What do you think?
Rate this book
Variety Palace Mysteries #3
The Spirit Guide
Not yet published
Expected 7 Jul 26A witty, propulsive historical murder mystery investigating a secretive spiritualist cult in Victorian London—and the 3rd installment in the beloved Variety Palace Mysteries series!
“Splendid.” - Wall Street Journal
1879, Victorian London.
Tea room sting operations, seedy music hall secrets, elaborate disguises, and slow-burn romance…
Detective duo Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook return for another exciting case to uncover the dark secrets at the heart of Victorian London’s spiritualist scene.
This time, an investigation into two mysterious deaths leads this famed detective duo to the doors of the Spirit Sisterhood, a female-only spiritualist group that facilitates communion with the souls of the dead. And recently several of its visitors have been found dead themselves.
Minnie isn't buying there is more to the Sisterhood than there first seems. The more Minnie looks, the more covert operations come to light. She goes undercover at the organization’s secretive countryside home, where she quickly finds herself drawn into the dark but strangely alluring world of spirits and ghosts.
But, isolated from Albert and everyone she loves, Minnie's situation quickly gets out of hand. Can she find a way out of this remote cult before time runs out? And can she keep her own demons at bay long enough to withstand the Sisterhood?
A rip-roaring murder mystery brimming with theatrical detail, loveable characters, and an addictive plot, the 3rd book in the beloved Variety Fair Mysteries will keep you guessing until the very last page.
“Splendid.” - Wall Street Journal
1879, Victorian London.
Tea room sting operations, seedy music hall secrets, elaborate disguises, and slow-burn romance…
Detective duo Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook return for another exciting case to uncover the dark secrets at the heart of Victorian London’s spiritualist scene.
This time, an investigation into two mysterious deaths leads this famed detective duo to the doors of the Spirit Sisterhood, a female-only spiritualist group that facilitates communion with the souls of the dead. And recently several of its visitors have been found dead themselves.
Minnie isn't buying there is more to the Sisterhood than there first seems. The more Minnie looks, the more covert operations come to light. She goes undercover at the organization’s secretive countryside home, where she quickly finds herself drawn into the dark but strangely alluring world of spirits and ghosts.
But, isolated from Albert and everyone she loves, Minnie's situation quickly gets out of hand. Can she find a way out of this remote cult before time runs out? And can she keep her own demons at bay long enough to withstand the Sisterhood?
A rip-roaring murder mystery brimming with theatrical detail, loveable characters, and an addictive plot, the 3rd book in the beloved Variety Fair Mysteries will keep you guessing until the very last page.
304 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 7, 2026
About the author
Bridget Walsh
7 books35 followersI was born in London and now live in Norwich with my husband and two dogs. After a degree in English Literature, and a few abortive career choices, I found my home as an English teacher for 23 years. I completed my PhD in Victorian domestic murder at London University in 2009, but my fascination with Victorian crime never left me. In 2019 I completed the Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) MA at UEA where I was awarded the David Higham Scholarship and received the UEA Little, Brown Award for Crime Fiction. I am represented by Isobel Dixon at Blake Friedmann.
The Tumbling Girl, the first in a series of crime novels set in the 1870s and featuring an intrepid, working-class heroine and her somewhat posher sidekick, will be published by Gallic in 2023.
The Tumbling Girl, the first in a series of crime novels set in the 1870s and featuring an intrepid, working-class heroine and her somewhat posher sidekick, will be published by Gallic in 2023.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: A witty, propulsive historical murder mystery investigating a secretive spiritualist cult in Victorian London—and the 3rd installment in the beloved Variety Palace Mysteries series!
1879, Victorian London.
Tea room sting operations, seedy music hall secrets, elaborate disguises, and slow-burn romance…
Detective duo Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook return for another exciting case to uncover the dark secrets at the heart of Victorian London’s spiritualist scene.
This time, an investigation into two mysterious deaths leads this famed detective duo to the doors of the Spirit Sisterhood, a female-only spiritualist group that facilitates communion with the souls of the dead. And recently several of its visitors have been found dead themselves.
Minnie isn't buying it: there is more to the Sisterhood than there first seems. The more Minnie looks, the more covert operations come to light. She goes undercover at the organization’s secretive countryside home, where she quickly finds herself drawn into the dark but strangely alluring world of spirits and ghosts.
But, isolated from Albert and everyone she loves, Minnie's situation quickly gets out of hand. Can she find a way out of this remote cult before time runs out? And can she keep her own demons at bay long enough to withstand the Sisterhood?
