Spitting Gold
Spiritualism has had many believers throughout history but was probably at its peak in the 19th century. The Mothe sisters, Sylvie and Charlotte, were orchestrated by their alcoholic father in their endeavours performing as spiritists after their mother drowned in their earlier years. This tragic episode caused him to turn ever more violent due to his excessive consumption of alcohol, so Sylvie sought a better life for herself, falling in love with Baron Devereux. Following the Baron’s legal intervention when the disgrace of her younger sister’s sexual preferences came to light, deemed unlawful at that time, Sylvie had been forced to sever all ties with her family after their society wedding. Charlotte cannot now afford to support herself and her increasingly ill father so seeks to enrol her elder sister in one last con trick. All is not entirely made clear to Sylvie, though, as Charlotte keeps some relevant facts a secret from her when they start the task of exorcising the home of the aristocratic de Jacquinot family, who believe that great-aunt Sabine has returned to haunt them.
This is an atmospheric story where we are party to the lives of each sister independently and as with every tale, there are two sides. To discover which is the ‘good’ and therefore which is ‘bad’, depends partly on the reader’s own viewpoint. As a first novel, there are many engaging aspects, including further secrets revealed, as the sisters delve deeper into this client’s history, making for an enjoyable read. What a pity that the spine of this hardcover contains such a glaring error in how “Carmella” is spelt, though!
