The Quick

A suspenseful, gloriously atmospheric first novel, and a feast of gothic storytelling that is impossible to resist.

KATE ATKINSON

A sly and glittering addition to the literature of the macabre . . . As soon as you have breathed with relief, much worse horrors begin. It's a skilled, assured performance, and it's hard to believe it is a first novel.

HILARY MANTEL

A Gothic blockbuster.

Independent

Debut gothic mystery from a new British talent.

Kate Figes, Mail on Sunday

Richly immersive... The story twists from coming-of-age to night of the undead.

Stacey Bartlett, Bookseller

A gripping Gothic tour of Victorian Yorkshire and London which is full of shocks and surprises, The Quick is an assured and forceful debut from an exciting new British author. A novel to devour, re-read and recommend.

Bea Carvalho, Bookseller

An amazing debut.

Company

Lauren Owen has created an utterly beguiling fantastical world. As emotionally involving as it is suspenseful, The Quick will establish her as one of contemporary fiction's most dazzling talents.

Horror Cult Films

A devilishly dark, bloodthirsty thriller.

Good Housekeeping

Gripping… Owen has constructed a fantasy world with clear rules and solid foundations, and from these she flies. There's a sense of joy in the writing, and it's infectious.

Maggie Fergusson, Intelligent Life

You'll love The Quick… At times unnerving, at times truly terrifying, The Quick is definitely some of the best gothic fiction we've read in months.

Woman's Way

Lauren Owen has conjured up a sumptuous, supernatural feast that slowly takes hold and leaves you wanting more and more as every page turns… Very hard to put down.

UK Press Syndication

Some of the most convincing, witty and assured writing I've been lucky enough to read in ages… Lauren Owen is a ridiculously strong talent and I for one can't wait to see what she does next.

Domestic Sluttery

Bury your head in atmospheric literary Victoriana.

Sunday Times

Full of suspense.

Sun

The book’s energy, its wide reach and rich detail make it a confident example of the "unputdownable" novel.

The Economist

Atmospheric… Sinister.

Elle

What a debut!

Woman & Home

Huge, weird, wonderful and quite scary, too.

Heat

A bold debut.

Shortlist

Brilliantly nauseating.

Lady

A sumptuous, supernatural feast... Leaves you wanting more and more as every page turns.

Darren Heath, UK Press Syndication

Energetically throwing together real history and gothic fantasy, Owen has produced a novel that is macabre, readable and atmospheric.

Nick Rennison, Sunday Times

A new world of adventure, romance and delicious horror.

No. 1

A calm, elegantly observed love story … followed by something altogether more gothic and full-blooded.

Jonathan Barnes, Literary Review

Camp, quirky and fun.

Living North

An intriguing blend of historical and supernatural fiction.

yattar yattar

Owen has smoothly crafted an excellent Gothic tale out of some supposedly exhausted sources of inspiration… The plot is superbly managed, as are the suspenseful changes of perspective

Michael Caines, Times Literary Supplement

A ripping yarn written with depth and verve

Telegraph and Argus

Clever and stylish… Sophisticated

Lesley McDowell, Glasgow Sunday Herald

A staggering achievement of a debut… A fantastically atmospheric, engaging, immersive experience

Basildon Echo

Energetically mixing history and gothic fantasy, this is a macabre, readable and atmospheric novel

Nick Rennison, Sunday Times

It’s all deliciously creepy, and the richly textured depiction of Victorian London is impressively done. The conclusion has you thirsting for more

David Evans, 4 stars, Independent On Sunday

Brooding and densely plotted, it is ambitious in its scope, but certainly delivers a sleek, well-crafted thriller, ideal for fans of the genre

Good Book Guide

Rich in detail, rich in style (and quite scary)

Woman’s Way

Intelligent, and also enormous fun

Jennifer Lipman, Running in Heels

She manages the rare task of creating a work whose plot, character and tone are all fully developed and work in service of each other… This is a truly great novel. While it has received glowing reviews it is a great shame that it is not more widely known by the general public. I urge you all to pick it up.

Maciej Matuszewski, Paltinate

Gobsmacking – and terrifying – debut… The story crackles along and its creepy, menacing characters are ideal for haunting your imagination… Don’t pick it up if you like talking to your family during the holidays, as you’ll ignore them until you’ve finished this.

Debrief

A sly and glittering addition to the literature of the macabre . . . As soon as you have breathed with relief, much worse horrors begin. It's a skilled, assured performance, and it's hard to believe it is a first novel.

HILARY MANTEL

A suspenseful, gloriously atmospheric first novel, and a feast of gothic storytelling that is impossible to resist.

KATE ATKINSON