Rustication
It is winter 1863, and Richard Shenstone, aged seventeen, has been sent down--"rusticated"--from Cambridge under a cloud of suspicion. Addicted to opium and tormented by sexual desire, he finds temporary refuge in a dilapidated old mansion on the southern English coast inhabited by his newly impoverished mother and his sister, Effie. Soon, graphic and threatening letters begin to circulate among his neighbors, and Richard finds himself the leading suspect in a series of crimes and misdemeanors ranging from vivisection to murder.
Atmospheric, lurid, and brilliantly executed, Rustication confirms Palliser's reputation as "our leading contemporary Victorian novelist" (Guardian).
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A gothic puzzler perfect for misty autumn evenings.--Stephanie Merritt
Readers will have as much grisly fun just sorting out the facts as they will solving the mysteries.--Nicholas Mancusi
Will appeal to fans of John Harwood and Michael Cox. Palliser vividly captures the claustrophobic feeling of a small Victorian community being overwhelmed by anxiety and mistrust, and fans of twisty plots will enjoy guessing at the town's many secrets as they sift through the rumors and gossip offered up by a well-drawn cast of darkly quirky characters.
Palliser's hold on his narrative is enough to turn it into an exercise in pure form. As in a superior detective novel, character, scene and incidental detail fade away and all that remains is the thrill of the chase.--D.J. Taylor
Engrossing... an entertaining, stylized, Gothic-esque read.--Tucker Shaw
[A] provocative Victorian thriller... showcases the author's originality, boldness, and range.--Gabe Habash
Rustication is an ingenious take on the traditional Victorian Gothic novel, daring us to unravel the dark and twisting tale of a murder that hasn't happened yet. The gripping voice and masterful plotting swirl together in a relentless undertow of gothic intrigue and dread that's impossible to resist. Not that you'll want to. This is a brilliant read.--Kieran Shields, author of The Truth of All Things
