All Her Beautiful Deaths: A gripping dual-timeline gothic mystery

London, 1865. Desperate for work, Minnie takes employment as a maid for the wealthy Culpepper twins. The siblings lead a strange and unconventional life: Edmund operates a laboratory from the house while Edith experiments with morbid photography. Drawn in by a dangerous attraction to one of the twins, and with a sick sister of her own to provide for, by the time Minnie makes a disturbing discovery it's too late – she must stay and unravel the mysteries of Culpepper House before she becomes a victim of one of Edith's photographs herself.

London, present day. Grieving artist Hadley is consumed by an album of Victorian death photography, including the exquisite image of a deceased young girl with a swan. When this photograph is involved in an art world scandal, Hadley is given the opportunity to create an installation surrounding the image. But the enigmatic Kit Culpepper, of the Culpepper Trust, has other plans. He offers Hadley an eye-watering sum of money to sell him the album and never speak of its contents again. As Hadley digs deeper into the album's truths, she begins to suspect Kit Culpepper is guarding a deathly secret... and she's not entirely sure how far he'll go to keep it.

A gripping dual-timeline gothic mystery inspired by the macabre world of Victorian death photography, All Her Beautiful Deaths offers a powerful exploration of classism and ownership in the art world, while beautifully portraying expressions of grief and love. Perfect for fans of Fingersmith by Sarah Waters and The Burial Plot by Elizabeth Macneal, with echoes of Daphne du Maurier.

'A deliciously gothic dual-time read that I couldn't put down. Enter Edith Culpepper's world and be prepared to be taken on an unexpected journey. Twists aplenty and a fascinating insight into the Victorian practice of death photography. Utterly engaging' - JENNI KEER, author of The Ravenswood Witch

'A macabre family mystery that weaves across the generations, All Her Beautiful Deaths is also a twist-filled love story that gets under your skin. Intrigue builds as the story pulls in the dark side of Victorian photography and the politics of today's art world to reach an unexpectedly life-affirming denouement. An addictive read' - CAROLYN KIRBY, author of The Conviction of Cora Burns

PRAISE FOR A. RUSHBY

'Adored this gorgeous, sumptuously gothic feminist novel' - EMMA COWING, author of The Show Woman

'Utterly compelling from the first page to the final, shocking twist' - CHRISTINE WELLS, author of The Paris Gown

'Captivating from start to end and tells a haunting tale of feminine rage' - ABBIE EATON, author of Dragonhart

'Two timelines collide with imaginative verve' - TIMES

'Unsettling and addictive... Rushby's storytelling translates brilliantly to the adult gothic, positioning her as a bold new voice in horror' - SEATTLE TIMES

'Rich, intricate, and full of surprises' - HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY

© 2026 Verve Books (E-bog): 9780857309297

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E-bog: 1. september 2026