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The Small Museum
London, 1873. Madeleine Brewster's marriage to Dr Lucius Everley was meant to be the solution to her family's sullied reputation. After all, Lucius is a well-respected collector of natural curiosities. His 'Small Museum' of bones and specimens in jars is his pride and joy, although firmly kept under lock and key. His sister Grace's philanthropic work with fallen women is also highly laudable.
However, Maddie soon finds herself unwelcome in what is meant to be her new home. The more she learns about both Lucius and Grace, the more she suspects that unimaginable horrors lie behind their polished reputations.
Framed for a crime that would take her to the gallows and leave the Everleys free to continue their dark schemes, Maddie's only hope is her friend Caroline. She will do anything to prove Maddie's innocence before the trial reaches its fatal conclusion.
However, Maddie soon finds herself unwelcome in what is meant to be her new home. The more she learns about both Lucius and Grace, the more she suspects that unimaginable horrors lie behind their polished reputations.
Framed for a crime that would take her to the gallows and leave the Everleys free to continue their dark schemes, Maddie's only hope is her friend Caroline. She will do anything to prove Maddie's innocence before the trial reaches its fatal conclusion.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
May 23, 2024
I need to begin by saying I did not finish this book. It's a very dark bit of Gothic—and I mean that in a good way. But the puppy...
I don't know what happened to the puppy. I hope he's just fine and frolicking about somewhere.
Given how dark this novel is with suggestions of experimentation on humans, among others things, once the beleaguered heroine was given a puppy, I couldn't continue reading. I'm quite vulnerable to depictions of animal abuse and don't read books that contain it. So, once I realized there was a puppy at risk I had to stop.
I did try messaging people who'd read the book, hoping they could advise me on the question of whether I wanted to pick up The Small Museum and continue reading, but I received no responses. I'm assigning the book four stars here because I think that's what I would have given it it I wasn't worried about the puppy and had read all the way through.
If you're a stronger sort than I am, I can guarantee that The Small Museum is, as its title proclaims "a chilling historical mystery set against the Gothic backdrop of Victorian London."
I appreciate having received an electronic review copy for the publisher via GoodReads; the opinions are my own.
I don't know what happened to the puppy. I hope he's just fine and frolicking about somewhere.
Given how dark this novel is with suggestions of experimentation on humans, among others things, once the beleaguered heroine was given a puppy, I couldn't continue reading. I'm quite vulnerable to depictions of animal abuse and don't read books that contain it. So, once I realized there was a puppy at risk I had to stop.
I did try messaging people who'd read the book, hoping they could advise me on the question of whether I wanted to pick up The Small Museum and continue reading, but I received no responses. I'm assigning the book four stars here because I think that's what I would have given it it I wasn't worried about the puppy and had read all the way through.
If you're a stronger sort than I am, I can guarantee that The Small Museum is, as its title proclaims "a chilling historical mystery set against the Gothic backdrop of Victorian London."
I appreciate having received an electronic review copy for the publisher via GoodReads; the opinions are my own.
September 7, 2025
4.25/5
Medical oddities and mystery abound in this feminist historical fiction novel from Jody Cooksley. I listened to the audiobook, which is beautifully narrated. I liked it enough that I plan on reading the sequel, The Surgeon’s House, soon.
Medical oddities and mystery abound in this feminist historical fiction novel from Jody Cooksley. I listened to the audiobook, which is beautifully narrated. I liked it enough that I plan on reading the sequel, The Surgeon’s House, soon.
May 21, 2024
The author has created a ‘small museum’ of her own, in this case a literary one, by bringing together all the elements you could wish for in a Victorian age historical mystery. In particular, it incorporates the macabre interest in the collection and display of anatomical curiosities as well as more outlandish theories about the evolution of species circulating at the time.
Poor Maddie, married off to Lucius in order to try to restore her family’s social standing following the ‘disgrace of her sister Rebecca, is pretty much a lamb to the slaughter. She cannot understand Lucius’ coldness towards her nor the fact that she is kept pretty much a prisoner in her new home which is run with ruthless efficiency by housekeeper, Mrs Barker. Lucius is invariably absent, either visiting patients or attending scientific meetings, so Maddie’s is a lonely existence, made worse by unsettling little things, such as the unexplained rearrangement of objects or the strange sounds she hears in the night. Could it be her imagination? Everyone seems anxious to convince her it is. Have a cup of cocoa and an early night, dear…
Maddie makes touching attempts to show interest in Lucius’s work in the hope of gaining his attention but it’s only when her artistic skill seems likely to assist his work that she gains a modicum of value in his eyes. Unfortunately, it will be a long time until she discovers what her real value to him is, and when she – and the reader – does, it’s positively shocking. Maddie badly needs a friend and Caroline Fairly proves a particularly steadfast one, along with Maddie’s maid, Tizzy, who risks her own wellbeing if she is discovered.
The book has a generous role call of villains. I’d single out Lucius’s sister, Grace, whose knack for gliding into rooms unexpectedly reminded me of Mrs Danvers in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. She willingly goes along with the gaslighting of Maddie whilst at the same time cultivating an air of philanthropy through her involvement in a home for fallen women (reminiscent of the establishment in Stacey Halls’s The Household). Then there are the Barkers, the Eversleys’ loyal retainers, a persistent malign prescence and whom, one suspects, know all the family’s dirty secrets. And, of course, there’s Lucius himself who for a long time seems to be just a coldly obsessive man determined to prove a theory he has developed. But what lengths will he go to in pursuit of that proof?
I particularly liked the use of chapter headings that describe some of the often quite macabre ‘curiosities’ in Lucius’s collection and the way the author subtly insinuated some of these into the story. I was fascinated to learn that some were inspired by actual exhibits in the Hunterian Museum in London.
The Small Museum is a chilling and immersive historical mystery generously infused with elements of Gothic fiction.
Poor Maddie, married off to Lucius in order to try to restore her family’s social standing following the ‘disgrace of her sister Rebecca, is pretty much a lamb to the slaughter. She cannot understand Lucius’ coldness towards her nor the fact that she is kept pretty much a prisoner in her new home which is run with ruthless efficiency by housekeeper, Mrs Barker. Lucius is invariably absent, either visiting patients or attending scientific meetings, so Maddie’s is a lonely existence, made worse by unsettling little things, such as the unexplained rearrangement of objects or the strange sounds she hears in the night. Could it be her imagination? Everyone seems anxious to convince her it is. Have a cup of cocoa and an early night, dear…
Maddie makes touching attempts to show interest in Lucius’s work in the hope of gaining his attention but it’s only when her artistic skill seems likely to assist his work that she gains a modicum of value in his eyes. Unfortunately, it will be a long time until she discovers what her real value to him is, and when she – and the reader – does, it’s positively shocking. Maddie badly needs a friend and Caroline Fairly proves a particularly steadfast one, along with Maddie’s maid, Tizzy, who risks her own wellbeing if she is discovered.
