‘Gothic, claustrophobic and wonderfully dark’ GUARDIAN
1904. Thomas Bexley, one of the first forensic photographers, is called to the sleepy Welsh village of Dinas Powys. A yound girl by the name of Betsan Tilny has been found murdered in the woodland. But the crime scene appears staged and worse still: the locals are reluctant to help.
One night, he develops the crime scene photographs in the cellar of his lodgings. There, he finds a face dimly visible in the photographs – the shadowed spectre of Betsan Tilny.
In the days that follow, Thomas senses a growing presence watching him as he tries to uncover what the villagers of Dinas Powys are so intent on keeping secret…
The stifling, atmospheric, gothic crime novel following one of the world’s first forensic photographers and featuring a killer twist – perfect for fans of The Woman in Black, The Silent Companions, and Little Strangers.
****************
Praise for A Shadow on the Lens:
‘An intriguing debut’ THE TIMES
‘A promising debut – gothic, claustrophobic and wonderfully dark‘ GUARDIAN
‘A sparkling debut from a name to watch…You might as well be in another world. This is top notch historical crime fiction, with a dash of the supernatural. A gorgeous book and a riveting tale‘ David Young
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reviews
A promising debut - gothic, claustrophobic and wonderfully dark.
A sparkling debut from a name to watch. Hurcom expertly weaves a tale of claustrophobic suspicion set in a Welsh village a few miles from Cardiff - but so inward-looking and insular you might as well be in another world. This is top notch historical crime fiction, with a dash of the supernatural. A gorgeous book and a riveting tale.
An intriguing debut.
Wonderfully dark and creepy...I find it hard to believe this is Hurcom's first novel. It's creepy, disturbing, eerie, dark, spine-chilling and macabre in every way that a Gothic thriller should be. It will make you uneasy - but you won't want to put it down. There is a clever and quite brilliant final twist