Roof Beam Reader
Adam Burgess
The Bone Flower by Charles Lambert
The Bone Flower is a deliciously gothic and atmospheric novel that has unsettling supernatural elements woven into a fiercely human story about love, guilt, and betrayal.
On a grey November evening in Victorian London, Edward Monteith, a well to do but listless young man, stokes the fire at his local gentleman’s club, listening to its members: scientists, explorers, and armchair philosophers discussing their supernatural experiences and their theories of life after death. Edward is taken under the wing of some sceptics and attends a supposed séance where he is captivated by a beautiful young woman selling flowers outside the theater. But their bond is threatened by the inescapable class system of Victorian society. When Settie falls pregnant, Edward panics. Afraid of their fate if he is cut off by his father, he makes a drastic decision with dire consequences.
Less than two years later, Edward is married to another woman. His large country house is adorned with orange trees and his young Sicilian wife is awaiting the birth of their first child. But the past he is desperate to forget won’t be laid to rest.
A little gem of a novel, this quintessential mystery, ghost story, and uncanny love story is perfect for readers wanting to pick up a page-turning, Spooky gothic read that can be enjoyed in far fewer pages than a typical gothic classic.
About the Author: Charles Lambert is the author of several novels, short stories, and the memoir With a Zero at Its Heart, which was voted one of The Guardian readers’ Ten Best Books of 2014. In 2007, he won an O. Henry Award for his short story, “The Scent of Cinnamon.” He was shortlisted for the Polari Prize for LGBTQ+ writing in 2018, and his first novel, Little Monsters, was longlisted for the 2010 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Born in England, Charles Lambert has lived in central Italy since 1980.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy.
Roof Beam Reader 