The Shadow Key

There’s something devilish going on in the quiet Welsh village of Penhelyg. Will the shadow key unlock its dark secrets?

After a grave mistake, Henry Talbot has been forced to take an unappealing position as a village doctor in remote Wales where he can't speak the language and belief in myth and magic is rife. When Henry discovers his predecessor died in mysterious circumstances, and starts to notice an arcane symbol appearing in odd places, he sets out to find answers.

When Henry meets the lady of the manor, Linette Tresilian, he finds her vexingly unhelpful at first. She seems to know little about the shelves of occult books he notices in her family’s library. But Linette has suspicions of her own about what’s happened in the village and, together, their investigations will bind their destinies in ways neither thought possible.

*Reveal the secret golden symbol that haunts Henry and Linette when you take off the book jacket. Only available on the first printing.*

Review

A haunting, transporting mystery…kept me completely enthralled -- Elodie Harper

A gripping, beautifully executed historical thriller, full of arcane magic and Welsh mythology -- Rosie Andrews, author of The Leviathan

A mesmerising maze of a gothic Georgian mystery. Enter an eerie and liminal world steeped in superstition, Welsh folklore, and pagan cults. Gloriously atmospheric from the first dark page to the last -- Essie Fox

A novel to read under the covers with a flashlight...deliciously dark and romantic... Gloriously Gothic, and lovingly and carefully researched...an instant classic -- Kate Heartfield, author of THE EMBROIDERED BOOK

The mysteries and twists kept me turning the pages till the wee small hours – every character has something to hide. A sumptuous, dark feast of a novel -- Susan C Wilson, author of CLYTEMNESTRA'S BIND

About the Author

Susan Stokes-Chapman was born in 1985 and grew up in the historic Georgian city of Lichfield, Staffordshire. She studied for four years at Aberystwyth University, graduating with a BA in Education & English Literature and an MA in Creative Writing. Her debut novel, Pandora, was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction prize 2020 and the Glass Bell Award and became an instant Sunday Times number-one bestseller. You can find Susan on Instagram and Twitter under the handle @SStokesChapman. Her website is www.susanstokeschapman.com.