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The Madwoman Upstairs

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What to expect

Samantha Whipple - a young American woman - is the last remaining descendent of the famous Brontë family, of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre fame. After losing her father, a brilliant author in his own right, Samantha travels to Oxford in search of a mysterious family inheritance, described to her in her father's will only as 'The Warnings of Experience'.

While at Oxford, Samantha studies under Professor J. Timothy Orville III, a disarmingly handsome tutor who seems nothing but annoyed by her family heritage. With Orville as her tempestuous sidekick, Samantha sets out on a mission to piece together her family's history - which, it turns out, may also be literature's greatest buried secret.
(P)2016 WF Howes Ltd

Critics Review

A funny, smart read with a kick-ass heroine
Sun on Sunday
A perfectly paced and plotted literary mystery with a wonderful heroine at its heart
Elle magazine
An absolutely brilliant, fun debut
Open Book, BBC Radio 4
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
Elle Magazine, Best New Books for 2016
It's a super premise, stylishly written and the bits about the sisters are great
Mail on Sunday
Filled with gothic twists and leading [the protagonist] - and the reader - down pathways strewn with Brontë arcana
New York Times Book Review
Blending a detective story with a Jane/Mr Rochester-style romance, it has something for everyone
Stylist
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
The Pool
A witty story that brilliantly weaves together history with the present day
Red Magazine
An enjoyable academic romp that successfully combines romance and intrigue, one that benefits from never taking itself too seriously
Publisher's Weekly
Clever and mysterious, it keeps you turning the pages
Candis
An intriguing, entertaining debut, which doesn't easily fit into any one genre...[protanogist] Samantha could be a Brontë heroine
Irish Independent
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
Library Journal, starred review
**Best Books to Read This March**
Red Online
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
M's Bookshelf
For mystery and Brontë fans alike, this is a delightful romp by very clever author to watch
The Indie Next List
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
Forest of Books blog
Author Catherine Lowell
Narrator Caitlin Thorburn
Duration 12 hours and 27 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781784299033
Format Audiobook
Publisher Quercus
Genre Classic fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction, Romance
Availability AU, GB, IE

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