I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé! I received a free electronic copy for an honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Hanover Square Press and Kuchenga Shenjé for letting me be a part of this tour!
Author: Kuchenga Shenjé
Published by: Hanover Square Press
Released: May 7, 2024
Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher
Synopsis: A strikingly original and absorbing mystery about a white-passing bookbinder in Victorian England and the secrets lurking on the estate where we she works, for fans of Fingersmith and The Confessions of Frannie Langton
The library is under lock and key. But its secrets can't be contained.
1896. After he brought her home from Jamaica as a baby, Florence's father had her hair hot-combed to make her look like the other girls. But as a young woman, Florence is not so easy to tame—and when she brings scandal to his door, the bookbinder throws her onto the streets of Manchester.
Intercepting her father's latest commission, Florence talks her way into the remote, forbidding Rose Hall to restore its collection of rare books. Lord Francis Belfield's library is old and full of secrets—but none so intriguing as the whispers about his late wife.
Then one night, the library is broken into. Strangely, all the priceless tomes remain untouched. Florence is puzzled, until she discovers a half-burned book in the fireplace. She realizes with horror that someone has found and set fire to the secret diary of Lord Belfield's wife–which may hold the clue to her fate…
Evocative, arresting and tightly plotted, The Library Thief is at once a propulsive Gothic mystery and a striking exploration of race, gender and self-discovery in Victorian England. (Synopsis from Goodreads)
The library is under lock and key. But its secrets can't be contained.
1896. After he brought her home from Jamaica as a baby, Florence's father had her hair hot-combed to make her look like the other girls. But as a young woman, Florence is not so easy to tame—and when she brings scandal to his door, the bookbinder throws her onto the streets of Manchester.
Intercepting her father's latest commission, Florence talks her way into the remote, forbidding Rose Hall to restore its collection of rare books. Lord Francis Belfield's library is old and full of secrets—but none so intriguing as the whispers about his late wife.
Then one night, the library is broken into. Strangely, all the priceless tomes remain untouched. Florence is puzzled, until she discovers a half-burned book in the fireplace. She realizes with horror that someone has found and set fire to the secret diary of Lord Belfield's wife–which may hold the clue to her fate…
Evocative, arresting and tightly plotted, The Library Thief is at once a propulsive Gothic mystery and a striking exploration of race, gender and self-discovery in Victorian England. (Synopsis from Goodreads)
My Thoughts: I was captivated by the synopsis for this story right away. I love books about books and libraries. I also love a good gothic story. There were a lot of things that captured my eye when it came to this book.
I really enjoyed following and seeing where this story was going to go. It covered a lot of interesting topics. I really enjoyed the book binding parts. I was also a sucker for the mystery. I can't stand not knowing the what, why, and who.
I enjoyed this one. I can see a lot of other people liking it too.
KUCHENGA SHENJÉ is a writer, journalist and speaker with work on many media platforms, including gal-dem, British Vogue and Netflix. She has contributed short stories and essays to several anthologies, most notably It’s Not OK to Feel Blue (and Other Lies), Who’s Loving You and Loud Black Girls. Owing to a lifelong obsession with books and the written word, Kuchenga studied creative writing at the Open University. Her work is focused on the perils of loving, being loved and women living out loud throughout the ages. The Library Thief is the ultimate marriage of her passions for history, mystery and rebels. She currently resides in Manchester, where she is determined to continue living a life worth writing about.
Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé! Thank you to Hanover Square Press and Kuchenga Shenjé for letting me be a part of the tour. If you love books and libraries, you have to add this one to your list.
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