The Doll Factory, the gripping Sunday Times bestseller, is a gothic tale of art, obsession and delusion that will transport you to the dark underbelly of Victorian London.
London. 1850. The chance meeting between Iris Whittle, a dollmaker yearning for freedom, and Louis Frost, an artist desperate for a muse, sparks a tantalising bargain: Iris will model for Louis, in return for painting lessons. As Iris steps into a world of creativity and love, little does she realise that another man, curiosity collector Silas Reed, has become utterly enchanted by her . . .
Blissfully unaware of Silas's growing obsession, Iris embraces her new life. But it is only a matter of time before their fates intertwine, setting them on a thrilling and suspenseful collision course.
'A sharp, scary tale of love, art and obsession' - Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train
BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick
BBC Radio 4 Book At Bedtime
Reader Praise:
'Breathtaking'
'I couldn't put it down'
'Spellbinding'
'I never wanted it to end'
'A plot to stop your heart'
Now a major TV series with Paramount+. Step into The Doll Factory, where beauty, horror and desire collide.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
A remarkable example of historical fiction . . . full of life, colour and intelligence * Sunday Times * Stunningly confident . . . thoroughly engrossing -- Ian Rankin A must read . . . Elizabeth Macneal's compelling debut is a darkly brilliant tale of Gothic suspense * Daily Mail * Fantastic - vivid, poignant, colourful, and elegantly horrifying -- Bridget Collins, author of <i>The Binding</i> Macneal is excellent on the tension between idealised women and the reality . . . The Doll Factory is a remarkably strong debut; clever and readable with flashes of wonderful, descriptive prose -- Book of the Month * The Times * Astounding . . . I recommend it wholeheartedly -- Jo Whiley, BBC Radio 2 Book Club This is a dark delight and fans of The Miniaturist and The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock will love it * Red Magazine * A deliciously gothic concoction that abounds with energy and imagination, conjuring up 1850s London life in all its Dickensian glory. Macneal marries art, obsession and possession in a plot that gains momentum and leaves the reader breathless * Daily Mail * I loved The Doll Factory from the very first page . . . an exquisite novel of obsession, delusion, resilience and love . . . breathtaking -- AJ Pearce, author of <i>Dear Mrs Bird</i> Astonishingly good . . . with and a plot that rattles like a speeding carriage to its thrilling conclusion. I couldn't put it down. You won't be able to either -- Elizabeth Day, author of <i>The Party</i> Magnificent . . . features an extraordinary, unforgettable cast of characters . . . you can't help but be entranced by this uniquely evocative and arresting story . . . the tension ramps up to a breathtaking climax . . . if you love books like The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock, Tulip Fever and Perfume then add The Doll Factory to your reading list * Daily Express * Vividly rendered . . . captivating . . . engrossing * Evening Standard * This brilliant literary thriller gripped me from the opening page . . . a beautifully researched historical novel with a plot to stop your heart -- Hannah Kent, author of <i>Burial Rites</i> and <i>The Good People</i> Brilliant . . . refreshingly original . . . beautifully orchestrated . . . fascinating -- Andrew Taylor, No. 1 <i>Sunday Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Ashes of London</i> and <i>The American Boy</i> The summer's hottest author . . . at once a love story and a thriller . . . Iris is a fierce creation. She chafes against the Victorian constraints on her freedom, carves out her own space in the male art world * Sunday Times * Stunning . . . with an unbearably tense and chilling denouement that had me totally gripped -- Sophie Mackintosh, Man Booker Prize longlisted author of <i>The Water Cure</i> Elegantly plotted . . . compelling and chilling * The i * Exquisitely executed, well-researched and richly evocative . . . a fast-paced, inventive ride through the dirt and squalor of Victorian London * Mail on Sunday * Exquisite . . . authentic and suspenseful * Woman & Home * Pretty much everything you could want from a book set in Victorian London . . . terrific storytelling . . . Ever since the success of The Essex Serpent, there's been no shortage of good modern gothic novels. The Doll Factory might just be the best yet -- James Walton * Reader's Digest * One of the best books I've read in ages - heartbreaking and evocative . . . a perfectly structured and page-turning story of love and passion; crime and obsession . . . wonderful -- Jenny Quintana, author of<i> The Missing Girl</i> Remarkably assured and beautifully written . . . truly captivating -- E C Fremantle, author of <i>The Poison Bed</i> This dark, enchanting tale is beautifully written. We couldn't put it down * Take a Break * A brilliant literary thriller that you won't want to put down * Surrey Life * [A] gripping historical thriller . . . Macneal paints a masterpiece with her vivid descriptions, and the conclusion will have you racing to the end -- Book of the Week * Woman's Weekly * A vivid depiction of a morally dubious world, and a page-turning psychological thriller, with a truly compelling villain -- Essie Fox, author of <i>The Somnambulist</i> Gripping, artfully written . . . part love story, part gothic novel and leading up to a truly breathless conclusion, this book is destined to be one of the biggest titles of 2019 -- Sharlene Teo, author of <i>Ponti</i> Darkly brilliant - The Collector meets Possession with added female power -- Anna Mazzola, author of <i>The Unseeing </i>and <i>The Story Keeper</i> Engrossing and atmospheric . . . I can practically see the TV version! -- Adele Geras, author of <i>The Ballet Class</i> A sharp, scary, gorgeously evocative tale of love, art and obsession -- Paula Hawkins, author of <i>The Girl on the Train</i> In its evocation of the seething energy of 1850s London, its immersion in the detail of the 19th-century city's everyday life and in its fascination with the macabre and the eccentric, Elizabeth Macneal's debut novel does feel genuinely Dickensian. * Sunday Times * The sort of book you want to read curled up by a fire while your fingers twitch to find out what happens next -- Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, author of <i>Harmless Like You</i> Macneal has a magpie's eye for whatever is bright and glittering, and she writes vividly * Scotsman * Memorable * Herald * Gripping -- India Knight,<i> Sunday Times</i> Elizabeth Macneal's debut is a stunner . . . both a page-turning thriller and a thoughtful, moving exploration of what it meant to be a woman and an artist in the 19th century. * Irish Times * Gothically good -- Eithne Farry * Daily Mirror *
Elizabeth Macneal was born in Edinburgh and now lives in East London. She is a writer and potter and works from a small studio at the bottom of her garden. She read English Literature at Oxford University, before working in the City for several years. In 2017, she completed the Creative Writing MA at UEA where she was awarded the Malcolm Bradbury scholarship. The Doll Factory, Elizabeth's debut novel, won the Caledonia Novel Award 2018.