A rip-roaring murder mystery brimming with theatrical detail, loveable characters, and an addictive plot, the 3rd book in the beloved Variety Fair Mysteries will keep you guessing until the very last page.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: Albert's more assertive in this book, more worried about Minnie's immediate physical safety, and so more motivated to behave in a protective way. It's not unreasonable. Minnie is separated from him in the remote place that the target of their criminal investigation, the Spirit Sisterhood, has sequestered themselves away from prying eyes (like Minnie's since Albert can't come, or even visit).
Weird things begin to occur; Minnie, as a theatre person, can't *quite* dismiss them all as illusions. That is the most unsettling aspect of her stay with the Spirit Sisterhood. She is not taken in, of course, by the cruder illusions, but she is deeply troubled by the weird...immanence...of violence. There have been two murders already, and without the safety of her ever-attentive Albert, can Minnie navigate the eerie and threatening world of the Spirit Sisterhood?
Of course she can; of course the redoubtable Albert is there when he is really needed. It's the way the series works. And it's the series getting a shake-up with the spooky trappings of the Sisterhood that makes this entry a hit with me. Developments occur in a balloon. Speeches are made, laconic people wax eloquent, the rotten-souled abuser who's preying on young women is thwarted...though we're not privy to the inner workings of a louse's soul like we are with the Epstein Files, we're similarly positioned to watch the fall.
Less physically violent action marked a pleasant change to my mind. I like Albert, and really want him to end up with Minnie in all her prickly glory. I'm really pleased at how his character develops in this story. Minnie needs every second of the peril in this story to do hard, necessary emotional work; her relationship with Albert can't grow if she refuses to.
I very much approve of this outing. I hope the dynamic duo will be back to enliven the music-hall stage (foreshadowing, that) while making London safer for the ordinary working souls.
The Publisher Says: A witty, propulsive historical murder mystery investigating a secretive spiritualist cult in Victorian London—and the 3rd installment in the beloved Variety Palace Mysteries series!
1879, Victorian London.
Tea room sting operations, seedy music hall secrets, elaborate disguises, and slow-burn romance…
Detective duo Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook return for another exciting case to uncover the dark secrets at the heart of Victorian London’s spiritualist scene.
This time, an investigation into two mysterious deaths leads this famed detective duo to the doors of the Spirit Sisterhood, a female-only spiritualist group that facilitates communion with the souls of the dead. And recently several of its visitors have been found dead themselves.
Minnie isn't buying it: there is more to the Sisterhood than there first seems. The more Minnie looks, the more covert operations come to light. She goes undercover at the organization’s secretive countryside home, where she quickly finds herself drawn into the dark but strangely alluring world of spirits and ghosts.
But, isolated from Albert and everyone she loves, Minnie's situation quickly gets out of hand. Can she find a way out of this remote cult before time runs out? And can she keep her own demons at bay long enough to withstand the Sisterhood?
A rip-roaring murder mystery brimming with theatrical detail, loveable characters, and an addictive plot, the 3rd book in the beloved Variety Fair Mysteries will keep you guessing until the very last page.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: Albert's more assertive in this book, more worried about Minnie's immediate physical safety, and so more motivated to behave in a protective way. It's not unreasonable. Minnie is separated from him in the remote place that the target of their criminal investigation, the Spirit Sisterhood, has sequestered themselves away from prying eyes (like Minnie's since Albert can't come, or even visit).
Weird things begin to occur; Minnie, as a theatre person, can't *quite* dismiss them all as illusions. That is the most unsettling aspect of her stay with the Spirit Sisterhood. She is not taken in, of course, by the cruder illusions, but she is deeply troubled by the weird...immanence...of violence. There have been two murders already, and without the safety of her ever-attentive Albert, can Minnie navigate the eerie and threatening world of the Spirit Sisterhood?
Of course she can; of course the redoubtable Albert is there when he is really needed. It's the way the series works. And it's the series getting a shake-up with the spooky trappings of the Sisterhood that makes this entry a hit with me. Developments occur in a balloon. Speeches are made, laconic people wax eloquent, the rotten-souled abuser who's preying on young women is thwarted...though we're not privy to the inner workings of a louse's soul like we are with the Epstein Files, we're similarly positioned to watch the fall.
Less physically violent action marked a pleasant change to my mind. I like Albert, and really want him to end up with Minnie in all her prickly glory. I'm really pleased at how his character develops in this story. Minnie needs every second of the peril in this story to do hard, necessary emotional work; her relationship with Albert can't grow if she refuses to.
I very much approve of this outing. I hope the dynamic duo will be back to enliven the music-hall stage (foreshadowing, that) while making London safer for the ordinary working souls.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Vertigo for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
This is book three in the Variety Palace Mysteries, currently consisting of The Tumbling Girl and The Innocents. I read all three books in a row so I apologise if I end up blurring a bit between them.
The first book in the series was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The second book, whilst still very good, felt like it was lacking ever so slightly in comparison, at least to begin with. But I had high hopes going into this third one.
