Description

‘Begins as a compelling psychological mystery [and] turns to the supernatural… A well-plotted, original, nightmare blend of madness and monsters.’ Guardian

The Regent Hotel in Birmingham is a place of lush glamour, where guests sip absinthe cocktails on velvet banquettes and obliging waiters are always on hand. Yet behind its glittering facade, you might find monsters lurking in the shadows…

On a cold February evening, Nora Dickinson checks in. A psychoanalyst with a dubious past, Nora has battled not to let her own demons overcome her. But when a terrible snowstorm cuts The Regent off from the outside world, the entire hotel’s grip on reality slips – and the nightmares Nora’s worked so hard to control begin to bare their teeth.

Kate Mascarenhas’s latest novel offers her readers a horrifying ride through murder, madness and the darkest
recesses of the mind.

‘A delicious piece of art deco Gothic’ Natalie Marlow
‘Dark, complex and beautifully plotted’ Rebecca Netley
‘Immersive, unique… with a dark supernatural core’ Essie Fox
‘An atmospheric, claustrophobic novel… mesmerising’ Elizabeth Lee

Publisher Review

‘In Hokey Pokey, Kate Mascarenhas has produced a delicious piece of art deco Gothic which explores the psychological complexities of both the age and the genre. I adore Kate’s pitch perfect prose and fearless way with dishing out the thrills.’ — Natalie Marlow, author of Needless Alley ‘Hokey Pokey is an atmospheric, claustrophobic novel, expertly bringing the glamour of the 1920s to life. Nora’s journey of self-discovery is both poignant and chilling, gripping the reader from the first line to the last. A dark and mesmerising read.’ — Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women ‘Dark and complex and beautifully plotted. I did not want to put it down.’ — Rebecca Netley, author of The Whistling What begins as a compelling psychological mystery in a vividly real setting turns to the supernatural… A well-plotted, original, nightmare blend of madness and monsters * The Guardian * ‘An immersive and unique treat of obsession, murder and madness, skilfully wrapped in a glittering twist of golden age crime, with a dark supernatural core. Very clever writing.’ — Essie Fox, author of The Fascination PRAISE FOR KATE MASCARENHAS:

‘Witty, inventive and unflashily wise about human hearts; Mascarenhas’s future promises to be an exciting one’ Guardian.

‘Breathtakingly tender and wryly understated, The Psychology of Time Travel feels like an antidote to a great deal of reported (and even fictionalized) history, its excised women now finding their way back into the spotlight’ New York Times.

‘Bringing magical realism to a contemporary Oxford setting in an atmospheric examination of gender inequality’ Guardian, on The Thief on the Winged Horse.

‘Captivating, inventive and tender… A dazzling mix of crime, romance, magic and myth’ Adele Parks, on The Thief on the Winged Horse.

‘This is a novel packed with ideas… It’ll leave you turning over the concepts in your mind long after the story is finished’ * SFX, on The Psychology of Time Travel *