--- product_id: 59981779 title: "The Wicked Cometh: The addictive historical mystery" brand: "laura carlin" price: "€ 31.45" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 category: "Books" url: https://www.desertcart.sk/products/59981779-the-wicked-cometh-the-addictive-historical-mystery store_origin: SK region: Slovakia --- # The Wicked Cometh: The addictive historical mystery **Brand:** laura carlin **Price:** € 31.45 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Wicked Cometh: The addictive historical mystery by laura carlin - **How much does it cost?** € 31.45 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sk](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/59981779-the-wicked-cometh-the-addictive-historical-mystery) ## Best For - laura carlin enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted laura carlin brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Review This deliciously dark confection of a novel has as many twists and turns as the London backstreets of its setting and I devoured it in two sittings! (Ruth Hogan, author of THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS)Contains lovely lyrical writing . . . and a heady romance at its heart (Sunday Express)Carlin's great at conjuring up an image of darkest 1800s London, while her female characters are both of their time, while also being witty and modern (Stylist)Satisfying (The Times)Splendidly diverting . . . Spirited and highly readable (Irish Times)The darkest corners of Georgian London are gleefully drawn in this brilliant story (Emerald Street)A delightful romp. I can't wait to see what Carlin writes next (Lauren James, author of THE NEXT TOGETHER)Laura Carlin earns every single comparison to Sarah Waters she's going to get. It's a sterling, historical, dark, twisty novel (Kaite Welsh Radio 4 Open Book)A captivating debut that brings the squalid and sinister Georgian London to life . . . will appeal to fans of vintage gothic à la Wilkie Collins and Sarah Waters (BookRiot)Charming and a delight to read. An added bonus is that the cover of this book is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. (Yorkshire Post) Book Description Even in the darkest of times, you cannot bury the truth . . . A debut historical novel that will appeal to fans of Sarah Waters and The Essex Serpent. From the Back Cover Something wicked is crawling through the heart of London . . . About the Author Laura Carlin left school at 16 to work in retail banking and it was only after leaving her job to write full-time that she discovered her passion for storytelling and exploring pockets of history through fiction. She lives in a book-filled house in beautiful rural Derbyshire with her family (and a very naughty cat). When she's not writing she enjoys walking in the surrounding Peak District. The Wicked Cometh is her first novel. ## Images ![The Wicked Cometh: The addictive historical mystery - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wdURhkB-L.jpg) ![The Wicked Cometh: The addictive historical mystery - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51t1TadQxcL.jpg) ![The Wicked Cometh: The addictive historical mystery - Image 3](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wPtg3ZXNL.jpg) ![The Wicked Cometh: The addictive historical mystery - Image 4](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51i9yN0T1%2BL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Debut *by R***R on 1 February 2018* If I’m honest, I’m not a great reader of lesbian romantic fiction, but I did enjoy Fingersmith and sensing something similar, decided to give this a try. I’m really glad that I did.For a debut novelist, Ms Carlin has taken two significant risks. Firstly she has written a pastiche which can so easily (but not in this case) descend into parody. Secondly she has used the first person present tense which some people don’t seem to like but can work very effectively in the hands of an experienced novelist like Hilary Mantel or David Mitchell. In this novel, it works perfectly and the intimacy and immediacy which is created by writing in this style, draws the reader deep into the story.Ms. Carlin has clearly done an enormous amount of research into life in the early 19th century and her prose is full of the sights, sounds, smells and language of London which to my admittedly limited knowledge, make it very authentic and believable. She also knows how to tell a good story and this novel rattles along at a great pace and is often genuinely exciting.I have two minor caveats. Firstly, and perhaps surprisingly, I felt that the author’s prose got a little out of hand in describing the growing relationship between Rebekah and Hester. The trembling lips and quivering thighs (or was it vice versa ) seemed to me to border on gay Mills & Boon territory. Secondly, I’m still not really sure about the ending which for me felt a bit contrived.However, these are minor quibbles. This is a very fine first novel and I am very much looking forward to Ms Carlin’s follow-up.I am grateful to NetGalley, Hodder & Stroughton and Laura Carlin for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Superb Victoriana *by J***O on 13 May 2018* I rarely buy hardback books, usually happy to wait until the paperback comes out, but this book is so beautiful I had to have it. I was also desperate to read it, as I love a bit of dark Victorian mystery, and the lady-love was a wonderful bonus. That side of it was the only thing I didn't love, though. The characters were wonderful, the story was thrillingly dark (and at times quite graphic and harrowing...in a good way), but a single kiss seemed to take an entire chapter, and most of the sweet lovin' was a little over the top in its gushing romance cliches. Don't let that stop you reading this, however. For a first novel it's pretty damn good, and I would definitely read her second. The history is well researched, the writing is beautiful, and the ending had me on a roller coaster that gave me true and deep felt feels. I've seen this book compared to Sarah Waters, and I can see why, but that almost does Carlin a disservice because she deserves way more recognition for the elegance of her writing style, and she takes risks that give her book a deep, dark edge. At times it is dark, very dark, and there were points where I had to step away for a while, but I kept coming back, and now I am done I miss knowing the characters. Like that relationship you once had with a sexy rogue: you know it takes you to a dark place, but it's all in the thrill and the chase. ### ⭐⭐ Comparisons to Sarah Waters do this novel no favours *by B***R on 9 July 2018* On the strength of the reviews that mentioned Sarah Waters I went ahead and downloaded this book. I think it is a mistake to try to sell it so because I'm not sure how much I might have warmed to this debut novel had I not had the vastly superior Waters in mind. It has nothing in common with the sublime Fingersmith other than the setting and the lesbianism. At best it reads like young adult, at worst: Waters fan fiction. I've given two stars due to sections in which destitution is convincingly portrayed, and for the diary sections of the enigmatic Rebekah.On the whole I found the plotting ridiculous - the investigation is marred by absolutely nothing as meetings with witnesses are lined up neatly; every one of which gives up their secrets without much pushing; illicit conversations are conveniently overheard and the last fortunate for the reader revelatory telling made me wince.Maybe it is a testament to the promise of the writer that I did not abandon it altogether. I genuinely wanted to know what happened to Rebekah: perhaps you will too. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sk/products/59981779-the-wicked-cometh-the-addictive-historical-mystery](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/59981779-the-wicked-cometh-the-addictive-historical-mystery) --- *Product available on Desertcart Slovakia* *Store origin: SK* *Last updated: 2026-08-10*