The characters are still as vivid - if not altogether pleasant - as ever. We get the ones we've loved from the previous books, but she's also added new ones to keep it fresh.
I still love the contrast between Minnie and the time period. It's the 1800s, where a woman shouldn't be alone with a man unless they were spouse or family. But Minnie is ahead of her time. She's strong and confident and passionate, and I loved her, she gives as good as she gets. Albert wants to be a gentleman but she won't be the lady she's expected to be. He irked me a bit in this one though, he felt a bit too cocky and argumentative. But their working relationship and friendship has been brilliant throughout and it's even belter in this one. Their chemistry leaps off the page.
This one felt a bit more unbelievable. I mean, I know it's not meant to be real, it's a novel, but the other two felt grounded in reality whereas this one as more of a magical sense about it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it made it stand out from the other two a bit.
I think this is the longest of the three, but it didn't feel long and it just sped by.
It is fun and funny, smart and scary, tense and fast-paced, with the occasional romantic element.
I find writing dialogue really difficult and therefore I much prefer reading narrative and prose than dialogue. But the dialogue in this book is so witty and feels so natural that I'm fine with it.
Where I think Bridget really excels is her sense of place and space. You are rooted so well in this world she's created, the sights and smalls, the characters are so well created that you can practically put yourself into their story.
Are there going to be more installments? This is ended well and if it does end like this then I would be satisfied, but there are still one or two open-ended threads that I would like to read more about.
This is book three in the Variety Palace Mysteries, currently consisting of The Tumbling Girl and The Innocents. I read all three books in a row so I apologise if I end up blurring a bit between them.
The first book in the series was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The second book, whilst still very good, felt like it was lacking ever so slightly in comparison, at least to begin with. But I had high hopes going into this third one.
The characters are still as vivid - if not altogether pleasant - as ever. We get the ones we've loved from the previous books, but she's also added new ones to keep it fresh.
I still love the contrast between Minnie and the time period. It's the 1800s, where a woman shouldn't be alone with a man unless they were spouse or family. But Minnie is ahead of her time. She's strong and confident and passionate, and I loved her, she gives as good as she gets. Albert wants to be a gentleman but she won't be the lady she's expected to be. He irked me a bit in this one though, he felt a bit too cocky and argumentative. But their working relationship and friendship has been brilliant throughout and it's even belter in this one. Their chemistry leaps off the page.
This one felt a bit more unbelievable. I mean, I know it's not meant to be real, it's a novel, but the other two felt grounded in reality whereas this one as more of a magical sense about it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it made it stand out from the other two a bit.
I think this is the longest of the three, but it didn't feel long and it just sped by.
It is fun and funny, smart and scary, tense and fast-paced, with the occasional romantic element.
I find writing dialogue really difficult and therefore I much prefer reading narrative and prose than dialogue. But the dialogue in this book is so witty and feels so natural that I'm fine with it.
Where I think Bridget really excels is her sense of place and space. You are rooted so well in this world she's created, the sights and smalls, the characters are so well created that you can practically put yourself into their story.
Are there going to be more installments? This is ended well and if it does end like this then I would be satisfied, but there are still one or two open-ended threads that I would like to read more about.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Spirit Guide is another witty, fast‑paced delight in the Variety Palace Mysteries series—full of sharp humour, Victorian intrigue, and the irresistible charm of Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook. From the fog‑shrouded streets of 1879 London to the eerie quiet of a countryside spiritualist retreat, this instalment delivers atmosphere in abundance.
The mystery kicks off with two suspicious deaths that lead Minnie and Albert straight to the Spirit Sisterhood, a women‑only spiritualist circle promising communion with the dead. Minnie’s scepticism is a joy to watch—her dry wit and no‑nonsense attitude make her the perfect foil for a world of séances, whispers, and flickering candlelight. When she goes undercover at the Sisterhood’s secluded estate, the tension tightens beautifully. The isolation, the strange rituals, the sense that something is very wrong—it all builds with delicious precision.
What really shines is the dynamic between Minnie and Albert. Even when separated, their partnership hums beneath the surface, adding emotional depth to the danger Minnie faces alone. Her vulnerability, paired with her fierce intelligence, makes her an incredibly compelling heroine as she navigates manipulation, secrets, and the blurred line between performance and belief.
The pacing is brisk, the dialogue sparkles, and the Victorian setting is wonderfully immersive without ever feeling heavy. Fans of the series will love how this instalment deepens the world while keeping the trademark blend of humour and suspense intact.
A clever, atmospheric mystery with heart, wit, and just the right touch of the uncanny—The Spirit Guide is an absolute treat for historical mystery lovers.