The book has a generous role call of villains. I’d single out Lucius’s sister, Grace, whose knack for gliding into rooms unexpectedly reminded me of Mrs Danvers in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. She willingly goes along with the gaslighting of Maddie whilst at the same time cultivating an air of philanthropy through her involvement in a home for fallen women (reminiscent of the establishment in Stacey Halls’s The Household). Then there are the Barkers, the Eversleys’ loyal retainers, a persistent malign prescence and whom, one suspects, know all the family’s dirty secrets. And, of course, there’s Lucius himself who for a long time seems to be just a coldly obsessive man determined to prove a theory he has developed. But what lengths will he go to in pursuit of that proof?
I particularly liked the use of chapter headings that describe some of the often quite macabre ‘curiosities’ in Lucius’s collection and the way the author subtly insinuated some of these into the story. I was fascinated to learn that some were inspired by actual exhibits in the Hunterian Museum in London.
The Small Museum is a chilling and immersive historical mystery generously infused with elements of Gothic fiction.
May 16, 2024
Madeleine Brewster who in trying to save her family's reputation marries renowned Dr. Lucius Everly, a serious older man who is collector of human oddities in the medical world. Hoping to make the best effort of a happy marriage, Madeleine seeks to understand her husband's work and offers to assist him in his various endeavors but is thwarted by his dominant sister who never fails to interfere in her plans. When Maddie begins to suspect there are some sinister things going on behind closed doors she will find herself accused of insanity and murder. This read had dark undertones and great suspense that I really enjoyed.
Thank you to author Jody Cooksley and NetGalley for a digital copy of this read in exchange for my review.
Thank you to author Jody Cooksley and NetGalley for a digital copy of this read in exchange for my review.
May 17, 2024
It’s 1873 and Madeleine Brewster has recently been married to the well respected collector of natural curiosities, Dr Lucius Everest. But marriage isn’t shaping up as well as she’d hoped. Lucius leaves her alone most of the time and she’s intimidated by his controlling sister Grace, who marches in and out of their home like she owns it.
Nevertheless, Maddie is determined to try and improve her relationship with her husband. Together they find common ground when she uses her drawing skills to capture some of Lucius’ finds. But as she learns more about his curiosities, the more uneasy she feels. Are Lucius’ dreams of discovery and success based entirely on the macabre and is more sinister play involved?
This was a gloriously gothic read. Told from two different timelines it swiftly becomes evident that Maddie has been accused of something, as the reader learns that she is sitting in a magistrate’s court, but what for?
It’s clear that Maddie has been belittled and brushed aside from day one, both as a woman and with her standing within her new home. Her confidence is low and it was easy to feel empathy for her, there really was no escape. The story is a little of a slow burn, but this does add to the underlying sense of unease so it works well. The Victorian London setting is also a winner for me and the story feels seeped with mystery and intrigue.
It’s creepy, bizarre and filled with menace. You’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
Nevertheless, Maddie is determined to try and improve her relationship with her husband. Together they find common ground when she uses her drawing skills to capture some of Lucius’ finds. But as she learns more about his curiosities, the more uneasy she feels. Are Lucius’ dreams of discovery and success based entirely on the macabre and is more sinister play involved?
This was a gloriously gothic read. Told from two different timelines it swiftly becomes evident that Maddie has been accused of something, as the reader learns that she is sitting in a magistrate’s court, but what for?
It’s clear that Maddie has been belittled and brushed aside from day one, both as a woman and with her standing within her new home. Her confidence is low and it was easy to feel empathy for her, there really was no escape. The story is a little of a slow burn, but this does add to the underlying sense of unease so it works well. The Victorian London setting is also a winner for me and the story feels seeped with mystery and intrigue.
It’s creepy, bizarre and filled with menace. You’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
June 10, 2024
Madeleine Brewster, a young woman who prefers being outside in nature, drawing, and running around, is married off to Dr. Lucius Everley, ten years her elder. The marriage is seen as a way to rehabilitate the Brewster reputation. Madeleine's older sister Rebecca caused a scandal some years earlier when she left the family for a man. The Brewster family's fortunes dwindled when Madeleine's father, a doctor, lost numerous patients, and her mother was spurned by their righteous neighbours.
Maddie arrives in her new home, and immediately feels overwhelmed by the personality of Lucius' sister Grace, and deeply unwelcome by the Barkers, the married couple who have served the Everley family for many years. Every attempt Maddie makes to take control of her household is thwarted by the domineering Grace and unpleasant and dismissive Mrs. Barker. Maddie begins hearing voices and noises at night, while Lucius barely registers that she now lives with him, spending nights with his scientific club cronies. Lucius is convinced that there is a link somewhere in Earth's past where fish transformed into legged beasts, and he is eager to find it. Maddie tries to connect with Lucius through science, and her skill at illustration, offering to draw anatomical structures to support his research and writings.
Maddie manages to make a friend, a former governess, Caroline, whose father and the Everley patriarch were scientific rivals. But there is also a rumour that the Everley patriarch committed crimes to procure dead bodies for his medical work, and Grace is adamant that Lucius' eventual discoveries will help redeem the Everley name.
Caroline becomes a good friend, but she does not know that Maddie is living in an ever-tightening prison, where no matter what she says or does, she is gaslighted by the Barkers and the Everleys, with Lucius convincing her that she is nervous and that she must submit to a doctor's questions. The sympathetic Maddie is completely unprepared for the manipulations she suffers, but is gradually aware and canny enough to realize that she must become increasingly careful in how she behaves, knowing that it would be so easy for the Everleys to send her to an asylum.
Author Jody Cooksley gives us a dual timeline narrative, one where we discover all of the above, and the other, where Maddie is on trial for allegedly murdering her baby. Caroline watches from the gallery, desperate to help Maddie before she is convicted and hanged.
This book was just dripping with atmosphere. The Everley home feels oppressive and frightening, and the people surrounding Maddie in the house start as somewhat controlling, and grow increasingly malevolent as the story progresses. We know that Maddie is naïve and hopeful at the start of her marriage, but the insidiousness of the Everleys constantly questioning her behaviour and mental health negatively affect Maddie.
