Photo via Sarah Penner EPK
Sarah Penner's new novel delves into the divide between skepticism and spooky acceptance.
“I’m a skeptic,” she told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. “I’ve never had a personal experience with the paranormal. That said, many of my friends and family members—who I greatly respect and aren’t the sort to tell tall tales—insist they’ve seen or experienced ghosts, and I believe them.”
Her new novel, ”The London Séance Society,” delves into the divide between skepticism and spooky acceptance. Set in 1873, the book follows a cast of characters through the world of the occult. First, there is Lenna Wickes, scientific-minded and skeptical of the whole Spiritualism business—that is, until her séance-studying sister, Evie, is murdered. Lenna travels to France to study under Evie’s old mentor, Vaudeline D’Allaire. Back in London, there is Mr. Morley, the vice-president of the Department of Spiritualism at the London Séance Society, whose mentor was killed in a séance gone rouge. When Mr. Morley calls upon Vaudeline (and her now appetence, Lenna) to help discover what happened, the women return to England, where mysteries deepen, love blooms, and danger lurks in the shadows.
It might surprise readers to learn that much of the world of "The London Séance Society" is based on fact, not fantasy. Spiritualism was all the rage in the Victorian Era, with the Queen herself being an active practitioner. There were exclusive clubs for gentlemen magicians (the demon-summoning kind) and lady mediums who worked out of their homes. By the late 1800s, it’s estimated that 1 in 3 people in the US were Spiritualists, with a huge community right here in Florida in the village of Cassadega—a spiritualist village still active today.
It was actually a trip to Cassadaga that helped Penner capture the feeling of séances. While she was disappointed that her séance didn’t produce any ghosts, she noticed an older couple attending to connect to their grandchild, who died as an infant. Penner said, “I realized this séance was not about seeking proof of ghosts at all. Instead, it was about respecting another person’s grief and their desire to connect with those they’ve lost. Grief is a universal human experience, and there is no right or wrong way to find peace.”
The novel does deal with characters trying to process their grief—especially in the rigid world of Victorian society. But the book isn’t just a study of the dead. It has elements of mystery and a lesbian romance at the heart of the story. Those eagle-eyed readers of the genre may notice some familiar tropes with the characters or the plot, but the pacing is quick, which keeps the pages turning. There is also that universal pull of magic that even the most skeptical among us can be drawn to.
UPDATED 03/24/23 4:15 p.m. Updated headline and added links to Queen Victoria's practice of Spiritualism.
