The Conviction of Cora Burns

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2019 HWA DEBUT CROWN To believe in her future, she must uncover her past... Birmingham, 1885. Born in a gaol and raised in a workhouse, Cora Burns has always struggled to control the violence inside her. Haunted by memories of a terrible crime, she seeks a new life working as a servant in the house of scientist Thomas Jerwood. Here, Cora befriends a young girl, Violet, who seems to be the subject of a living experiment. But is Jerwood also secretly studying Cora...? With the power and intrigue of Laura Purcell's The Silent Companions and Sarah Schmidt's See What I Have Done, Carolyn Kirby's stunning debut takes the reader on a heart-breaking journey through Victorian Birmingham and questions where we first learn violence: from our scars or from our hearts. 'Even at its darkest it is beautifully written, the research is meticulous and the complex Cora makes a flawed but affecting heroine. A great historical novel with bite' - Sunday Mirror 'Kirby writes with skill and gusto' - Times 'This richly woven Gothic tale is an atmospheric treat' - Heat Magazine 'Perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, this book took me into Cora’s world so expertly I experienced it with every sense' - Cass Green, author of The Woman Next Door, In A Cottage In A Wood, Don't You Cry 'The Conviction of Cora Burns is a striking debut. Rich in gothic darkness and period detail, the brutality of Victorian Britain is exquisitely drawn. A beautifully-written story which enveloped me from first page to last' - Amanda Jennings, author of Cliff House and In Her Wake