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Dangerous

The riveting, dazzling new historical thriller from the SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING author of The Fascination

Published by Orenda Books
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

‘A plot as labyrinthine as the Venice backstreets, told in dazzling prose; suspenseful, seductive stuff’ Erin Kelly

‘Evokes all the grimy charisma of eighteenth-century Venice and at its brooding heart the flawed yet seductive Byron, enmeshed in a mystery as sinuous as the city’s alleys and canals. I was enthralled’ Elizabeth Fremantle

‘Sumptuous, entertaining, and glorious’ C.S. Green

‘Fox is the queen of darkly glittering gothic fiction, and Dangerous is an electrifying mystery inspired by Lord Byron’s life – a tale so compelling I devoured it in one sitting’ Louisa Treger

‘Many writers have tried and failed to capture the Byronic quintessence, but the brilliant Essie Fox has succeeded admirably. She proves that the poet and rake remains fascinating because he is, indeed, mad, bad and DangerousAlex Larman

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When fiction is fatal…

Living in exile in Venice, the disgraced Lord Byron revels in the freedoms of the city
But when he is associated with the deaths of local women, found with wounds to their throats, and then a novel called The Vampyre is published under his name, rumours begin to spread that Byron may be the murderer…

As events escalate and tensions rise – and his own life is endangered, as well as those he holds most dear – Byron is forced to play detective, to discover who is really behind these heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the scandals of his own infamous past come back to haunt him…

Rich in gothic atmosphere and drawing on real events and characters from Byron's life, Dangerous is a riveting, dazzling historical thriller, as decadent, dark and seductive as the poet himself…

_________

‘A delicious dish of decadence … fastidiously researched, richly imagined, full of wonderful descriptions of Venice’ Michael Stewart

'Fox's vivid, sensual prose is as seductive as a siren's song' Heat

‘Exceptional storytelling’ Nydia Hetherington

‘Lord Byron, detective? This romp through Venice in the company of the peerless peer has a rare swagger and panache to it that suits its charismatic, dastardly poetic anti-hero down to the ground’ Alex Larman

About The Author

Essie Fox was born and raised in rural Herefordshire, which inspires much of her writing. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, she moved to London where she worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, then the book publishers George Allen & Unwin – before becoming self-employed in the world of art and design. Always an avid reader, Essie now spends her time writing historical gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4's TV Book Club. The Last Days of Leda Grey, set in the early years of silent film, was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. Her latest novel, The Fascination is based in Victorian country fairgrounds, the glamour of the London theatres, and an Oxford Street museum full of morbid curiosities. Essie is also the creator of the popular blog: The Virtual Victorian She has lectured on this era at the V&A, and the National Gallery in London.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Orenda Books (April 24, 2025)
  • Length: 300 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781916788442

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