The story begins with Maddie's family using her for their own ends, then sending her to strangers who use her even more badly, to the extent that Maddie is arrested for something we all know she's completely unable to have done, as we've been on the journey of her horrible marriage with her.
I can see the comparison to Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" with Grace and Mrs. Barker together reminiscent of Mrs. Danvers, but this book had a whole other level of awful, cloaked as Lucius' dubious scientific inquiries. The obsession with reputation causes no end of harm to many people in this dark and claustrophobic story that I could not put down. There are some pretty awful things that happen over the course of this story, including the harming of animals, and the author builds such tension, discomfort and fear in this wonderfully gothic story.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Allison & Busby for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Maddie arrives in her new home, and immediately feels overwhelmed by the personality of Lucius' sister Grace, and deeply unwelcome by the Barkers, the married couple who have served the Everley family for many years. Every attempt Maddie makes to take control of her household is thwarted by the domineering Grace and unpleasant and dismissive Mrs. Barker. Maddie begins hearing voices and noises at night, while Lucius barely registers that she now lives with him, spending nights with his scientific club cronies. Lucius is convinced that there is a link somewhere in Earth's past where fish transformed into legged beasts, and he is eager to find it. Maddie tries to connect with Lucius through science, and her skill at illustration, offering to draw anatomical structures to support his research and writings.
Maddie manages to make a friend, a former governess, Caroline, whose father and the Everley patriarch were scientific rivals. But there is also a rumour that the Everley patriarch committed crimes to procure dead bodies for his medical work, and Grace is adamant that Lucius' eventual discoveries will help redeem the Everley name.
Caroline becomes a good friend, but she does not know that Maddie is living in an ever-tightening prison, where no matter what she says or does, she is gaslighted by the Barkers and the Everleys, with Lucius convincing her that she is nervous and that she must submit to a doctor's questions. The sympathetic Maddie is completely unprepared for the manipulations she suffers, but is gradually aware and canny enough to realize that she must become increasingly careful in how she behaves, knowing that it would be so easy for the Everleys to send her to an asylum.
Author Jody Cooksley gives us a dual timeline narrative, one where we discover all of the above, and the other, where Maddie is on trial for allegedly murdering her baby. Caroline watches from the gallery, desperate to help Maddie before she is convicted and hanged.
This book was just dripping with atmosphere. The Everley home feels oppressive and frightening, and the people surrounding Maddie in the house start as somewhat controlling, and grow increasingly malevolent as the story progresses. We know that Maddie is naïve and hopeful at the start of her marriage, but the insidiousness of the Everleys constantly questioning her behaviour and mental health negatively affect Maddie.
The story begins with Maddie's family using her for their own ends, then sending her to strangers who use her even more badly, to the extent that Maddie is arrested for something we all know she's completely unable to have done, as we've been on the journey of her horrible marriage with her.
I can see the comparison to Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" with Grace and Mrs. Barker together reminiscent of Mrs. Danvers, but this book had a whole other level of awful, cloaked as Lucius' dubious scientific inquiries. The obsession with reputation causes no end of harm to many people in this dark and claustrophobic story that I could not put down. There are some pretty awful things that happen over the course of this story, including the harming of animals, and the author builds such tension, discomfort and fear in this wonderfully gothic story.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Allison & Busby for this ARC in exchange for my review.
July 17, 2024
2.5 rounded up
Set in London in 1873 this book is told from two perspectives across two almost concurrent time frames - post marriage and during the trial. Historical fiction, gothic horror, mystery are the terms used to define the novel's genre and it is, indeed, all of these things, some more successfully than others.
The lead character, Madeleine, has just married Dr Lucius Everley, and also by default, his sister it seems. Through this marriage Madeleine is very much the sacrificial lamb, as her family, after their own reputations have been sullied by the behaviour of her older sister, look to restore their respectability! But, predictably, all is not as it seems in the Everley household.
The book is populated with Victorian literary characters - think Mrs Danvers or a multitude of "Dickensians" and I had high hopes prior to reading, but was ultimately a little disappointed. It felt that placing yourself back into the historical period, in particular the actions of a young, naive new wife, was particularly important to the readers reception of Madeleine's actions and despite my best efforts, I struggled. I also struggled with the pacing - quite drawn out in places and that rapid resolution! And speaking of conclusions - the happy ever after didn't quite work for me either.
Some good points, some less so good.
Set in London in 1873 this book is told from two perspectives across two almost concurrent time frames - post marriage and during the trial. Historical fiction, gothic horror, mystery are the terms used to define the novel's genre and it is, indeed, all of these things, some more successfully than others.
The lead character, Madeleine, has just married Dr Lucius Everley, and also by default, his sister it seems. Through this marriage Madeleine is very much the sacrificial lamb, as her family, after their own reputations have been sullied by the behaviour of her older sister, look to restore their respectability! But, predictably, all is not as it seems in the Everley household.
The book is populated with Victorian literary characters - think Mrs Danvers or a multitude of "Dickensians" and I had high hopes prior to reading, but was ultimately a little disappointed. It felt that placing yourself back into the historical period, in particular the actions of a young, naive new wife, was particularly important to the readers reception of Madeleine's actions and despite my best efforts, I struggled. I also struggled with the pacing - quite drawn out in places and that rapid resolution! And speaking of conclusions - the happy ever after didn't quite work for me either.
Some good points, some less so good.
June 2, 2024
The Small Museum is an interesting take on the gothic horror genre. It's the story of Madelyne who is forced to marry a friend of her doctor father's when her older sister runs away with a man she's not married to and is disgraced.
Maddy's husband is neither kind nor warm and spends almost no time with her as he's too busy attending scientific societies, trying to prove himself and overcome a scandal that attached to the family name in his father's time. The housekeeper is rude and domineering, refusing to let Maddy have any hand in hiring servants or organizing parties or meals. And Maddy's sister-in-law is overbearing and behaves as if she is mistress of the house.
Any complaints Maddy makes or anything she says she hears or sees is chalked up to "nervousness" as her husband and everyone else in the house does their best to gaslight her into believing she's completely mad. Will Maddy be able to overcome the frightening and oppressive atmosphere of the house, or will she be swallowed up by it? And just what is her husband hiding in the secret rooms in his part of the house - rooms that are always kept locked, and that no one is ever allowed into?
Overall, I enjoyed the book's writing style and the pacing. I did feel that Maddy ultimately figuring out Lucius' and his sister's plot towards the end of the book felt a bit rushed and convenient, especially given the long and careful setup.
