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Gentle Things

The Chilling Historical Fiction Novel Full of Secrets and Suspense
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Gentle Things

By: Danielle Giles
Narrated by: Aysha Kala
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Summary

The plague has passed, the fire has cooled, and Lucy North is in desperate need of a husband . . . From the acclaimed author of Mere comes a thrilling new tale of medicine, marriage and madness set in seventeenth-century London.

London, 1668. Though the streets hum with promise following the restoration of the crown, Lucy North is trapped. Her father's recent death has left her mother saddled with debts she cannot pay. Lucy must marry the first man willing to take her without a dowry.

So when she meets Thomas Ashwell, a young and charming apothecary, Lucy quickly identifies an attractive route out. She falls in love easily, and when Thomas proposes she believes her future is finally secured.

But when Lucy falls and injures her head during their wedding party, things start to warp. Confined to her bedroom her dreams refuse to leave her at daybreak, and the voice in her head no longer sounds like her own. As Thomas plies her with tinctures and cures, a creeping fear takes root: Has this marriage saved her? Or will it bring about her end?

Praise for Danielle Giles:

'A dark and disturbing tale . . . beautifully written' Laura Shepherd-Robinson, bestselling author of The Square of Sevens, on Mere

'A deeply affecting read that will stay with me for a long time to come' Lucy Rose, bestselling author of The Lamb, on Mere

 Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romantic Suspense Women's Fiction
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Critic reviews

Gentle Things is a radiant historical novel filled with longing and madness. Beautifully drawn, it’s a tense descent into madness until the final page. A daring and devouring gothic gem of a novel (Lucy Rose, bestselling author of The Lamb)
One of the best things I’ve read in ages. Giles weaves together multiple genres to craft a story that manages to be both cosy and menacing, historical and fresh. The flawed but relatable characters come across as real people reaching out through time. There’s an intriguing slow-burn mystery that seethes between the pages until it finally erupts, but I never felt impatient for answers, because the setting is so richly and believably drawn that it’s simply a joy to inhabit – plague and fire and boils and all. I’d recommend it without hesitation. (Liam Higginson, author of The Hill in the Dark Grove)
Gentle Things is a stunning fever dream of a book, at once brutal and beguiling, with a creeping sense of horror as the nightmare of Lucy's marriage - and her husband's business - is revealed. Enchanting, gorgeous, deeply sinister and one of my favourite books of 2026 so far (Cathryn Kemp, author of A Poisoner's Tale)
Meticulously researched, tightly plotted, and beautifully written: Gentle Things starts as the gentlest of possessions but will soon haunt you incessantly. I, for one, couldn't get enough, and will gladly allow this rare novel to live within my skull for years to come (Johanna van Veen, author of Blood on Her Tongue)
A sophomore novel that you won't be able to put down, Gentle Things combines a heady story of desire with stomach-turning twists and a strong dose of Gothic horror. Danielle Giles writes with a deliciously immersive historical voice that pulls you deep into this compelling tale of medicine and madness (Carmella Lowkis, author of Spitting gold)
A dark and disturbing tale . . . beautifully written, you will be drawn into the claustrophobic world of the mere, where sinners fear the retribution of both God and the devil (Laura Shepherd-Robinson, bestselling author of The Square of Sevens, on Mere)
It is rare for an author to fully recreate the strangeness of the past, but Danielle Giles has done exactly that. Through eerie, beautiful writing, she takes readers on a mystery . . . a gem of a novel (Costanza Casati, bestselling author of Babylonia, on Mere)
Chilling, dark and immersive . . . I loved the originality of the story and the brave and unexpected use of language. Such a treat of a novel (Rosanna Pike, Women's Prize longlisted author of A Little Trickerie, on Mere)
Artful and atmospheric (Annie Garthwaite, author of Cecily, on Mere)
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