The Taxidermist's Daughter

Description

Sussex, 1912. In a churchyard, villagers gather on the night when the ghosts of those who will die in the coming year are thought to be seen. Here, where the estuary leads out to the sea, superstitions still hold sway. Standing alone is the taxidermist's daughter. At seventeen, Constantia Gifford lives with her father in a decaying house: it is all that is left of Gifford's once world-famous museum of taxidermy. The stuffed animals that used to grace every parlour are out of fashion, leaving Gifford a disgraced and bitter man. The bell begins to toll and all eyes are fixed on the church. No one sees the gloved hand pick up a flint. As the last notes fade into the dark, a woman lies dead. While the village braces itself against rising waters and the highest tide of the season, Connie struggles to discover who is responsible, but finds herself under suspicion. Is Constantia who she seems - is she the victim of circumstances or are more sinister forces at work? And what is the secret that lies at the heart of Gifford House, hidden among the bell jars of her father's workshop? Told over one summer, The Taxidermist's Daughter is the haunting new novel from the bestselling author of Labyrinth, Sepulchre, Citadel and The Winter Ghosts.

Promotion info

The enthralling new novel from the bestselling author of The Winter Ghosts, Citadel and Labyrinth

Author description

Kate Mosse is the author of three works of non-fiction, three plays and six novels, including the No 1 multi-million international bestselling Languedoc Trilogy - Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel - published to outstanding reviews and sold in more than 40 countries throughout the world in 38 languages. Her standalone novel, The Winter Ghosts, was also a No 1 bestseller, confirming her position as one of our most captivating storytellers. Her collection of short stories, The Mistletoe Bride & Other Haunting Tales was published to acclaim in Autumn 2013. In recognition of her services to literature, Kate was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in June 2013.