Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Shape of Darkness” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Shape of Darkness

Laura Purcell (Goodreads Author)

4.20 · Rating details · 111 ratings · 74 reviews

As the age of the photograph dawns in Victorian Bath, silhouette artist Agnes is struggling to keep her business afloat. Still recovering from a serious illness herself, making enough money to support her elderly mother and her orphaned nephew Cedric has never been easy, but then one of her clients is murdered shortly after sitting for Agnes, and then another, and another. ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published January 21st 2021 by Raven Books

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Shape of Darkness, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about The Shape of Darkness

Lists with This Book

Historical Fiction 2021

289 books — 302 voters

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

2021 Gothic

14 books — 7 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.20 ·

Rating details

· 111 ratings · 74 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of The Shape of Darkness

Oct 19, 2020 Maureen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

The bleak, dark, and oppressive atmosphere of mid 19th century Bath, a dirty and unsanitary place, lends much to the supernatural storyline, as it winds its ethereal way down the misty paths of mediumship, with a little mesmerism thrown in for good measure.

Agnes Darken lives with her elderly mother and orphaned nephew Cedric. She earns a living as a silhouette artist in order to support the three of them - that is until one of her clients is found murdered, shortly after sitting for Agnes. Natur ...more

flag 160 likes · Like · see review

Sep 08, 2020 Beata rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Ms Purcell has become one of my favourite Victorian ghotic authors, and I was delighted to have been offered the latest of her books to read.
Bath, 1854. The times of increased interest in mesmerism, spiritual seanses and the art of making silhuettes that is becoming less and less popular due to new techniques, namely, daguerreotype and photography.
Agnes Darken lives with her ailing mother and her nephew trying to make ends meet by making silhuettes. Mysteriously, her sitters become victims of ...more

flag 140 likes · Like · see review

Dec 19, 2020 Paromjit rated it really liked it

Shelves: supernatural, ghost-stories, mystery, historical-fiction, netgalley

Once again Laura Purcell gives us perfect winter reading fare with her atmospheric Victorian era Gothic spine chiller set in the filthy, disease ridden, bleak streets of Bath in the late 19th century. Agnes Darken has been struck by illness that has left her fragile and vulnerable, a woman with responsibilities to provide for her elderly mother and her much loved orphan nephew Cedric. As a silhouette artist, she is struggling in a time where people are turning to and preferring the new fields of ...more

flag 99 likes · Like · see review

Sep 29, 2020 Ceecee rated it it was amazing

Agnes Darken is an artist, a creator of silhouettes which is a dying art with people now preferring daguerreotypes. Pearl Meers, ‘The White Sylph’ is an albino spirit guide and her half sister Myrtle West is a mesmerist. These three women connect in the most surprising of ways in this Victorian Gothic Murder Mystery set in Bath.

This is a fantastical read! Laura Purcell’s writing feels so authentically Victorian that it is as if it is a gothic mystery from the era. It has every element required ...more

flag 86 likes · Like · see review

Oct 30, 2020 Anna Luce rated it it was ok

Shelves: netgalley, inane-protagonists, 7-not-for-me, ebooks-overdrive, 2020-reviews

/ / / Read more reviews on my blog / / /

MILD-SPOILERS

At first I thought that The Shape of Darkness was going to be a spoof of Gothic novels. The dialogues were corny, the two main characters are exceedingly frail, and the 'murder mystery' storyline struck me as somewhat theatrical (or perhaps I should say more suited to a film than a book). But I was willing to read on, thinking that these exaggerations were intentional and that Laura Purcell was lampooning Victorian ghost stories...but the mor / / / Read more reviews on my blog / / /

MILD-SPOILERS

At first I thought that The Shape of Darkness was going to be a spoof of Gothic novels. The dialogues were corny, the two main characters are exceedingly frail, and the 'murder mystery' storyline struck me as somewhat theatrical (or perhaps I should say more suited to a film than a book). But I was willing to read on, thinking that these exaggerations were intentional and that Laura Purcell was lampooning Victorian ghost stories...but the more I read the more the narrative seemed to try to impress upon me that it was telling a 'serious' story. Having now finished this novel I can safely say that it was very clichéd and unimaginative, the setting of Bath is barely rendered, the two main characters sound like the same person, and the big 'twist' was extremely predictable (I mean, I can think of two films—one in 1999 and one in 2001—that have a similar reveal). Also, The Shape of Darkness is yet another book that proves my least likely person is the culprit theory.
Anyhow, Agnes seems to believe that she is being targeted after the very first death. Which is...okay. The plot must go on I guess.