I also didn't understand why it was necessary for Maddy to fall in love with her maid. Given that she had so little experience with love and was basically a child when she was married off, it would make more sense to me for her to form a group of very close knit female friends, like sisters. But it seems that as usual, women can't have best friends in movies or books anymore, whether they be of the same or opposite sex. I'm always thoroughly disappointed when I see authors giving in to this lazy modern trope, especially in a day and age when it would have been illegal and resulted in one or both women going to prison, or worse. Modern authors seem to like to pretend that these strictures and dangers toward those who loved the same sex did not exist, and I do find it an overly convenient plot development that there's always some colony of "bohemian women" where they can go live and nothing bad will happen.
Other than that, I found the book to be all right as a gothic horror piece, and a work that shows just what women had to suffer in an era that believed the husband instead of the wife - an era when the diagnosis of "hysteria" covered everything when you wanted to get rid of an inconvenient woman. 3 out of 5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for the free advanced reader copy. This is my voluntary review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Maddy's husband is neither kind nor warm and spends almost no time with her as he's too busy attending scientific societies, trying to prove himself and overcome a scandal that attached to the family name in his father's time. The housekeeper is rude and domineering, refusing to let Maddy have any hand in hiring servants or organizing parties or meals. And Maddy's sister-in-law is overbearing and behaves as if she is mistress of the house.
Any complaints Maddy makes or anything she says she hears or sees is chalked up to "nervousness" as her husband and everyone else in the house does their best to gaslight her into believing she's completely mad. Will Maddy be able to overcome the frightening and oppressive atmosphere of the house, or will she be swallowed up by it? And just what is her husband hiding in the secret rooms in his part of the house - rooms that are always kept locked, and that no one is ever allowed into?
Overall, I enjoyed the book's writing style and the pacing. I did feel that Maddy ultimately figuring out Lucius' and his sister's plot towards the end of the book felt a bit rushed and convenient, especially given the long and careful setup.
I also didn't understand why it was necessary for Maddy to fall in love with her maid. Given that she had so little experience with love and was basically a child when she was married off, it would make more sense to me for her to form a group of very close knit female friends, like sisters. But it seems that as usual, women can't have best friends in movies or books anymore, whether they be of the same or opposite sex. I'm always thoroughly disappointed when I see authors giving in to this lazy modern trope, especially in a day and age when it would have been illegal and resulted in one or both women going to prison, or worse. Modern authors seem to like to pretend that these strictures and dangers toward those who loved the same sex did not exist, and I do find it an overly convenient plot development that there's always some colony of "bohemian women" where they can go live and nothing bad will happen.
Other than that, I found the book to be all right as a gothic horror piece, and a work that shows just what women had to suffer in an era that believed the husband instead of the wife - an era when the diagnosis of "hysteria" covered everything when you wanted to get rid of an inconvenient woman. 3 out of 5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for the free advanced reader copy. This is my voluntary review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
June 23, 2024
I love Gothic novels and was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would.
I found the book confusing with the time jumps and with some of the events in the story. To me, it almost felt like reading a first or second draft of a novel where things still needed to be planned out and storylines needed to be tied up.
The relationship with Tizzy seemed to come out of nowhere and didn't seem genuine more like Maddie just wanted a connection with someone.
The ending seemed really rushed and just wrapped up too nicely for my liking.
ARC from Netgalley!
I found the book confusing with the time jumps and with some of the events in the story. To me, it almost felt like reading a first or second draft of a novel where things still needed to be planned out and storylines needed to be tied up.
The relationship with Tizzy seemed to come out of nowhere and didn't seem genuine more like Maddie just wanted a connection with someone.
The ending seemed really rushed and just wrapped up too nicely for my liking.
ARC from Netgalley!
May 21, 2024
Gothic horror stories seem to be having a moment just recently, with a plethora of great releases in the genre over the past twelve months, which is fantastic news for fans. The Small Museum is another book they can now add to their list.
Victorian London is the absolute best setting for this story. Whenever that time and location is mentioned, my imagination is always filled with darkness, danger and lurking horror. This is the time of Jack the Ripper, for starters, and the Victorians had a fascination with the freakish and macabre so the storylines are ripe for the picking. Jody Cooksley mines this rich seam like an expert to produce The Small Museum. It has everything fans could wish for in a gothic horror novel.
Told over two timelines, this is the story of Madeleine Brewster, married off to the aloof and austere Dr Lucius Everley for the convenience of her family and conveyed to his gloomy house in London where she feels unwelcome and is excluded from large parts of the property. What hours lurk behind the locked doors of the rooms where he carries out his medical research. The timelines run concurrent; the first following Madeleine as she tries to establish herself in her new home and find out more about her new husband, his work and his overbearing sister Grace, the second told by an unidentified second voice who is following Madeleine’s trial in the future where she stands accused of a heinous crime. The narrative framework works perfectly to pique the reader’s curiosity and keep them glued to the page.
Every page of this book is soaked in the macabre. The scene-setting is just flawless, I had a perfect vision of Dr. Everley’s house in my mind’s eye and I understood exactly what Madeleine was feeling as she walked its gloomy and hostile hallways. Similarly, the characters were so beautifully developed throughout the book. Madeleine is young, naive and out of her depth and her voice throughout is perfectly authentic in this regard. Grace is intrusive and domineering and she sweeps all before her; you can feel the impossibility of resistance to her will in Madeleine. Dr. Everley is much harder to get a read on, just as Madeleine finds him. It is all pitch perfect.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Small Museum, in a horrific and twisted way. The book is not for the squeamish, it explores some very dark themes and ideas, and you might not want to read it at bedtime if you don’t want to have haunted dreams, but you will want to read it.
Victorian London is the absolute best setting for this story. Whenever that time and location is mentioned, my imagination is always filled with darkness, danger and lurking horror. This is the time of Jack the Ripper, for starters, and the Victorians had a fascination with the freakish and macabre so the storylines are ripe for the picking. Jody Cooksley mines this rich seam like an expert to produce The Small Museum. It has everything fans could wish for in a gothic horror novel.
Told over two timelines, this is the story of Madeleine Brewster, married off to the aloof and austere Dr Lucius Everley for the convenience of her family and conveyed to his gloomy house in London where she feels unwelcome and is excluded from large parts of the property. What hours lurk behind the locked doors of the rooms where he carries out his medical research. The timelines run concurrent; the first following Madeleine as she tries to establish herself in her new home and find out more about her new husband, his work and his overbearing sister Grace, the second told by an unidentified second voice who is following Madeleine’s trial in the future where she stands accused of a heinous crime. The narrative framework works perfectly to pique the reader’s curiosity and keep them glued to the page.
