Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook Review

Title: Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge

Author: Lizzie Pook

Genre: Historical/ Mystery

Publisher: Picador

Pages: 336

Release Date: 1 February 2024

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Hello fellow booklovers! Today I'm sharing my review for Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook. Steeped in grief, murder and revenge—and told through the dual POVs of Maude, her deceased sister Constance (via journal entries) and Edison Stowe (the man Maude believes is responsible), Lizzie Pook’s second novel is as exquisitely detailed and atmospheric as her first!

Synopsis

An Arctic expedition. A mysterious death. And the lengths to which one woman will go to avenge her sister

When Maude Horton receives a letter from the British Admiralty informing her of her younger sister’s death, her world is shattered. Bold and daring, Constance had run away from her life in Victorian London two years prior, disguising herself as a boy to board the Makepeace, an expedition vessel bound for the Arctic’s unexplored Northwest Passage. The admiralty claims Constance’s death was a tragic accident, but Maude knows when she is being deceived.

Armed with Constance’s diary from her time at sea and a fiery desire for justice, Maude sets her sights on the Makepeace’s former scientist, Edison Stowe, a greedy and manipulative man whom she suspects had a hand in her sister’s death. When she learns he has a new venture, a travel company that escorts spectators across the country to witness popular public hangings, she decides to join the latest tour, determined to extract the truth from Stowe and avenge her sister—no matter the risk to herself.

Review

This was a fabulously plot twisty, rollercoaster of a book! Pook manages to blend the delightfully intriguing mystery of an Agatha Christie novel, with the dark and grisly undertones of Sweeny Todd (minus the cannibalism or musical numbers) that had me well and truly hooked!

The writing was also as well researched and intricately detailed as Pook’s debut (which I loved) weaving historical elements soo seamlessly that it was difficult to tell what was based on fact and what was fiction—which for me, made the narrative even more immersive.

Set during the height of murder mania and the public’s obsession with sensationalism, I was blown away by how vivid the descriptions were. Particularly those from Constance’s POV, which painted a poignantly vivid picture of just how terrifyingly harsh the arctic environment really was for explorers. And given how precarious her own position was, disguised as a cabin boy on a ship full of men—I became more on edge the further into the journey (and journal entries) we got.

Impressively, all of our main characters were complex and full of depth. Even Edison (who was my least favourite) had an intriguing, multifaceted background that (sort of) explained most of his motivations.

Though of course, it was Maude who stole my heart with her heartbreaking earnestness to find closure over her sister’s death. It took courage to do what she does, and I couldn’t imagine having to do half of it whilst grieving soo deeply. But, Maude’s dedication (and methodical approach) to justice and revenge was gloriously compelling!

I did go into this expecting it to be more of a slow burn type story, but was pleasantly surprised by how pacy it was. Which definitely helped to make many of our characters’ riskier decisions seem all the more intense.

If you enjoy twisty, gothic-esque tales of murder most foul and wily women getting their revenge—then you’re gonna absolutely love this! Though do check the TWs beforehand.

Also, a huge thank you to BookBreak UK for the (rather glorious) proof.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

About The Author 

Lizzie Pook is an award-winning journalist and travel writer contributing to The Sunday Times, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Condé Nast Traveller and more. Her assignments have taken her to some of the most remote parts of the planet, from the uninhabited east coast of Greenland in search of roaming polar bears, to the foothills of the Himalayas to track endangered snow leopards.

She was inspired to write Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter, her debut novel, after spending time in north-western Australia researching the dangerous and fascinating pearl-diving industry. Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge is her second novel.

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