine’s life and sanity are at stake in this unique murder mystery, and compelling characterization and clever plot twists abound. There’s not a ghost of a chance that Megan Chance’s enthralling story will let you put it down."
- Karen Harper, New York Times Besteselling author
"This erotically charged chiller from Chance features spirit rappings, table tippings, deception and murder among its titillating treats."
- Publishers Weekly
Book of the Month Club
Mystery Guild
Literary Guild
Doubleday Book Club
Autographed copies available from Liberty Bay Books
