I’m off work due to cancer treatment and I’m rinsing through my book stash! Please can I have some recommendations for female-centric historical gothic mysteries? I prefer mid-late Victorian but I’ve enjoyed some set up to the 1950s if they have the right vibe.
The things I tend to look for are: classic ‘female gothic’ tropes, especially if the author plays with them in interesting ways; lots of sensory detail like smells, taste, sound; anything with a museum-y vibe (as that’s my day job!); complex relationships between characters (romantic or otherwise); gender-nonconforming or queer protagonists; historical accuracy in the setting (I don’t mind some rule-bending in characters and plot for the sake of the story but the setting has to make sense to me); and a really good mystery.
These are my most recent binges:
- Jem Flockhart mystery series by E. S. Thompson
- The Variety Palace Mysteries series by Bridget Walsh
- Vienna Blood series by Frank Tallis (male protagonist, but good female characters)
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Thanks so much for any suggestions!
by StephaneCam