The London Séance Society: A Novel

Written by Sarah Penner in 2023, The London Séance Society: A Novel is a historical murder mystery with a tinge of the supernatural. Taking place in 1873, the novel focuses on Lenna Wickes, a science-minded woman who is investigating the death of her younger sister by becoming an apprentice to Vaudeline D’Allaire, the spiritualist medium with whom her sister Evie also apprenticed. Lenna’s investigation leads her into the heart of the London Séance Society, a group that purports to perform reputable séances for grieving people, often widows who have lost their husbands. As Lenna learns more about Evie’s connections to the Society, she begins to uncover the Society’s dark history and the truth of her sister’s murder.

The London Séance Society is Penner’s second novel. Her first, The Lost Apothecary, tells the story of a woman who sells poisons to other women who are victimized by the men in their lives. Like The Lost Apothecary, The London Séance Society uses its historical setting to shed light on the questions of power, oppression, and community that contemporary women face.

This guide refers to the Park Row Books 2023 hardcover edition of The London Séance Society.