Published April 24th, 2025 by Orenda
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Historical Mystery
Welcome to my stopy on the blog tour for this mesmerising gothic tale. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my honest review.
********
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When the disgraced Lord Byron is associated with the deaths of women in Venice, he turns detective to unveil the killer and clear his name. A dazzling, riveting historical mystery by the author of the Sunday Times bestseller, The Fascination.
‘Brooding and brilliant’ A.J. West
‘What could so easily have been a risible premise for a novel becomes, in Fox’s expert hands, the starting point for an atmospheric thriller’ Sunday Times
‘As mesmerising and charismatic as Byron himself can ever have been … a magnificent gothic tale of scandal, secrets and murder’ Janice Hallett
‘Evokes all the grimy charisma of eighteenth-century Venice … a mystery as sinuous as the city’s alleys and canals. I was enthralled’ Elizabeth Fremantle
‘A dark treat … splendidly gothic and impressively researched’ Andrew Taylor
‘Essie Fox breathes new life into the “mad, bad and dangerous to know” Lord Byron as the notorious poet turns detective … Rich with decadent imagery and dark, gothic atmosphere, Dangerous intricately blends historical fact and fiction’ Culturefly
–––––––
Fiction can be fatal…
Living in exile in Venice, the disgraced Lord Byron revels in the freedoms of the city.
SCANDAL
But when he is associated with the deaths of local women, found with wounds to their throats, and then a novel called The Vampyre is published under his name, rumours begin to spread that Byron may be the murderer…
MURDER
As events escalate and tensions rise – and his own life is endangered, as well as those he holds most dear – Byron is forced to play detective, to discover who is really behind these heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the scandals of his own infamous past come back to haunt him…
MYSTERY
Rich in gothic atmosphere and drawing on real events and characters from Byron’s life, Dangerous is a riveting, dazzling historical thriller, as decadent, dark and seductive as the poet himself…
********
MY REVIEW:
“Oh, the power found in words! How the smallest drop of ink may fall like few upon a thought, which may reach the minds of thousands.”
Lord Byron is living in exile in Venice and enjoying all the delights the city has to offer. But his Venetian refuge is threatened when he becomes embroiled in a scandal, associated with the brutal deaths of two local women who had wounds to their throats. When a novel called The Vampyre is then published under his name, rumours quickly spread that Byron is the killer. Determined to clear his name, Byron begins his own investigation which soon puts his own life at risk. Can he find and expose the killer before they get to him?
Darkly atmospheric, decadent, eerie, and alluring, Dangerous is a seductive slice of gothic Victoriana. Seamlessly weaving a rich tapestry of meticulously researched historical detail with evocative imagery and lyrical prose, Essie Fox has created a labyrinthine mystery that is drenched with horror yet so compelling that you can’t turn away. A story of dark deeds, depravity and murder, Fox explores the dark underbelly of Victorian Venice and its literary scene, exposing the horrors lurking beneath the glamorous facade.
Many of the story’s characters are real people from history, including Lord Byron himself, though Ms. Fox has fictionalised aspects of their lives and characters. Complicated, unreliable, unlikeable and libertine, but also charismatic, beguiling and magnetic, Byron is a fascinating protagonist. It’s easy to understand his charm yet also easy to believe he could be the murderer. I loved how that ambiguity ramped up the tension and kept me guessing. There is also a large cast of richly drawn background characters, many of whom are also possible suspects.
Haunting, sinister and tantalising, I highly recommend this mesmerising gothic masterpiece.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5
********
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire, which inspires much of her writing.
After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, then the book publishers George Allen & Unwin – before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design.
Always an avid reader, Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Her latest novel, The Fascination is based in Victorian country fairgrounds, the glamour of the London theatres, and an Oxford Street museum full of morbid curiosities.
Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian. She has lectured on this era at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London.
********
BUY THE BOOK:
Orenda Books | Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links
********
Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx
Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.
Emma's Biblio Treasures 
One reply on “BLOG TOUR: Dangerous by Essie Fox”
Thanks for the blog tour support x
LikeLike