The Company

Hardback Published on: 16/03/2023
Price: £16.99
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Bookseller Reviews

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The Company
Dark, haunting, beautiful.
London, 1870. Lucy Braithwhite lives an extremely privileged and lucky existence as heir to the mass fortune of Braithwhite & Company - the most successful... READ MORE
Dan - Clifton, Bristol.
The Company
Dark gothic read with a touch of the supernatural
This dark Victorian gothic tale tells of a family whose name is synonymous with lushly printed wallpaper (the company as mentioned in the title). When the... READ MORE
Jo Morpeth

Synopsis

London, 1870.

Lucy Braithwhite lives a privileged existence as heir to the fortune of Braithwhite & Company - the most successful purveyor of English luxury wallpapers the world over. The company's formulas have been respected for nearly a century, but have always remained cloaked in mystery. No one has been able to explain the originality of design, or the brilliance of their colours, leaving many to wonder if the mysterious spell-like effect of their wallpapers is due simply to artistry, or something more sinister.

When Mr Luckhurst, the company's manager, and the man who has acted as surrogate father to Lucy and her invalid brother John since they were children, suddenly dies, Lucy is shocked to discover that there is no succession plan in place. Who will ensure that the company and her family continue to thrive?

The answer soon arrives in the form of the young and alluring Julian Rivers, who, unbeknownst to Lucy and John, has been essential to the company's operations for some time. At first, he seems like the answer to their prayers, but as Lucy begins piecing together Julian's true intentions, and John begins seeing spectral visions in the house's wallpaper, it becomes clear to Lucy that she must do everything within her power to oppose the diabolic forces that have risen up to destroy her family.

Set against the backdrop of the real-life arsenic wallpaper controversy of the late 19th century, The Company is a dark and haunting slice of gothic Victoriana, following one woman's fight to preserve all that she holds dear.

Publisher information

  • Publisher: John Murray Press
  • ISBN: 9781399802635
  • Number of pages: 256
  • Dimensions: 218 x 140 x 28 mm
  • Weight: 380g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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The Company
Full of Victorian Gothic Horror
Aside from "The Yellow Wallpaper", I don't think I've read another book where wallpaper features so heavily. "The Company" by JM Varese manages to weave t... READ MORE
Mel Pretorius
The Company
An atmospheric Victorian Gothic thriller
“The room’s paper was of a dark emerald green, and it contained things shaped like leaves, and leaves shaping themselves into vines, and strange winding se... READ MORE
Vivienne O'Regan
The Company
‘ Money, money, money, and what money can make of life’
Give me a moment, for a want to cry for joy after having read this masterly written novel as this has been such a capital intense reading experience, with ... READ MORE
Sandra vd Plaats
The Company
Intense little tale
Braithwaite and Sons is company that mines copper and makes the most beautiful wallpapers but in the second half of the 19th century there is some concern ... READ MORE
Jo-anne Atkinson
The Company
Brilliantly dark and deadly
The Company is based on the real life scandal surrounding arsenic in wallpaper in the late 19th century, Braithwaite & Company are a very successful manufa... READ MORE
Jill M
The Company
An atmospheric historical fiction novel about arsenic-laced wallpaper in Victorian England
Lucy Braithwhite has grown up as a heir to Braithwhite & Company; a British manufacturer of luxury wallpapers. For as long as she can remember, the company... READ MORE
Page to Stage Reviews (Zarina)
The Company
Good but not great
Maybe my expectations were a bit off for the pay off. The foreshadowing and teasing starts very early on and I expected more of a twist.
Rubywoo