Anyway, the story starts with Agnes a silhouette artist. She has yet to fully recover from an illness that struck her a few years prior the start of the novel. She lives in a nondescript house with her orphaned nephew and her elderly mother. Her past is 'mysterious' and she's clearly suffered more than on heartbreak. Her only friend happens to be a doctor who was married to her now deceased evil sister. Her few customers start turning up dead and Agnes worries that someone is after her.
Pearl is a medium who also happens to have an evil sister who forces to host seances. Pearl believes in the ghosts and there are scenes that seem to point to 'otherworldly' presences. Pearl is also, like Agnes, kind of sickly. The two characters in fact sound very much like the same person. They lack interiority and are mostly defined by how 'frail' and vulnerable they are. For quite awhile I thought that they were more or less the same age but I was surprised to discover that Pearl was 11 and Agnes in her 40s (yet they both sound like teenagers).

Agnes and Pearl end up 'finding' one another and Agnes convinces Pearl to help her contact her now deceased customers. We have two or three scenes in which Agnes is actually doing her job and we see Pearl doing two seances at the very beginning but after the 40% mark the narrative no longer focuses on these things.

The story takes a quite a few leaps in logic, there are a few too many convenient coincidences, the plot is dull, the characters uninspired. Although the story is set in Bath there are only a couple descriptions—a few sentences really—describing the city's architecture. Agnes shows a surprising lack of awareness towards her norms of her time and there were a few inconsistencies. For example, a couple of pages after we are told that Agnes' hands are swollen (possibly due to a combination of arthritis and chilblains) she does a silhouette for a customer. This requires her to use her fingers and I guarantee you that if her hands had truly been as the 'swollen lumps' we were told they were, she would not be able to move them very much, let alone being able to doe painstakingly controlled movements with her fingers. Instead we don’t even get a mention of her hands and fingers during this scene (we could have been told how difficult and painful it was to be using her hands when they were so swollen).

The story tries to be somewhat serious or creepy and yes, descriptions of Pearl's father—who's phossy jaw is rotting away—were not pleasant. But the narrative's 'supernatural' undertones and 'murder mystery' storyline were bland and galaxies away from being remotely scary (or even atmospheric).

Here are a few examples of why I did not like the author's writing: 'But it cannot be, not after all of these years', 'her heart flutters its wings inside her chest', the idea fills her with a sweet glow, 'in her face are those simmering, witchy eyes', 'her slender trunk' (this to describe a woman's figure), 'frightened whispers of her own conscience'.

Towards the end the story becomes so dramatic as to be frankly risible. There were a few scenes that were meant to inspire suspense or whatnot but they way they go down would have suited more a B movie.
If you liked it, fair enough, but I for one am glad I did not have to pay for my copy (the 'perks' of being on NetGalley). ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Nov 12, 2020 Michelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Shape of Darkness is another chilling gothic tale from Laura Purcell. I have read her previous books and this one seems to be more darker than her previous.
Set in the 1800’s in Bath, Agnes Darken is a Silhouette artist, cutting portraits out of paper. She lives with her mother and her nephew. But doing this has some disadvantages. Currently all the people she has made portraits for have ended up dead. She can’t understand why the killer is targeting her clients. The police do not suspect he ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Nov 14, 2020 Thebooktrail rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gothic, books-set-in-london

POSTCARD REVIEW
Book out in 2021 SET IN BATH

Oh if you love a gothic novel that contains mesmerism, ghosts, seances, and mystery built upon mystery then this is for you! Spooky and ethereal. I was totally immersed in the scene building, the glorious dark rooms, flickering candles and moving shadows. I felt as if I should have been wearing crinoline whilst reading it, with those cotton gloves on that the women used to wear. I had to go out once when reading it and was disappointed a hansom cab wa ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Dec 02, 2020 Emma rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, netgalley

Wonderful! I really do love stories centring around Victorian spiritualism plus this author is very talented. I found the story completely engrossing and the ending left me in awe. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Dec 14, 2020 Robin Stevens rated it it was amazing

Viciously spooky and, as always, with a horrible twist in the tale, this is one of my favourite Laura Purcell books yet, a brilliant cross between a murder mystery and a ghost story. (16+)

*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 17, 2021 Dawn rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

I read this within 48hrs – far quicker than I usually manage these days, but that’s because it's so compelling. The atmosphere just pours from the pages; a perfect example of the genre (gothic). It was a nice original touch to have such an unusual job for the main character too (silhouette artist). Wonderful!

