Following up her solid debut of Eleanor of Avignon, Elizabeth DeLozier is back with Victorian gothic tale The Whitechapel Full Moon Society. Opening in 1888, Caroline Foster journeys to London to discover the fate of her brother after his sudden disappearance. His last known whereabouts? The Whitechapel Full Moon Society boardinghouse. Unaccustomed to the grim and bustle of the city, Caroline must almost contend with the rising fear and tensions around the Jack the Ripper murders. Caroline is able to secure a job as a maid at the boardinghouse, a residence inhabited with men from all walks of life with seemingly little in common. What’s more, her new boss Viv lays down very strict instructions and rules when it comes to the once per month dinner/gathering every full moon. After dinner is served, Caroline must return to her room and lock the door until morning. She must also never venture to a specific floor and room.
DeLozier crafts a swift, engaging, and tantalizing mystery that solidifies TWFMS as a page-turner. While Caroline unravels the whereabouts of her brother amid the reports of grisly murders, she also uncovers secrets about her family and the motley crew staying at the boardinghouse. What they all have in common presents a welcome surprise of a speculative/horror element that re-imagines the famous murders. I roughly guessed where the story was going, “whodonit”, and what that speculative element was in the first quarter of the book (possibly predictable set up, but I’m also pretty good at generally guessing how narratives will unfold), but that did not deter me from reading further. DeLozier’s prose is visual, tangible, and easily read without sacrificing quality in style or narrative.
When I started TWFMS, I had no idea about the speculative element that grew to encompass the story, but I really enjoyed that aspect. Victorian-set stories seem to oversaturate the historical fiction market, so I was a little apprehensive going into this book. However, having read Eleanor of Avignon, I knew Elizabeth DeLozier was a talented writer. TWFMS isn’t your run of the mill Victorian hist fic, but in a good way!
The Whitechapel Full Moon Society will be released August 25, 2026
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