SPITTING GOLD

This historical debut is set in 19th century Paris and follows two sisters - former mediums who come back together for one last con, never suspecting that it will end in murder. This is perfect for readers of The Confessions of Frannie Langton, Stacey Halls' The Foundling, and Sarah Waters' queer historical fiction.

Paris, 1866. When Baroness Sylvie Devereux receives a house-call from Charlotte Mothe, the penniless sister she disowned several years ago, she fears that her shady past is about to catch up with her high-society present. With their father ill and Charlotte unable to pay his medical bills, Sylvie is persuaded to reprise her role as a gifted medium.

The sisters are recruited by the De Jacquinots, a dysfunctional family of aristocrats who believe they are being haunted by their Great Aunt, the Comtesse de Lisle. The Comtesse was rumoured to have buried jewels and gold somewhere in the grounds of the family's house, before meeting a grisly end at the hands of the Republicans. The De Jacquinots hire Sylvie and Charlotte to find the treasure and exorcise the ghost.

The con gets underway, with the sisters deploying every trick in their playbook. But when inexplicable things start to happen, Sylvie begins to wonder if she has finally come face to face with a real ghost, or if she herself is being conned. Only one thing is for certain - when it comes to the De Jacquinots, treasure isn't the only thing they have buried.

Carmella Lowkis grew up in Wiltshire and has a degree in English literature and Creative Writing from the University of Warwick, where she was mentored by Sarah Moss (the Sunday Times bestselling author of Summerwater). After graduating, she worked in libraries, before moving into book marketing. She is currently a Brand Executive at Vintage, PRH, and lives in North London with her girlfriend. You can follow her on Twitter @carmellalowkis.