After hearing a yawn at the end of one such event she starts to question her longevity and worries as to how she will maintain her social standing and livelihood. She is aware of a young girl often seen outside the venues she uses for her gatherings and, after meeting her, she decides to take her on and train her; believing that she has potential as a medium. The narrative follows a battle between two strong and resourceful rival Mediums: the older, experienced and highly successful Mrs Wood and Miss Finch, the young girl she agrees to teach, who becomes at first her protégé, with the promise of spicing up her repertoire, and then insidiously, gradually, a threat to her whole world. The title immediately points up the novel’s focus on ‘illusion’ with its play on words, ‘the other side of Mrs Wood’, referring not only to her role as a bridge to the afterlife, but also to the secret side she is desperate to conceal behind her confident, professional persona. It takes some time for Mrs Wood to realise that the girl, Miss Finch, is not all she seems, and Mrs Wood has to deal with the repercussions of her efforts to take her on as her apprentice.

The Other Side of Mrs Wood is an irresistible historical comedy about two warring mediums in Victorian London, inspired by the real-life rivalry between famous spiritualists Agnes Guppy and Florence Cook in the 1870s. I enjoyed the portrayal of Mrs Wood and Miss Finch as well as the supporting cast of characters. I could picture the clothing, the households, the carriages etc and feel the excitement as well as the manipulation and despair.Think All About Eve, but set in the spellbinding world of Victorian mediums - a brilliantly witty twist on the rivalry between an ageing star and a wide-eyed ingenue who isn't all she seems.' Frances Quinn, author of That Bonesetter Woman A joy to read, completely fresh and original with a wonderful cast of characters. An exhilarating gallop through Victorian London, featuring rival mediums, dark secrets and some truly delicious double-crossing. Witty, evocative writing and wonderfully drawn characters add up to a huge treat of a novel.' Lucy Diamond While Mrs. Wood lives in constant fear that journalist Mangus Clore, editor of the Spiritual Times, could soon expose her as a fraud, she doesn’t actually view herself as one. I also loved how complex a lot of the swindling in the world of Victorian mediums was. Despite having the opportunity to look behind the curtain as a reader, the clever mechanics behind it all still lured me into a false sense of belief at times. That alone made for a great concept for a novel.

People wanted to believe they could connect to their dead relatives and friends and those who could help them to do so were very well rewarded. Mrs Wood appears to have it made. I sincerely wish I liked Mrs Wood more, I really did want to invest myself in her wins and losses but to be honest, I hated the way she treated those around her. Whether this was intentional by the author or not, I’m not sure. However, she was constantly putting down Miss Newman’s suffragette work and putting her own needs above others. I can’t say much more without spoilers, I simply regret not being able to see The Nice Side of Mrs Wood. This was a dreadfully painful experience. More of a 1/1.5 star but I rounded up, mostly due to the purple cover that originally caught my eye. Violet earnestly believes that she is using her, ahem, “skills” to bring comfort to other people with messages they long to hear from dearly departed loved ones who visit from beyond the grave — after all, “illusion is everything.”Notting Hill, 1873 — Spiritualism is all the rage, and Mrs. Wood is London’s premiere spiritualist. Her talents have attracted the ton’s wealthiest and most influential. That is, until recently. With talk of full-body apparitions being materialized across the pond, Mrs. Wood is under pressure to step it up. Three woman who join together to rent a large space along the beach in Los Angeles for their stores—a gift shop, a bakery, and a bookstore—become fast friends as they each experience the highs, and lows, of love. Intriguing, witty and unique. A must read!” - Sophie Irwin, author of A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting This is a story based on the real rivalry between mediums at a time when seances, apporting, levitation and materialisations were at their height (and coincidentally, this is something I'm reading about for my own research at the moment, in Medical Medlars, Mediums and Magicians). The vast majority of those who claimed to be able to get in touch with the spirits were proved to be frauds. From the first, it's pretty clear that Mrs Wood is one of them, but her desire to do good, to provide solace and not to harm, in her own mind, make her valid. She is aided and abetted by her long-time friend and companion Sarah, but Sarah is spending more and more time supporting the cause of women's suffrage - and to Mrs Wood's horror, Sarah is also being courted. What follows is a battle between Mrs Wood and Emmie for supremacy and power - and income.

I really loved the premise of this novel; two female rival spiritualist mediums fight it out for the best patronage in Victorian London. However, I think my trouble with enjoying this book stems from the characterization of the main character and the pacing of the story. I would definitely read another one of this author's books, though, particularly since this was a debut. While I wanted deeper characterization and themes explored, and perhaps a touch more emphatic plotting as well, much of it was very well-written. I often tire of the inclusion of letters or articles in books, even though they are common in period literature from this time, but they were skillfully done here--motivation revealed with polite but barbed words, cloaked in flattery and social graces. It also feels appropriately steeped in Victorian manners, though the claims of "witty" and "atmospheric" aren't really the words I'd use to describe this.Mrs Wood needs to spice up her brand. She decides to take on Emmie, a young protégé, to join her show. But is Emmie Finch the naïve ingenue she seems to be? Or does she pose more of a threat to Mrs Wood’s reign and, more horrifyingly, her reputation than Mrs Wood could ever have imagined?

While Mrs Wood wouldn't go as far yet as to follow into the footsteps of the more showy and outrageous escapades of some of her American colleagues – she does freshen up her act by hiring a young protégé to spice things up. However, that's when her real problems begin... Mrs. Violet Wood is London’s premier medium, a woman of supreme ambition whose and unique abilities have earned her the admiration and trust of London’s elite. Mrs. Wood is indeed a clever and gifted seer--her skill is unmatched in predicting exactly what her wealthy patrons want to hear from the beyond. But times are changing.Lucy Barker said: ‘I am so excited to be joining 4th Estate and HarperCollins. From our first meetings, it was clear that Katie and Millicent just ‘got’ Mrs Wood and I’m overwhelmed and honoured to have my debut in the hands of such talented teams. Discovering the real-life scandal that inspired The Other Side of Mrs Wood was an absolute gift. I have long been fascinated by Victorian mediums and here was the opportunity to go behind the curtain where the most extraordinary things can – and do – happen, in the most relatable of circumstances. After so long living with Mrs Wood and Emmie, I cannot wait for people to uncover what these talented women get up to when the candles go out…’ I enjoyed the book and would recommend it. Mrs Wood was a sympathetic and likeable character and it was interesting to see how the plot would develop. Celebrated spiritualist Violet Wood conducts lavish, albeit predictable, Grand Séances in her home as well as private sittings with some of her more wealthy patrons. Emmeline is fascinating, a genuinely talented person, but I heard warning bells as soon as she appeared. Barker does draw a wonderful portrait of ambitious, driven people in the two women, though it’s clear that Mrs. Wood sees her work as a way to provide succour for her clients’ grief and pain, which illuminates the difference between the two mediums intentions. I do truly adore the cover but that is where the adoration ends. This was a stifling yawn of a novel.