Description

The Doll Factory, the gripping Sunday Times bestseller, is a gothic tale of art, obsession and delusion that will transport you to the dark underbelly of Victorian London.

London. 1850. The chance meeting between Iris Whittle, a dollmaker yearning for freedom, and Louis Frost, an artist desperate for a muse, sparks a tantalising bargain: Iris will model for Louis, in return for painting lessons. As Iris steps into a world of creativity and love, little does she realise that another man, curiosity collector Silas Reed, has become utterly enchanted by her . . .

Blissfully unaware of Silas’s growing obsession, Iris embraces her new life. But it is only a matter of time before their fates intertwine, setting them on a thrilling and suspenseful collision course.

‘A sharp, scary tale of love, art and obsession’ – Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train

BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick

BBC Radio 4 Book At Bedtime

Reader Praise:

‘Breathtaking’

‘I couldn’t put it down’

‘Spellbinding’

‘I never wanted it to end’

‘A plot to stop your heart’

Now a major TV series with Paramount+. Step into The Doll Factory, where beauty, horror and desire collide.

Publisher Review

Emotionally and intellectually engaging, Elizabeth Macneal's debut is a stunner . . . both a page-turning thriller and a thoughtful, moving exploration of what it meant to be a woman and an artist in the 19th century . . . perfectly paced and richly atmospheric . . . deeply moving . . . I literally couldn't put it down for the final breathtakingly tense 70 pages . . . utterly gripping * Irish Times * Gripping -- India Knight, Sunday Times Memorable * Herald * Macneal has a magpie's eye for whatever is bright and glittering, and she writes vividly * Scotsman * The sort of book you want to read curled up by a fire while your fingers twitch to find out what happens next -- Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, author of Harmless Like You In its evocation of the seething energy of 1850s London, its immersion in the detail of the 19th-century city's everyday life and in its fascination with the macabre and the eccentric, Elizabeth Macneal's debut novel does feel genuinely Dickensian. Add a keen exploration of the restrictions that were placed on women and the possessiveness of men, and you get a remarkable example of historical fiction . . . In Macneal's novel, Iris is condemned to be imprisoned by men's ideas of her . . . a story full of life, colour and intelligence * Sunday Times * A sharp, scary, gorgeously evocative tale of love, art and obsession -- Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train Engrossing and atmospheric . . . I can practically see the TV version! -- Adele Geras, author of The Ballet Class Darkly brilliant - The Collector meets Possession with added female power -- Anna Mazzola, author of The Unseeing and The Story Keeper Gripping, artfully written . . . part love story, part gothic novel and leading up to a truly breathless conclusion, this book is destined to be one of the biggest titles of 2019 -- Sharlene Teo, author of Ponti A vivid depiction of a morally dubious world, and a page-turning psychological thriller, with a truly compelling villain -- Essie Fox, author of The Somnambulist [A] gripping historical thriller . . . Macneal paints a masterpiece with her vivid descriptions, and the conclusion will have you racing to the end -- Book of the Week * Woman's Weekly * A brilliant literary thriller that you won't want to put down * Surrey Life * This dark, enchanting tale is beautifully written. We couldn't put it down * Take a Break * Remarkably assured and beautifully written . . . truly captivating -- E C Fremantle, author of The Poison Bed One of the best books I've read in ages - heartbreaking and evocative . . . a perfectly structured and page-turning story of love and passion; crime and obsession . . . wonderful -- Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl Pretty much everything you could want from a book set in Victorian London . . . terrific storytelling . . . Ever since the success of The Essex Serpent, there's been no shortage of good modern gothic novels. The Doll Factory might just be the best yet -- James Walton * Reader's Digest * Exquisite . . . authentic and suspenseful * Woman & Home * Exquisitely executed, well-researched and richly evocative . . . a fast-paced, inventive ride through the dirt and squalor of Victorian London * Mail on Sunday * Elegantly plotted . . . compelling and chilling * The i * Stunning . . . with an unbearably tense and chilling denouement that had me totally gripped -- Sophie Mackintosh, Man Booker Prize longlisted author of The Water Cure The summer's hottest author . . . at once a love story and a thriller . . . Iris is a fierce creation. She chafes against the Victorian constraints on her freedom, carves out her own space in the male art world * Sunday Times * Brilliant . . . refreshingly original . . . beautifully orchestrated . . . fascinating -- Andrew Taylor, No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Ashes of London and The American Boy This brilliant literary thriller gripped me from the opening page . . . a beautifully researched historical novel with a plot to stop your heart -- Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites and The Good People Vividly rendered . . . captivating . . . engrossing * Evening Standard * Magnificent . . . features an extraordinary, unforgettable cast of characters . . . you can't help but be entranced by this uniquely evocative and arresting story . . . the tension ramps up to a breathtaking climax . . . if you love books like The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock, Tulip Fever and Perfume then add The Doll Factory to your reading list * Daily Express * Astonishingly good . . . with and a plot that rattles like a speeding carriage to its thrilling conclusion. I couldn't put it down. You won't be able to either -- Elizabeth Day, author of The Party I loved The Doll Factory from the very first page . . . an exquisite novel of obsession, delusion, resilience and love . . . breathtaking -- AJ Pearce, author of Dear Mrs Bird A deliciously gothic concoction that abounds with energy and imagination, conjuring up 1850s London life in all its Dickensian glory. Macneal marries art, obsession and possession in a plot that gains momentum and leaves the reader breathless * Daily Mail * This is a dark delight and fans of The Miniaturist and The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock will love it * Red Magazine * Astounding . . . I recommend it wholeheartedly -- Jo Whiley, BBC Radio 2 Book Club Macneal is excellent on the tension between idealised women and the reality . . . The Doll Factory is a remarkably strong debut; clever and readable with flashes of wonderful, descriptive prose -- Book of the Month * The Times * Fantastic - vivid, poignant, colourful, and elegantly horrifying -- Bridget Collins, author of The Binding A must read . . . Elizabeth Macneal's compelling debut is a darkly brilliant tale of Gothic suspense * Daily Mail * Stunningly confident . . . thoroughly engrossing -- Ian Rankin A remarkable example of historical fiction . . . full of life, colour and intelligence * Sunday Times *