I got this on Netgalley (I've been lucky lately!) ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 08, 2020 Angela Watt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020

It's rare for a book to stop me in my tracks, trap me in a chair, away from all else and where I keep saying 'just one more chapter, just one more chapter.' But 'The Shape of Darkness' by Laura Purcell did just that. And now it is over, I am sad, and wondering what could fill the Agnes shaped gap in my life.

Let's get it right up front that I love all the books Laura Purcell has written and so I was thrilled to find myself with an early copy of her latest book, courtesy of the author, publisher a ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Nov 09, 2020 Jan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: best-reads-2020, historical-fiction

Laura Purcell is rapidly growing to be one of my go to authors for quirky, twisty Gothic historical fiction and The Shape of Darkness does not disappoint, it is up there with her other books, including the much praised The Silent Companions and my own firm favourite The Corset.

The main protagonist is Agnes, a middle aged spinster, struggling to make a living as a silhouette artist, living with her is her querulous Mother and her beloved nephew Cedric. Recovering from illness, when two of her rec ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2020 Lisa Sell rated it it was amazing

This is a haunting story that will remain with me for some time. The sign of a great book, for me, is a plot that makes you think and sticks with you. The Shape of Darkness definitely does these things.

The characters are richly described, from the complex Agnes to the mysterious and fragile Pearl. Not a single character is there without reason. The interweaving of their lives is the most enjoyable part of this novel.

I loved the depictions of the era, houses, and streets. Laura Purcell has a tale ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 13, 2020 Gemma rated it really liked it

I have loved every book published by Laura Purcell and this one was no exception.

Purcell has such a talent for creating believable and atmospheric historical settings which she uses to brilliant effect when telling dark, haunting and mysterious stories.

The Shape of Darkness follows a woman named Agnes, a silhouette artist in Victorian Bath, who discovers that her clients are being murdered shortly after sitting for her. To unravel the mystery she enlists the help of a young girl named Pearl wh ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2020 AtomicBooks rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020-books-read

I have read all Laura Purcell’s books and they just keep getting better. They are all so individually different and brilliant. This book definitely ticks all the boxes for me. It is the perfect Victorian gothic thriller. It is brilliantly believable and creepy with so many great twists that you just don’t see coming.

Agnes is struggling to recover from an illness, keep her business going and look after her family. Then one day one of her clients is found brutally murdered, and then another...Des ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 13, 2020 Dan Bassett rated it it was amazing

When silhouette artist Agnes’s clients start being murdered, she approaches Pearl, a renowned child spirit medium to attempt to make contact with those who have passed on and reveal just who killed them.
But Agnes and Pearl soon discover they may have opened a door that cannot be locked.... what secrets lie hidden in the darkness?
Set to the backdrop of a gritty, grey and beguiling 1800’s Bath, England you follow Agnes, an ailing Silhouette artist who’s business has seen better days, likewise her ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 03, 2021 Penelope rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction

Laura Purcell has yet to write a bad book. Each one she writes is marvellous in it's own special way about it's own special subject and this one was utterly gripping from the very beginning. It will suck you in, keep you guessing, leave you scratching your head, trip you up, give you thrills and chills and have you reaching for anything else the author has written. Taking place in the atmospheric setting of Victorian Bath we are introduced to the impoverished world of Agnes Darken, silhouette ar ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Sep 08, 2020 Martin Paul rated it it was amazing

Courtesy of NetGalley, I was grateful for the opportunity to preview Laura Purcell's latest book, The Shape of Darkness. The good news is she's delivered yet another winner. I've been in an historical spooky mystery phase for a while and her books fit right in.

These days authors such as ES Thomson, Laura Shepherd-Robinson and Katherine Stansfield publish stories full of rich detail, accurate portrayals of 18th and 19th century Britain, and fully rounded characters, all of which paint a vivid ba ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 06, 2020 Beth Chats Books rated it really liked it

This is a deliciously wicked gothic tale. Set in the late 1800s in Bath, this story follows Agnes Darken, a silhouette artist who finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery that scandalises the city. Everyone who seems to pose for one of Agnes’s pieces starts to meet their untimely demise. Fearful that the murderer is trying to communicate with her, Agnes finds herself seeking answers from her dead relatives and former clients through the help of a medium, a 11 year old albino girl called Pearl ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 19, 2021 Eilidh rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021-reads, mysteries, anticipated-2021-releases, preorders, historical-fiction, arc-tbr

When Agnes Darken’s clients begin to die under suspicious circumstances, and she comes under scrutiny with the police and wider society due to her connections to the increasing number of victims, Agnes decides to consult a local girl who is known to connect to the dead. Agnes wants to know who is murdering the people around her, and medium Pearl Meers is desperate to talk to her departed mother. Together they make contact beyond the earthly veil... and their lives will never be the same.