Every page of this book is soaked in the macabre. The scene-setting is just flawless, I had a perfect vision of Dr. Everley’s house in my mind’s eye and I understood exactly what Madeleine was feeling as she walked its gloomy and hostile hallways. Similarly, the characters were so beautifully developed throughout the book. Madeleine is young, naive and out of her depth and her voice throughout is perfectly authentic in this regard. Grace is intrusive and domineering and she sweeps all before her; you can feel the impossibility of resistance to her will in Madeleine. Dr. Everley is much harder to get a read on, just as Madeleine finds him. It is all pitch perfect.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Small Museum, in a horrific and twisted way. The book is not for the squeamish, it explores some very dark themes and ideas, and you might not want to read it at bedtime if you don’t want to have haunted dreams, but you will want to read it.
April 5, 2024
4.5 rounded up
Honestly, they had me at the cover and the blurb just confirmed my hunch: The Small Museum was a book I had to read! As it turns out, my magpie eyes and spidey-senses did not lead me astray this time, The Small Museum was 100% up my street and I had a fantastic time with it.
Admittedly, I did not choose the best time to read The Small Museum, or come to think of it, maybe it was the best time, after all. After a devastating discovery and the consequent heartbreak and lack of sleep, I needed a book to take my mind off things, to offer me some respite. On days like that, it takes a special kind of book to capture my attention, and hold it. The Small Museum did that, and believe me, that’s no small feat.
I do love Victorian London as a setting, the Victorian era is my favourite era, so many things in motion, so much curiosity and curios, so much research and so many discoveries, so many creepy things in jars. It’s the perfect era for an eerie mystery, and that eeriness does permeate the entire story. Besides the all but mandatory mansion, The Small Museum also takes its reader to the Marlborough Assizes, which was really interesting.
The Small Museum tells the story of Maddie. The trial storyline is told from the perspective of her friend Caroline, the before chapters are from Maddie’s own POV. I did see many a thing coming that Maddie did not, but I didn’t care because I was so wrapped up in her side of things, feeling sorry for her, and wondering how things came to a head, with her being on trial, and whether Caroline would manage to save her.
The Small Museum is a captivating gothic mystery with very dark edges. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to fans of the genre.
Massive thanks to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the DRC. All opinions are my own.
Honestly, they had me at the cover and the blurb just confirmed my hunch: The Small Museum was a book I had to read! As it turns out, my magpie eyes and spidey-senses did not lead me astray this time, The Small Museum was 100% up my street and I had a fantastic time with it.
Admittedly, I did not choose the best time to read The Small Museum, or come to think of it, maybe it was the best time, after all. After a devastating discovery and the consequent heartbreak and lack of sleep, I needed a book to take my mind off things, to offer me some respite. On days like that, it takes a special kind of book to capture my attention, and hold it. The Small Museum did that, and believe me, that’s no small feat.
I do love Victorian London as a setting, the Victorian era is my favourite era, so many things in motion, so much curiosity and curios, so much research and so many discoveries, so many creepy things in jars. It’s the perfect era for an eerie mystery, and that eeriness does permeate the entire story. Besides the all but mandatory mansion, The Small Museum also takes its reader to the Marlborough Assizes, which was really interesting.
The Small Museum tells the story of Maddie. The trial storyline is told from the perspective of her friend Caroline, the before chapters are from Maddie’s own POV. I did see many a thing coming that Maddie did not, but I didn’t care because I was so wrapped up in her side of things, feeling sorry for her, and wondering how things came to a head, with her being on trial, and whether Caroline would manage to save her.
The Small Museum is a captivating gothic mystery with very dark edges. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to fans of the genre.
Massive thanks to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the DRC. All opinions are my own.
May 27, 2025
This book was both painful as it was beautiful. It was a complicated book to understand, since the main character was claimed and gaslit into believing she was insane, and it was that well written it was almost believeable for myself aswell. Her losing her child was extremely emotional, even though she never wished for the kid. The small museum of Lucius was fascinating and I understand his admiration for the subject, but he was unbelievably cruel to his wife. The book made me feel alone with the main character, due to the extremely good writing of the author. This was a difficult book to understand, but once the events connect it turned into a masterpiece.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2025
It was really hard to read through such a long buildup where the main character suffers mental and physical abuse with almost no relief in between. Even though it’s important in the book the family wants to make her doubt herself, I feel like for the reader it just overtook the rest of the story.
I also hoped the abusers would have a satisfying embarrassing moment where the maddie finally proves to be right but that moment was not even a page long in the 346 page book.
The setting, the mystery and maddie finding friends in such harsh times was really enjoyable to read but I just don’t think the writing style is for me unfortunately
I also hoped the abusers would have a satisfying embarrassing moment where the maddie finally proves to be right but that moment was not even a page long in the 346 page book.
The setting, the mystery and maddie finding friends in such harsh times was really enjoyable to read but I just don’t think the writing style is for me unfortunately
May 16, 2024
Victorian Gothic? Yes please!
This book was captivating - frustrating and terrifying at times - but an excellent read. Maddie was a sympathetic character from the start, forced into a marriage to better her family's situation and largely unprepared for all it entains. Her abusive family and household continually manipulate and gaslight her but it is rewarding to watch her expand her circle of trust and see them come for her at the end.
The author clearly took great time and care to create her heroine and the world around her, and that passion shows. The story is fast-paced and compelling with a rewarding resolution. Will definitely be looking forward to more by this author.
Thank you to NetGally, Jody Cooksley, and Allison & Busby for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was captivating - frustrating and terrifying at times - but an excellent read. Maddie was a sympathetic character from the start, forced into a marriage to better her family's situation and largely unprepared for all it entains. Her abusive family and household continually manipulate and gaslight her but it is rewarding to watch her expand her circle of trust and see them come for her at the end.
The author clearly took great time and care to create her heroine and the world around her, and that passion shows. The story is fast-paced and compelling with a rewarding resolution. Will definitely be looking forward to more by this author.
Thank you to NetGally, Jody Cooksley, and Allison & Busby for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2024
London, 1873.
