When Elizabeth and her father move back to his childhood home, Elizabeth’s soulmate Zenobia sets out to prove it’s haunted.

There’s no simply stopping Zenobia. Observations, science, clairvoyance, ouija boards - Zenobia tries them all, but it’s timid Elizabeth who uncovers the mystery in the house and braves the dangers.

Everything in this middle grade gothic adventure is excellent. The prose is gorgeous, the dialogue is sharp and often funny, the plot is unexpected, the villain has truly ghastly moments, and the characters are distinct. Zenobia is the perfect counterpoint to Elizabeth, and I enjoyed the relationship between Elizabeth and her grief-stricken father.

As a study in writing, the first chapter is exemplary: setting up character, tone, voice, and theme in a very intriguing way.

And look at these ingredients: trains, fog, botany, poison, hidden rooms, secrets in books, ghosts, a maze, and a heroine who reads in the middle of the night: that’s a spine-tingling recipe!

Without doubt, Elizabeth & Zenobia is among my favourite reads this year. Five stars!

Published in 2016, Elizabeth & Zenobia was Jessica Miller’s first novel.

WHAT TO READ NEXT

Withering-by-Sea by Judith Rossell - similarly awesome vibes

The Vanishing Trick by Jenni Spangler - seances, tarot cards, and trickersters