Book Synopsis:
Fiction can be 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…
My Review:
Fearless is an engrossing, twisty gothic delight from one of my favourite writers.
Firstly I loved the way this book is written which helps draw the reader into the story and transport them to 19th Century Venice. The author’s descriptions were incredibly vivid and I often felt like I was actually there walking the streets alongside Lord Byron. I especially loved that the author included difference in the lives between the rich and poor in the city as it helped give me a more holistic view of Venice at that time.
The author perfectly blends fact with fiction to help bring a historical figure to life. Lord Byron is someone I’ve heard of before but I didn’t know much about before reading this book. I always enjoy books where you can Google the characters and find out more about them.
I thought that the mystery elements of this story were really well done and I loved the gradual increase in tension as the story continues. There seemed to be a constant feeling of danger which made the book very gripping so I quickly found it hard to put down. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing and a few characters that surprised me which I always love.
Huge thanks to Anne from Random Things Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orenda books for my copy of this book. If you love gripping historical fiction then I highly recommend this one.
About The Author:
Essie Fox was raised in Herefordshire, on the borders of Wales. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University she worked in magazine and book publishing, before developing a career in commercial illustration.
Always an avid reader, Essie now writes gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the 2012 National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. This was followed by Elijah’s Mermaid, and then The Goddess and the Thief. The Last Days of Leda Grey was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month.The Fascination became an instant Sunday Times bestseller.
Coming in April 2025 is Dangerous – a dark mystery set in Venice and based on the life of Lord Byron.
Essie has been a guest on UK radio stations, including Woman’s Hour. She has lectured at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the National Gallery in London, as well as appearing at many literary festivals and events.
Over The Rainbow Blog 
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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