Madeleine Brewster’s marriage to Dr Lucius Everley was meant to restore order, removing the tarnish she had left on her family’s sullied and shamed name as after all surely should she be bound to someone of such high regard and renown,everyone would be better off and happy…
Dr Lucius is a well-respected and upstanding citizen who has a collection of some of the most interesting, twisted,abhorrent,controversial specimens kept under watchful lock and key inside his ‘Small Museum’ which is the culmination of his life’s work,and his sister Grace, such an extraordinary woman who’s philanthropic contributions with fallen women are applauded by all. Or so they claim.
Inside the walls of her new residence Arlington Crescent,Madeleine finds herself at the mercy of Grace and her overly domineering eye,dismissing her as nothing more than a pest in all respects whenever Madeleine tries to show any kind of authority and along with Mrs Baker the housekeeper,she is left rather alone in a house full of people,and should she bring any of this up with Lucius,she is told not to worry and he quickly puts it down to nerves, swift to deny any accusations to instil a sense of perhaps she is going mad,obsessing over things that are merely nothing more than her overactive imagination.
Maddie soon finds herself framed for a crime that would end in her swinging from the gallows when it becomes clear that the family need this new problem of her curious questions to disappear.
The clock is ticking and Maddie’s innocence must be proven by her only true friend Caroline before the gallows can claim her,silencing her forever but will they succeed and expose the family for the demons they truly are,or will Maddie lose everything?
A chilling exploration which highlights how alone you can become when no one is willing to believe you, and a gothic slice of Victorian storytelling.
Madeleine Brewster’s marriage to Dr Lucius Everley was meant to restore order, removing the tarnish she had left on her family’s sullied and shamed name as after all surely should she be bound to someone of such high regard and renown,everyone would be better off and happy…
Dr Lucius is a well-respected and upstanding citizen who has a collection of some of the most interesting, twisted,abhorrent,controversial specimens kept under watchful lock and key inside his ‘Small Museum’ which is the culmination of his life’s work,and his sister Grace, such an extraordinary woman who’s philanthropic contributions with fallen women are applauded by all. Or so they claim.
Inside the walls of her new residence Arlington Crescent,Madeleine finds herself at the mercy of Grace and her overly domineering eye,dismissing her as nothing more than a pest in all respects whenever Madeleine tries to show any kind of authority and along with Mrs Baker the housekeeper,she is left rather alone in a house full of people,and should she bring any of this up with Lucius,she is told not to worry and he quickly puts it down to nerves, swift to deny any accusations to instil a sense of perhaps she is going mad,obsessing over things that are merely nothing more than her overactive imagination.
Maddie soon finds herself framed for a crime that would end in her swinging from the gallows when it becomes clear that the family need this new problem of her curious questions to disappear.
The clock is ticking and Maddie’s innocence must be proven by her only true friend Caroline before the gallows can claim her,silencing her forever but will they succeed and expose the family for the demons they truly are,or will Maddie lose everything?
A chilling exploration which highlights how alone you can become when no one is willing to believe you, and a gothic slice of Victorian storytelling.
April 29, 2025
I was under constant suspense! The story was so tragic but it was beautifully written. Im glad it had a happy ending. Definitely want to read again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2025
Loved this book, beautifully written and gets surprisingly dark.
July 30, 2025
God bok, syns an va ganske treig. Spennande plot, men blei ganske rushed mot slutten. Noen ting blei forced, men all in all, kjekk bok. Ville hatt mer av plottet:)
May 25, 2024
My review for this deliciously dark historical read is on my blog https://thefallenlibrarian.wordpress....
February 7, 2025
Whoo boy I hated this book. It’s filled with Gothic cliches. It’s extremely predictable. I kept reading because I was hoping that it would twist in a clever direction, but it never did. Instead I felt it dragged on and on until the inevitable reveal. It had scary potential but was too unbelievable and slow to be scary.
I don’t believe a world where these Everley characters could get away with dastardly deeds for so long is also a world that would allow such a neat, saccharine ending. I liked two of the characters - Caroline and the dog -and the dog unfortunately does not enjoy the happy ending.
If the main character had shown more agency and appropriate level of emotions for what was happening to her the book could have been more interesting.
I regret my choice to finish this and I hope I forget this one quickly.
I don’t believe a world where these Everley characters could get away with dastardly deeds for so long is also a world that would allow such a neat, saccharine ending. I liked two of the characters - Caroline and the dog -and the dog unfortunately does not enjoy the happy ending.
If the main character had shown more agency and appropriate level of emotions for what was happening to her the book could have been more interesting.
I regret my choice to finish this and I hope I forget this one quickly.
May 17, 2024
4.5 stars. Museums have always fascinated me but you don’t have to delve far into the history of collecting to realise that, in some cases, a darkness lies beneath the polished displays and carefully curated curios. Jodie Cooksley’s sophomore novel, The Small Museum, peeks underneath that shining surface of Victorian respectability and scientific endeavour to reveal a gloriously gothic tale of experimentation and exploitation.
Madeline Brewster’s marriage to the respectable Dr Lucius Everley is supposed to be a new start. Although not a love match, Everley’s wealth and reputation will provide Madeline and her family with a security that has been sorely lacking since their father’s own medical practice was all but destroyed by scandal. Madeline’s new husband is also a respected collector of natural curiosities and Maddie is sure that, once he realises her own interest in, and talent for, the natural sciences, he will invite her to join him in his work.
Before long, however, it becomes clear to Maddie that not only is Lucius unlikely to share his research with her but that something far darker is taking place behind the locked doors of his ‘Small Museum’. Confined to a home that isn’t really her own, Maddie finds herself trapped by the web of lies spun by Lucius, his sister Grace, and their long-standing family retainers. But what secrets could Lucius possibly hold that require such scheming? And what might Madeline do to be free of them?
I immediately loved the Gothic atmosphere of the The Small Museum. Although written in a much more modern style, the book had all the vibes of my favourite Victorian novels. In particular, I was drawn by similarities to the work of Wilkie Collins, especially The Woman in White. The two books share some similar themes and Cooksley has Collins’s talent for conveying a suffocating atmosphere and a creeping sense that, beneath a seemingly respectable surface, something dark and dangerous is lying in wait.
Moving between two timelines, the novel draws the reader in and keeps the pages turning whilst skilfully developing the tension. Chapters set shortly after Madeline’s marriage are interspersed with scenes from much later when Maddie finds herself on trial for murder. I was immediately drawn into trying to connect the dots between the two timelines although I did find that, as the two began to converge and the pace picked up, a lot of events happened very quickly. This made the ending feel somewhat rushed in comparison to the steady build of tension and atmosphere within the first two thirds of the book. Hopefully it’s a testament to how much I enjoyed the intricacies of the story that I think this is probably one of the few novels that I felt could do with a few more pages rather than a few less!