Laura P When Agnes Darken’s clients begin to die under suspicious circumstances, and she comes under scrutiny with the police and wider society due to her connections to the increasing number of victims, Agnes decides to consult a local girl who is known to connect to the dead. Agnes wants to know who is murdering the people around her, and medium Pearl Meers is desperate to talk to her departed mother. Together they make contact beyond the earthly veil... and their lives will never be the same.

Laura Purcell delivers yet another morbidly captivating mystery. This oozed moodiness and spookiness so much so I was spellbound. Purcell wields mysticism in such an enthralling way. Seances, crystal balls, shadows in a dark, drafty house combined with the sinister presence of magpies and their piercing caws, culminating in an ominous setting and tone.

The Shape of Darkness shows the growth in Purcell’s writing; the book really was transportive to a time gone by. The way the characters spoke felt old. And on the point of the characters, I’d say these ones are the best balance Purcell has achieved yet. The story follows two narrators, Agnes Darken and Pearl Meers, both of whom were likeable and their perspectives felt worthwhile. I didn’t prefer one to the other (as I have done with Purcell’s other reads), although I would say toward the second half some character development of Agnes’ didn’t read very smooth. But the way these characters lives contrast and interconnect in numerous ways was so intrinsically clever... Honestly all I can really do is offer a round of applause.

I’ll also say, just for keeping track and comparisons, I’ve read all of Purcell’s books to date, and for me, The Shape of Darkness is tamer than the likes of either The Silent Companions and The Corset. It’s just as enjoyable and a great offering by Purcell, but I would say it’s lighter in horror than her previous work.

Nonetheless, Purcell writes with such magnetism. The more you read and discover the story, the more you’re sucked into it in every way. I really enjoyed the way the story was woven together for all ends to meet appropriately. One thing that’s clearer and clearer with every book is Purcell is a natural born storyteller, and The Shape of Darkness firmly cements Purcell as an auto-buy author for me. It is quite frankly a must read for lovers of this genre and murder mysteries.

Thank you kindly to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC, in exchange for this honest review. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 12, 2021 tinalouisereadsbooks rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, kindle, read-in-2021

This gothic story set in Bath follows Agnes who is silhouette artist and young Pearl who is a medium. Through certain circumstances both characters are to find each other and the story goes on from there.

I really enjoyed The Silent Companions and The Corset, didn't enjoy Bone China as much and this book The Shape of Darkness even less.

What I did enjoy was the historical setting and descriptions, and from that I did get the sense of place. I also enjoyed how the silhouettes that Agnes created al ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2021 Munch rated it really liked it

I was sent an arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

3.75
This author is becoming a go to for me in supernatural historical fiction. I always enjoy the atmosphere that they have. I don't know why, but spooky stories set in modern setting just aren't as creepy to me as a historical setting.

I did find the pacing a little more slow in the middle but it soon picked up again. I can't say too much about the plot since I think it's better if you don't know too much. There were s ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 21, 2021 Lel Budge rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Set in Bath in the 19th century and Agnes lives with her aged mother and nephew. She just about manages to support her family by being a silhouette artist.

But then her customers begin dying soon after she visits them, she believes someone is trying to ruin her and her business by murdering them. But who and why?

So, Agnes visits a medium to try and contact the victims and find out who the killer is…..things then get dark and creepy.

This is a marvellously dark gothic Murder mystery set against a p ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 05, 2020 Jen Burrows rated it liked it

Shelves: historical, fiction, 2021-releases

With The Shape of Darkness Laura Purcell has, once again, crafted a compelling gothic story. This is historical fiction without the gloss: Agnes' Bath is bleak and grimy, choked with disease - and ghosts.

There are some striking scenes and genuinely spooky moments, but I can't help but wish Purcell had picked one trope and stuck to it. With spooky silhouettes, prescient seances and maraudering murderers, there is a lot to unpack. By the end there are simply too many threads to tie together to rea ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 04, 2020 Charlotte Cantillon rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley-arcs

I love Laura Purcell. The Silent Companions is one of my favourite books and the book I regularly recommend as one of the scariest ghost stories I’ve ever read.

The Shape of Darkness is the story of Agnes, whose sister is dead and who works making silhouettes in Victorian Bath. It tells the story of the mystery around people dying who have recently been customers of hers.

Alongside Agnes’ story is the story of Pearl, who works as a kind of spiritual medium with her older sister.

This is a great, s ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 14, 2021 Aimee Walker Editorial rated it really liked it

Laura Purcell is one of my must-read authors so I was delighted to receive this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't disappointed; this had me gripped throughout. Victorian gothic at its best, creepy, full of atmosphere and intrigue. Purcell clearly does her research and comes up with a really unusual story every time, all based on actual historical context – this time, the fashion of mesmerism, the emergence of photography and the horrific consequences of working in match factories. I ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 07, 2020 Louise rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 24, 2020 Vikki Patis rated it it was amazing

Laura Purcell is without a doubt one of the best writers of our time. Her intricately woven stories are instantly gripping and atmospheric, her characters bold and fierce. I have read all of her gothic historical fiction novels so far and have loved each one more than the last. The Shape of Darkness is a triumphant foray into the world of Victorian spiritualism and deception, of women and girls doing what they can to survive. It is dark and captivating and absolutely perfect.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 20, 2020 Violet rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-books

Agnes is a silhouette artist in 1850s Bath, caring for her nephew and her mother and struggling to make ends meet. When her sitters start dying one after the other, she requests the help of young Pearl, 11, who can communicate with the dead, and she tries and finds out who murdered the people whose silhouettes she cut in paper and who is thus hurting her business.

I find Laura Purcell's historial fiction exquisite - well-written, full of suspense, with characters that you get attached to, and wh ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 15, 2020 Ellie ↟ rated it liked it

2.5/5 stars overall.

This is not my first Laura Purcell novel. I previously tried to read The Silent Companions but had to give up part way through due to utter frustration and boredom. This one was definitely a big improvement but I still had some issues with it.

The Shape Of Darkness is a Victorian era novel about a woman called Agnes who earns her living through her craft of cutting paper silhouettes. When a murderer stars targeting her clients causing her business to struggle she enlists the 2.5/5 stars overall.

This is not my first Laura Purcell novel. I previously tried to read The Silent Companions but had to give up part way through due to utter frustration and boredom. This one was definitely a big improvement but I still had some issues with it.

The Shape Of Darkness is a Victorian era novel about a woman called Agnes who earns her living through her craft of cutting paper silhouettes. When a murderer stars targeting her clients causing her business to struggle she enlists the help of a spirit medium to try and contact the victims and catch the killer.

What I loved about this book was that concept. The hunt for a killer using medium abilities and contacting the dead. I loved the highlight of silhouette art which was such an interesting staple in Victorian society, I have never read a book that included it so it was really interesting to learn more about the craft.

The seance scenes were definitely the best moments in this novel. Those were the moments that really made this feel like a gothic novel that sends a chill up your spine.

What didn't work in this book was pretty much everything else. For a book that is set in Bath, an area near where I live that is so rich in history, this novel really didn't capture it at all. The setting never felt unique or alive it just felt like your run of the mill Victorian setting that isn't really distinguishable. The characters felt the same. Although I could see the potential in them, they all fell flat and never felt truly alive, I didn't connect with any of them and my emotions never felt tied into their story. I also found a lot of the story to be very implausible, there are many plot points that just don't make sense and I really couldn't see happening.

I know Laura Purcell is a very popular author and I am in the minority here but after now reading my second novel of hers I see a theme in her work where the ideas behind the novel are so promising but they are just not executed properly. This book had a great concept and I believe in another's hands could have been a brilliant read but unfortunately it was really disappointing. ...more

flag Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Historical > Historical Fiction

42 users

Gothic

29 users

Fiction

14 users

Mystery

14 users

Historical

10 users

Fantasy > Supernatural

4 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

4 users

Horror

3 users

Fantasy

3 users

Speculative Fiction

2 users

See top shelves…

About Laura Purcell

Laura Purcell

1,344 followers

Laura Purcell is a former bookseller and lives in Colchester with her husband and pet guinea pigs.

Her first novel for Raven Books THE SILENT COMPANIONS won the WHSmith Thumping Good Read Award 2018 and featured in both the Zoe Ball and Radio 2 Book Clubs. Other Gothic novels include THE CORSET (THE POISON THREAD in USA), BONE CHINA and THE SHAPE OF DARKNESS (2020)

Laura’s historical fiction about ...more