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12 debut fiction authors of 2022, their portraits arranged in a checker pattern.

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Reading lists

The best debut fiction to read this spring

A thrilling and absorbing tale set in Victorian London

Theatre of Marvels

'Richly evocative and glittering with atmosphere, this tale of ambition and identity had me gripped from start to finish' STACEY HALLS, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Familiars 
 
'Theatre of Marvels is a fascinating, empowering story of a young woman's search for identity and justice in Victorian London, a world which Lianne Dillsworth evokes so richly' JENNIFER SAINT, author of Ariadne 
_________________________________ 
 
Behind the spectacle there are always secrets. 
 
Unruly crowds descend on Crillick's Variety Theatre. A black, British actress, Zillah, is headlining tonight. An orphan from the slums of St Giles, her rise to stardom is her ticket out - to be gawped and gazed at is a price she's willing to pay. 
 
Rising up the echelons of society is everything Zillah has ever dreamed of. But when a new stage act disappears, Zillah is haunted by a feeling that something is amiss. Is the woman in danger? 
 
Her pursuit of the truth takes her into the underbelly of the city - from gas-lit streets to the sumptuous parlours of Mayfair - as she seeks the help of notorious criminals from her past and finds herself torn between two powerful admirers. 
 
Caught in a labyrinth of dangerous truths, will Zillah face ruin - or will she be the maker of her fate? 
 
A deliciously immersive tale, Theatre of Marvels whisks you on an unforgettable journey across Victorian London in this bold exploration of race, class and gothic spectacle. 
 
_______________________________ 
 
'Zillah is a memorable heroine' Sunday Times 
 
'Exploitation and empowerment, race and class are all explored in this gripping historical novel. Dillsworth is a class act' Woman & Home 
 
'A thought-provoking, atmospheric debut' Daily Express 
 
'Very much enjoyed Theatre of Marvels. Zillah is a brilliant character who leads us through a Victorian London little spoken of, making for an illuminating, page-turning tale of self-actualisation. Loved it' KATE SAWYER 
 
'A tale steeped in Victorian London, I fell in love with Zillah and her theatre world. I was gripped from the opening pages - highly recommended for anyone who loves mystery, drama and Victorian London' LOUISE HARE, author of This Lovely City 
 
'A startling, original and utterly compelling novel which subtly navigates the core issues of race, gender and class' MARY CHAMBERLAIN, author of The Dressmaker of Dachau 
 
'Thrilling, eye-opening and absorbing' LIZZIE POOK, author of Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter 
 
'Fresh, original and full of atmosphere - a compelling story with a heroine I'll remember for a long time' FRANCES QUINN, author of The Smallest Man 
 
'A story that shines a spotlight into the shadows of the 19th century, while also exploring very relevant themes of identity. So fantastic to read a novel that centres POC in the Victorian era. Loved it!' SAARA EL-ARIFI, author of The Final Strife 
 
'Loved Lianne Dillsworth's Theatre of Marvels. A gripping story about identity and belonging with a strong sense of place. Can't wait for everybody to meet Zillah who is such strong and nuanced heroine.' LAURE VAN RENSBURG, author of Nobody But Us

'Exploitation and empowerment, race and class are all explored in this gripping historical novel. Dillsworth is a class act' Woman & Home 
_________________________________ 
 
Zillah's star turn as the Great Amazonia has taken her from the slums of St Giles to headline billing at Crillick's Variety Show on Drury Lane. She's proud of her Black and British roots but if audiences discover she is fooling them each night, her existence will be shattered. 
 
When a fellow stage act goes missing, Zillah determines to save her - for she knows better than anyone the dangers that hide within gaslit streets of London. 
 
Her pursuit of the truth takes her through the underbelly of the city to the parlours of Mayfair - and sees her caught in web of lies, and between two powerful male admirers. 
 
Everyone is playing a part and everyone has secrets they'll protect at any cost. 
Will Zillah face ruin - or will she be the maker of her fate? 
 
_______________________________ 
 
'A tale steeped in Victorian London, I fell in love with Zillah and her theatre world. I was gripped from the opening pages - highly recommended for anyone who loves mystery, drama and Victorian London' LOUISE HARE, author of This Lovely City 
 
'Zillah is a memorable heroine' Sunday Times 
 
'Exploitation and empowerment, race and class are all explored in this gripping historical novel. Dillsworth is a class act' Woman & Home 
 
'A startling, original and utterly compelling novel which subtly navigates the core issues of race, gender and class' MARY CHAMBERLAIN, author of The Dressmaker of Dachau 
 
'Thrilling, eye-opening and absorbing' LIZZIE POOK, author of Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter 
 
'A thought-provoking, atmospheric debut' Daily Express 
 
'Fresh, original and full of atmosphere - a compelling story with a heroine I'll remember for a long time' FRANCES QUINN, author of The Smallest Man 
 
'A story that shines a spotlight into the shadows of the 19th century, while also exploring very relevant themes of identity. So fantastic to read a novel that centres POC in the Victorian era. Loved it!' SAARA EL-ARIFI, author of The Final Strife 
 
'Loved Lianne Dillsworth's Theatre of Marvels. A gripping story about identity and belonging with a strong sense of place. Can't wait for everybody to meet Zillah who is such strong and nuanced heroine.' LAURE VAN RENSBURG, author of Nobody But Us

Lianne Dillsworth

Some secrets are best left in the dark... A gothic mystery with an immersive setting and strong heroine at its heart 
_________________ 
 
London, 1833 
 
Doctress Hester Reeves has been offered a life-changing commission. 
 
But it comes at a price. She must leave behind her husband and their canal-side home in Kings Cross and move to Tall Trees – a dark and foreboding house in Fitzrovia. 
 
If Hester can cure the ailing health of its owner, Gervaise Cherville, she will receive payment that will bring her everything she could dream of. 
 
But on arriving at Tall Trees, Hester quickly discovers that an even bigger task awaits her. Now she must unearth secrets that have lain hidden for decades – including one that will leave Hester’s own life forever changed… 
___________________________ 
 
Praise for House of Shades: 
 
'A wonderful, gothic mystery with the most engaging heroine in Hester Reeves. . . Lianne Dillsworth has woven a complex, moving story, asking questions which still resonate deeply today’ Elodie Harper 
 
'Intensely moving, compulsively readable and beautifully written. Hester is a wonderful protagonist. I thoroughly enjoyed it' Rosie Andrews 
 
'Gripping, heart-breaking and brilliantly told. Hester Reeves is fresh and relatable – I felt every twist and turn of her story and was rooting for her from the get-go' Lucy Barker 
 
'I loved this original and compelling tale of intrigue, quest and retribution... one not to be missed' Mary Chamberlain 
 
‘A gripping Gothic tale that weaves a page-turning plot together with blazing social commentary and a protagonist, Hester, who leaps off the page' Louise Hare 
 
'A cracking read and a deft (and timely) unpicking of complex questions around atonement and accountability. Wildly refreshing and full of heart' Hester Musson 
 
Praise for Lianne Dillsworth: 
 
'A fascinating, empowering story of a young woman's search for identity and justice in Victorian London' Jenifer Saint 
 
'Dillsworth is a class act' Woman & Home 
 
'Highly recommended for anyone who loves mystery, drama and Victorian London' Louise Hare 
 
'Memorable' Sunday Times

Lianne Dillsworth

Books by Lianne Dillsworth

Articles featuring Lianne Dillsworth

How do authors come up with character names?

The best debut fiction to read this spring

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