Madeline is a likeable, if somewhat naïve, central character although personally I preferred the narrative viewpoint of her more forthright friend, Caroline, whose perspective we get in the trial chapters. What Madeline’s narrative does, however, is give you a real sense of the limitations she has as a married woman and the way in which, during this period, married women only had as much agency as their husbands chose to give them. Madeline isn’t even allowed to be mistress in her own home and her attempts to reach out for help are rebuffed in the face of Lucius and Grace’s outwardly respectable appearances.
Lucius and Grace make for excellent villains, with the domineering and manipulative Grace standing out as the facilitator of Lucius’s obsessions, and the novel does a great job of exploring the ways in which the norms of Victorian society – and of the medical profession in particular – so often collaborated with the abuse and exploitation of vulnerable women.
There were some elements of the book that I found slightly less successful. Whilst I loved the inclusivity of one of the relationships that developed in the novel (no spoilers!), I felt that element was a little rushed and, as a consequence, it felt rather underdeveloped. As mentioned above, some of the later parts of the book could just have done with that little extra room to breath, I think.
Those niggles did not, however, diminish my enjoyment of The Small Museum as a whole. Indeed, I raced through this novel in a matter of days and genuinely had several ‘can’t put it down’ moments. Anyone who loves a good slice of historical gothic is sure to enjoy, although do be prepared for some body horror elements and serious themes.
With it’s well-realised setting and well-drawn characters, The Small Museum is a compelling read that, although shocking in places, brings the world of Victorian London vividly to life. Although it wears its research lightly, this is a fascinating look behind the respectable façade of both medicine and museums in the Victorian period and is sure to appeal to historical fiction and mystery fans alike.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Madeline Brewster’s marriage to the respectable Dr Lucius Everley is supposed to be a new start. Although not a love match, Everley’s wealth and reputation will provide Madeline and her family with a security that has been sorely lacking since their father’s own medical practice was all but destroyed by scandal. Madeline’s new husband is also a respected collector of natural curiosities and Maddie is sure that, once he realises her own interest in, and talent for, the natural sciences, he will invite her to join him in his work.
Before long, however, it becomes clear to Maddie that not only is Lucius unlikely to share his research with her but that something far darker is taking place behind the locked doors of his ‘Small Museum’. Confined to a home that isn’t really her own, Maddie finds herself trapped by the web of lies spun by Lucius, his sister Grace, and their long-standing family retainers. But what secrets could Lucius possibly hold that require such scheming? And what might Madeline do to be free of them?
I immediately loved the Gothic atmosphere of the The Small Museum. Although written in a much more modern style, the book had all the vibes of my favourite Victorian novels. In particular, I was drawn by similarities to the work of Wilkie Collins, especially The Woman in White. The two books share some similar themes and Cooksley has Collins’s talent for conveying a suffocating atmosphere and a creeping sense that, beneath a seemingly respectable surface, something dark and dangerous is lying in wait.
Moving between two timelines, the novel draws the reader in and keeps the pages turning whilst skilfully developing the tension. Chapters set shortly after Madeline’s marriage are interspersed with scenes from much later when Maddie finds herself on trial for murder. I was immediately drawn into trying to connect the dots between the two timelines although I did find that, as the two began to converge and the pace picked up, a lot of events happened very quickly. This made the ending feel somewhat rushed in comparison to the steady build of tension and atmosphere within the first two thirds of the book. Hopefully it’s a testament to how much I enjoyed the intricacies of the story that I think this is probably one of the few novels that I felt could do with a few more pages rather than a few less!
Madeline is a likeable, if somewhat naïve, central character although personally I preferred the narrative viewpoint of her more forthright friend, Caroline, whose perspective we get in the trial chapters. What Madeline’s narrative does, however, is give you a real sense of the limitations she has as a married woman and the way in which, during this period, married women only had as much agency as their husbands chose to give them. Madeline isn’t even allowed to be mistress in her own home and her attempts to reach out for help are rebuffed in the face of Lucius and Grace’s outwardly respectable appearances.
Lucius and Grace make for excellent villains, with the domineering and manipulative Grace standing out as the facilitator of Lucius’s obsessions, and the novel does a great job of exploring the ways in which the norms of Victorian society – and of the medical profession in particular – so often collaborated with the abuse and exploitation of vulnerable women.
There were some elements of the book that I found slightly less successful. Whilst I loved the inclusivity of one of the relationships that developed in the novel (no spoilers!), I felt that element was a little rushed and, as a consequence, it felt rather underdeveloped. As mentioned above, some of the later parts of the book could just have done with that little extra room to breath, I think.
Those niggles did not, however, diminish my enjoyment of The Small Museum as a whole. Indeed, I raced through this novel in a matter of days and genuinely had several ‘can’t put it down’ moments. Anyone who loves a good slice of historical gothic is sure to enjoy, although do be prepared for some body horror elements and serious themes.
With it’s well-realised setting and well-drawn characters, The Small Museum is a compelling read that, although shocking in places, brings the world of Victorian London vividly to life. Although it wears its research lightly, this is a fascinating look behind the respectable façade of both medicine and museums in the Victorian period and is sure to appeal to historical fiction and mystery fans alike.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
April 25, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
This tale follows a young woman, newly married to much older and well-respected man. Madeleine "Maddie" Brewester found herself forced by social convention to accept this marriage in order to uplift her family's status. Things in her new life quickly take a turn for the worse, as the staff and her own husband treat her like an incompetent child. What should be her new home instead becomes a guilded cage where she can look silently but not touch.
The novel has a split timeline, bouncing between the beginnings of Maddie's marriage and a later trial where she is accused of killing her own child. This isn't a spoiler as it happens in chapter 2... the courtroom proceedings are witnessed from the POV of her best friend Caroline. The family and staff keep Maddie under lock and key—always in the dark and out of reach—making accusations easier to validate in the eyes of the court.
The work does a decent job of bouncing between references to the fantastical and Victorian Era science. The scientific discoveries of this time period being used to highlight fictitious horrors, allows one to consider the reality of how some of the principals and theories we have come to rely on stem from blood. Blood that wasn't always freely given.
This is a bleak, dark take on Gothic Horror. Be prepared to delve deep into a cruel family and broken marriage, as a vivacious young woman is driven to the point of mental collapse. Things take a turn for the worse almost immediately, so readers hoping for a steady decline into sorrow may be shocked by how the story progresses. This tale above all else is a harrowing glimpse at loneliness and the lengths women must go to to protect one another.
