The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen Trilogy, #1)

by Alison Goodman

The first book in the dark and compelling Lady Helen trilogy, set during the Regency period, will appeal to teenagers and adults alike. London during the Season is a whirl of balls, dinners and promenades – and, for a select few, the relentless battle against demons.

Jane Austen's high society and Cassandra Clare's supernatural underworld collide in the first book in the Lady Helen trilogy, perfect for fans of historical fiction and fantasy.

London, April 1812. Lady Helen Wrexhall is set to make her curtsey to Queen Charlotte and step into polite Regency Society. Unbeknownst to Helen, that step will also take her from the glittering ballroom of Almack's and the bright lights of Vauxhall Gardens into a shadowy world of demonic creatures, missing housemaids and deadly power.

Standing between those two worlds is Lord Carlston, a man of dubious reputation and infuriating manners. He believes Helen is destined to protect humanity, but all he can offer is danger, savagery and the possibility of madness. Not the kind of destiny suitable for a young lady in her first London Season. This delightfully dangerous adventure of self-discovery and difficult choices has all the unnerving dark magic of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and the swashbuckling action of The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Reviewed by Beth C. on

4 of 5 stars

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Lady Helen is getting ready for what *should* be the best time of her young life - her society introduction. Starting with the Queen, then moving to balls and soirees, it should be nothing but fun and excitement. Unfortunately, memories of her dead parents are intruding, including questions about why her mother was seen as treasonous to the crown. A housemaid has gone missing. A dear friend has, by all accounts, gone crazy. And Lady Helen herself is...changing...and doesn't understand how or why. The only person who seems to be able to help her figure it out is the last person she should be having anything to do with - Lord Carlston. Accused of killing his wife but acquitted when her body was never found, he is recently back in London and seems to be everywhere. As Helen begins to learn the truth about her mother, as well as about her heritage and her changes, she has a choice to make. But sometimes, neither option is a good one.

Frankly, what drew me to this novel was the "Regency London" and the possibility of a fantasy world intertwined. I was hesitant, simply because I am not a romance reader, and often Regency London and romance are horribly intertwined. Thankfully, that was not the case here. There is a smidge of romance, but it is tasteful and minimum. The majority of the story revolved around Helen and her background, while also dealing with monsters that l thought were unusual and interesting.

It was quite apparent that Goodman did quite a bit of research on this period in time, and the use of actual historical people within the story adds a layer of realism that worked quite well. The characters are all well fleshed-out, and the settings are done almost as well.

Frankly, I went into this novel a bit skeptical (this is the first novel I have read by this author), but I finished the book far into the night, knowing I had to be up early the next day. It was just that good. I look forward to the continuing adventures of Lady Helen in the next book!

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  • Started reading
  • 12 December, 2015: Finished reading
  • 12 December, 2015: Reviewed