NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BYÂ SLATE âĒÂ Includes an exclusive conversation between Lev Grossman and Lauren Owen
For fans of Anne Rice, The Historian, and The Night Circus, an astonishing debut, a novel of epic scope and suspense that conjures up all the magic and menace of Victorian London
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1892: James Norbury, a shy would-be poet newly down from Oxford, finds lodging with a charming young aristocrat. Through this new friendship, he is introduced to the drawing-rooms of high society and finds love in an unexpected quarter. Then, suddenly, he vanishes without a trace. Alarmed, his sister, Charlotte, sets out from their crumbling country estate determined to find him. In the sinister, labyrinthine London that greets her, she uncovers a hidden, supernatural city populated by unforgettable characters: a female rope walker turned vigilante, a street urchin with a deadly secret, and the chilling âDoctor Knife.â But the answer to her brotherâs disappearance ultimately lies within the doors of the exclusive, secretive Aegolius Club, whose predatory members include the most ambitious, and most bloodthirsty, men in England.
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In her first novel, Lauren Owen has created a fantastical world that is both beguiling and terrifying. The Quick will establish her as one of fictionâs most dazzling talents.
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Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Readerâs Circle for author chats and more.
âA suspenseful, gloriously atmospheric first novel, and a feast of gothic storytelling that is impossible to resist.ââKate Atkinson
âA cracking good read . . . Owen takes the gothic conventions of the vampire novel in a refreshing new direction.ââDeborah Harkness, author of A Discovery of Witches and The Book of Life
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âA good old-fashioned vampire novel . . . What fun.ââThe New York Times Book Review (Editorâs Choice)
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âThe Quick is that rare book that reviewers and readers live for: both plot- and character-driven, a stay-up-all-night reading romp. . . . This is elegant, witty, force-of-nature writing.ââThe Dallas Morning News
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âThe bookâs energy, its wide reach and rich detail make it a confident example of the âunputdownableâ novel.ââThe Economist
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âA seamless blend of Victorian London and rich imagination.ââTana French, author of In the Woods
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âA thrilling tale . . . This book will give you chills even on a hot day.ââMinneapolis Star Tribune
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âStylishly sinister . . . will have you sleeping with the lights on.ââO: The Oprah Magazine
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âA sly and glittering addition to the literature of the macabre.ââHilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall
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âA big, sly bucketful of the most tremendous fun . . . [Owen] weaves whatâs here with whatâs beyond as easily as J. K. Rowling does.ââSlate
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â[An author of] prodigious gifts . . . Owen captures Dickensâs London with glee and produces a number of characters Dickens would be happy to call his own.ââPittsburgh Post-Gazette