The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey

As spiritualism reaches its fevered pitch at the dawn of the 20th century,a Scottish girl crosses the veil to unlock a powerful connection within an infamous asylum in this thrillingly atmosphericexquisitely evocative exploration of feminine rage and agency for readers of Sarah PennerAlice Hoffmanand Hester Fox. Leaving behind a quiet life of simple comfortsNairna Liath traverses the Scottish countryside with her charlatan fatherTavish. From remote cottages to rural fairsthe duo scrapes by on paltry coins as Tavish orchestrates “encounters” with the departedwhile Nairna interprets tarot cards for those willing to pay for what they wish to hear. But beyond her father’s trickeryNairna possesses a genuine gift for communicating with the spirit worldone that could get an impoverished country girl branded a witch. A talent inherited from her grandmotherLottie Liathwidow of a Welsh coalminerwhose story of imprisonment and exploitation in a notorious asylum is calling out to Nairna from four decades past—a warning to break free from the manipulationsgreedand betrayals of others. What do the cards hold for Nairna’s future? Rescued from homelessness by a well-connected strangerNairna is whisked into a new life among Edinburgh’s elite Spiritualist circleincluding visiting American star Dorothy Kellings. Researchersdoctorspsychicsand thrill-seekers clamor for the rising young medium. But after a séance with blood-chilling resultsa shocking scandal ensuesand Nairna flees to a secluded community near Bostonwhere she assumes a new identity: Nora Grey. But Nora can’t stay hidden when Dorothy Kellings offers her the chance to face all comers and silence skeptics at a spectacular séance at Boston’s Old South Meeting Hallwhere Nora will come face to face at last with her spiritual guide: the courageous Lottie Liathwhose heart-wrenching story and profound messages are indelibly tied to Nora’s destiny.