Little Bones — Janette Jenkins

A dark tale from Victorian London, of ghosts, the clang of prison gates, and what goes on behind closed doors -- perfect for fans of Kate Atkinson, Sarah Waters, or Maggie O'Farrell

It's 1899. London. A young girl is abandoned by her feckless family and finds lodging and work assisting a doctor. But Jane Stretch is no ordinary girl, and Mr. Swift is no ordinary doctor. Jane does her best to keep up with the doctor, her twisted bones throbbing, as they hurry past the markets, stage doors, and side shows to appointments in certain boarding houses across town. The young actresses who live there have problems, and Mr. Swift does what is required, calmly and discreetly. When this unlikely pair become involved with a rakish music hall star, Johnny Treble, who calls on Swift's help for his rich mistress's predicament, it seems that Jane's spell of good fortune is not going to last. The police come knocking -- how will the doctor explain the absence of his medical certificates? How will they explain their connection to Johnny Treble's sudden death? And how will Jane argue her innocence? It seems that no amount of wand waving will make their problems disappear.