With thanks to Bridget Walsh, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
The mystery kicks off with two suspicious deaths that lead Minnie and Albert straight to the Spirit Sisterhood, a women‑only spiritualist circle promising communion with the dead. Minnie’s scepticism is a joy to watch—her dry wit and no‑nonsense attitude make her the perfect foil for a world of séances, whispers, and flickering candlelight. When she goes undercover at the Sisterhood’s secluded estate, the tension tightens beautifully. The isolation, the strange rituals, the sense that something is very wrong—it all builds with delicious precision.
What really shines is the dynamic between Minnie and Albert. Even when separated, their partnership hums beneath the surface, adding emotional depth to the danger Minnie faces alone. Her vulnerability, paired with her fierce intelligence, makes her an incredibly compelling heroine as she navigates manipulation, secrets, and the blurred line between performance and belief.
The pacing is brisk, the dialogue sparkles, and the Victorian setting is wonderfully immersive without ever feeling heavy. Fans of the series will love how this instalment deepens the world while keeping the trademark blend of humour and suspense intact.
A clever, atmospheric mystery with heart, wit, and just the right touch of the uncanny—The Spirit Guide is an absolute treat for historical mystery lovers.
With thanks to Bridget Walsh, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
April 16, 2026
I’ve really enjoyed this whole series, and The Spirit Guide might be my favorite setting so far.
This one leans more into the eerie, almost magical side with the spiritualist cult—and I actually loved that shift. It gives the story a darker, more atmospheric feel compared to the first two books. There’s this constant sense of “is something real… or is it all a performance?” and it keeps you on edge the whole time.
Minnie is still the standout for me. She’s sharp, skeptical, and not easily fooled, which makes her the perfect character to drop into a world full of séances and secrets. Watching her try to make sense of everything going on around her was one of my favorite parts. And Albert really grew on me in this one—he’s more protective, more emotionally invested, and their dynamic just keeps getting better.
The mystery itself moves quickly and kept me hooked. It’s tense, a little creepy at times, but still has that humor and banter that makes this series so fun to read. The dialogue continues to feel natural and witty without trying too hard.
I also loved how immersive the setting was—you can really picture the contrast between gritty London and the isolated countryside estate. It pulls you right into the story.
Overall, a fun, slightly darker installment with a touch of the supernatural that I personally really enjoyed. Definitely recommend if you’ve been following the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one leans more into the eerie, almost magical side with the spiritualist cult—and I actually loved that shift. It gives the story a darker, more atmospheric feel compared to the first two books. There’s this constant sense of “is something real… or is it all a performance?” and it keeps you on edge the whole time.
Minnie is still the standout for me. She’s sharp, skeptical, and not easily fooled, which makes her the perfect character to drop into a world full of séances and secrets. Watching her try to make sense of everything going on around her was one of my favorite parts. And Albert really grew on me in this one—he’s more protective, more emotionally invested, and their dynamic just keeps getting better.
The mystery itself moves quickly and kept me hooked. It’s tense, a little creepy at times, but still has that humor and banter that makes this series so fun to read. The dialogue continues to feel natural and witty without trying too hard.
I also loved how immersive the setting was—you can really picture the contrast between gritty London and the isolated countryside estate. It pulls you right into the story.
Overall, a fun, slightly darker installment with a touch of the supernatural that I personally really enjoyed. Definitely recommend if you’ve been following the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
This title is being released in July, so I'm jumping the gun a bit, so to speak, but I couldn't resist the call of the review copy I have. This is a wonderful series: smart with interesting characters, and a great setting in a London variety theatre during the Victorian era.. The Spirit Guide is the third volume in this series (the first two are The Tumbling Girl and The Innocents, both of which were released earlier this year). Because the relationships among the characters develop over time. I would recommend reading them in order, but if you approach them in a different order, you shouldn't have trouble following the plot.
I liked this series so much that I actually want to encourage you to hunt down all three titles so can enjoy them as a bit of a summer reading binge, which would make for an excellent indulgent weekend.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
I liked this series so much that I actually want to encourage you to hunt down all three titles so can enjoy them as a bit of a summer reading binge, which would make for an excellent indulgent weekend.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice light easy read. The era of the book was described well as well as some of the issues faced by society in that time. I love the characters within the book, and could really feel the strength of Minnie and the woman that she had become despite her past. It was nice in that it wasnt much of a damsel in distress situation, Minnie can hold her own , yet Albert still showed up for her. At first i thought it was going to be predictable with some good breadcrumbing but was surprised when it pulled together and we saw how the Mystery with Grace, Rose Gwendelen and Henry all played out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2026
Wow what an installment in the series, we get some info about the characters we’ve come to love there’s an interesting tease at the end and the plot itself is twisty and intriguing an excellent read 4.5* from me
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews