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The Madwoman Upstairs
On sale
3rd March 2016
Price: £9.99
‘A funny, smart read with a kick-ass heroine’ Sun on Sunday. A witty, light-hearted comedy about love and fiction, and the all-important difference between the two.
Think you know Charlotte, Emily & Anne? Think again. Samantha Whipple is the last remaining descendent of the illustrious Brontë family, of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre fame. After losing her father, a brilliant author in his own right, it is up to Samantha to piece together the mysterious family inheritance lurking somewhere in her past – yet the only clues she has at her disposal are the Brontë’s own novels. With the aid of her handsome but inscrutable Oxford tutor, Samantha must repurpose the tools of literature to unearth an untold family legacy, and in the process, finds herself face to face with what may be literature’s greatest secret.
Think you know Charlotte, Emily & Anne? Think again. Samantha Whipple is the last remaining descendent of the illustrious Brontë family, of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre fame. After losing her father, a brilliant author in his own right, it is up to Samantha to piece together the mysterious family inheritance lurking somewhere in her past – yet the only clues she has at her disposal are the Brontë’s own novels. With the aid of her handsome but inscrutable Oxford tutor, Samantha must repurpose the tools of literature to unearth an untold family legacy, and in the process, finds herself face to face with what may be literature’s greatest secret.
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Reviews
Professor James Orville is the perfect Brontë leading man, as complex and passionate as his student. A supporting cast of dark figures enhances the experience. Lowell crafts a first novel that is as enthralling as it is heartbreaking
A perfectly paced and plotted literary mystery with a wonderful heroine at its heart
An absolutely brilliant, fun debut
An enjoyable academic romp that successfully combines romance and intrigue, one that benefits from never taking itself too seriously
My pick is this fast-paced, very funny mystery about the (fictional) last-remaining descendant of the Brontes trying to unravel clues that will reveal long hidden secrets about the famous sisters
For mystery and Brontë fans alike, this is a delightful romp by very clever author to watch
A funny, smart read with a kick-ass heroine
A modern-day retelling of Jane Eyre, and deeper than that, a kind of love letter to the work of the Bronte sisters, and to literature itself
An intriguing, entertaining debut, which doesn't easily fit into any one genre...[protanogist] Samantha could be a Brontë heroine
**Best Books to Read This March**
If you liked the page-turning historical mystery of The Discovery of Witches trilogy, are just a little bit obsessed by the Brontës and have a small crush on Mr Rochester, this entertaining literary romp has got your name all over it
Clever and mysterious, it keeps you turning the pages
Filled with gothic twists and leading [the protagonist] - and the reader - down pathways strewn with Brontë arcana
Unlike anything I've read before. It's a thought-provoking novel that made me take a moment to consider what it means to me to be a reader . . . This book may have changed the way I read and appreciate books and authors for ever
It's a super premise, stylishly written and the bits about the sisters are great
A witty story that brilliantly weaves together history with the present day
Blending a detective story with a Jane/Mr Rochester-style romance, it has something for everyone
Catherine Lowell's debut is a smart and funny literary mystery . . . a charming and memorable read