The theatre itself is almost its own character, the plays and quotes from their scripts are deliciously and seamlessly included in the book and there’s a real menacing, uncomfortable atmosphere you get on the page from the theatre environment and the threat of Melpomene, especially as the story goes on. Jenny is the protagonist to the story and while I didn’t necessarily like her at the start of the book, I warmed to her the more I understood her and her past, and her character really grew and developed throughout the pages, especially alongside Lilith. The heart of this book is Lilith, she’s complex, the tragic muse, the misunderstood woman, her scenes are rich, tortured and I felt really drawn to her, especially the more she was unravelled. As Jenny works alongside a Lilith, she learns of rumours of a pact Lilith has made, like her predecessor, with the tragic muse of Greek mythology, Melpomene, for fame and greatness on the stage, and the bloody, treacherous impact this has. Employed by a jealous Mrs Dyer, Jenny also has been instructed with a secondary job, to spy on Lilith and report back, a woman deemed unseemly, strange and too familiar with Mr Dyer. The story follows Jenny, a young woman looking for a second chance after her brother caused her trouble, and taking employment in the Mercury Theatre in the West End, dressing rising star and lead actress Lilith Erikson.

The Whispering Muse isn’t necessarily creepy or scary like The Silent Companions, although there definitely are a few moments, but it’s dark, gothic and unashamedly unsettling.

The whispering muse laura purcell