Walton & Waltraud Inquiry Agents, Book Two.
1902. Helena Walton-Cisneros, known for finding answers to the impossible, has taken on two new uncanny cases, both located in Paris – which itself is too much of a coincidence to ignore. In the first case, two English women claim to have seen the ghost of Marie Antoinette in the gardens of Versailles. The second case is within the mysterious Méliès Star Films studio outside Paris. As Helena and her colleague Eliza investigate, they hear whispers of vanishings at Méliès Star Films, strange lights, spies, actors flying without ropes and connections to the occult. What is George Méliès practising? And is it connected to the haunting in Versailles? Helena and Eliza will only find the answers if they accept the natural world is darker, stranger than they could ever have imagined…
“Like the fantastical early cinema at the centre of its plot, On the Nature of Magic occupies a region midway between science and sorcery-and Marian Womack excels at the tricky balancing act, mixing methodical deductive processes with bursts of wild imagination. Highly recommended to all lovers of gaslit crime and the Gothic!” – Tim Major
“An intricately built tale of history, spiritualism, and magic; perfect for fans of Susanna Clarke.” – A.C. Wise
“With a plot as labyrinthine as the catacombs of Paris, this is a hugely imaginative exploration of what happens when science and magic collide, and an insightful depiction of female companionship and determination.” – Lucie McKnight Hardy
“The intricate plot seamlessly weaves together mystery and fantasy” – A.J. Elwood
Marian Womack 