TW: child birth, dissection, dismemberment, gaslighting, domestic abuse (emotional), forced confiment (in home and prison), infacide, period-typical misogyny, power imbalances
This tale follows a young woman, newly married to much older and well-respected man. Madeleine "Maddie" Brewester found herself forced by social convention to accept this marriage in order to uplift her family's status. Things in her new life quickly take a turn for the worse, as the staff and her own husband treat her like an incompetent child. What should be her new home instead becomes a guilded cage where she can look silently but not touch.
The novel has a split timeline, bouncing between the beginnings of Maddie's marriage and a later trial where she is accused of killing her own child. This isn't a spoiler as it happens in chapter 2... the courtroom proceedings are witnessed from the POV of her best friend Caroline. The family and staff keep Maddie under lock and key—always in the dark and out of reach—making accusations easier to validate in the eyes of the court.
The work does a decent job of bouncing between references to the fantastical and Victorian Era science. The scientific discoveries of this time period being used to highlight fictitious horrors, allows one to consider the reality of how some of the principals and theories we have come to rely on stem from blood. Blood that wasn't always freely given.
This is a bleak, dark take on Gothic Horror. Be prepared to delve deep into a cruel family and broken marriage, as a vivacious young woman is driven to the point of mental collapse. Things take a turn for the worse almost immediately, so readers hoping for a steady decline into sorrow may be shocked by how the story progresses. This tale above all else is a harrowing glimpse at loneliness and the lengths women must go to to protect one another.
TW: child birth, dissection, dismemberment, gaslighting, domestic abuse (emotional), forced confiment (in home and prison), infacide, period-typical misogyny, power imbalances
May 8, 2024
This was a quite dark and at times distressing read but completely compulsive. Even though it was making me uncomfortable I still couldn’t stop reading it. Set in London in 1873 it’s the story of country girl Madeleine ‘Maddie’ Brewster who married Dr Lucius Everley after meeting him just once. The Brewster family’s good reputation had collapsed after their daughter Rebecca ran away from home and the marriage is supposed to repair their reputation. However, Maddie ends up at Marlborough Assizes accused of murder. Told from two POV’s, Maddie’s during her marriage and her friend Caroline for the court trial.
Briefly, from the very start Maddie finds her life less than pleasant. Her husband virtually disregards her, his sister Grace undermines her at everything and the housekeeper and her husband ignore all her requests. Her treatment at their hands seems to affects her mental well-being and she starts hearing noises at night and seeing things she is to,d aren’t there. However, Lucius does appreciate her artistic ability and he seems to a little kinder towards her as she helps him in his work. But his work is still his main concern and gradually Maddie begins to suspect his actions and motives and those of his sister.
The book was inspired by the Hunterian Museum in London and after googling I don’t think I’ll be visiting any time soon! It’s clear that the author has done some detailed research and it shows in the quality of the narrative. I did guess what was taking place well before Maddie’s cottoned on but I think the author would have expected that from the information given. Maddie’s was a great character and I really was rooted for her all the way through; Grace however I hated. If you enjoy a dark gothic mystery you are going to love this! And yes despite my distaste at the contents of the ‘Small Museum’ I really did enjoy this book. It’s shocking, it’s scary but it’s also strikingly compelling.
Briefly, from the very start Maddie finds her life less than pleasant. Her husband virtually disregards her, his sister Grace undermines her at everything and the housekeeper and her husband ignore all her requests. Her treatment at their hands seems to affects her mental well-being and she starts hearing noises at night and seeing things she is to,d aren’t there. However, Lucius does appreciate her artistic ability and he seems to a little kinder towards her as she helps him in his work. But his work is still his main concern and gradually Maddie begins to suspect his actions and motives and those of his sister.
The book was inspired by the Hunterian Museum in London and after googling I don’t think I’ll be visiting any time soon! It’s clear that the author has done some detailed research and it shows in the quality of the narrative. I did guess what was taking place well before Maddie’s cottoned on but I think the author would have expected that from the information given. Maddie’s was a great character and I really was rooted for her all the way through; Grace however I hated. If you enjoy a dark gothic mystery you are going to love this! And yes despite my distaste at the contents of the ‘Small Museum’ I really did enjoy this book. It’s shocking, it’s scary but it’s also strikingly compelling.
August 4, 2024
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Stacey Halls and Anna Mazzola fans are sure to be bewitched by this spine-tingling Gothic chiller by Jody Cooksley: The Small Museum.
London, 1873 and Madeleine Brewster thought that marriage to Dr Lucius Everley, would be the answer to all of her family’s problems. With their reputation in tatters, the Brewster family thought that Madeleine’s marriage to a respectable pillar of the community like Lucius would help them draw a line under the scandals of the past once and for all. But should they trust the man their daughter is marrying so blindly? What secrets is Lucius keeping? And what about his sister Grace? Is she the philanthropic and selfless woman everyone thinks she is? Or is there more to her than meets the eye?
On arrival at her new home, Maddie feels excluded and isolated, but her penchant for drawing could help Lucius out in his museum of ‘small things’ and enable him to make a breakthrough in evolutionary science: a fish with feet. However, the more Maddie learns about Lucius and his sister, the more apprehensive she gets. Finding herself framed for a crime she didn’t commit that will take her straight to the gallows, Maddie is terrified that she will end up a scapegoat for the Everley’s twisted transgressions,
Will her friend Caroline Fairly manage to help her clear her name and save her from certain death? Or is it already far too late?
A dark, terrifying and heart-pounding Victorian thriller with shocking twist after shocking twist, The Small Museum chills and thrills with a beguiling blend of tension, terror and intrigue that will keep readers up all night and have them checking that they’ve double bolted every single door and window in the house.
Jody Cooksley knows how to make her readers jump out of their skin making The Small Museum a must-read for Gothic fiction fans.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Stacey Halls and Anna Mazzola fans are sure to be bewitched by this spine-tingling Gothic chiller by Jody Cooksley: The Small Museum.
London, 1873 and Madeleine Brewster thought that marriage to Dr Lucius Everley, would be the answer to all of her family’s problems. With their reputation in tatters, the Brewster family thought that Madeleine’s marriage to a respectable pillar of the community like Lucius would help them draw a line under the scandals of the past once and for all. But should they trust the man their daughter is marrying so blindly? What secrets is Lucius keeping? And what about his sister Grace? Is she the philanthropic and selfless woman everyone thinks she is? Or is there more to her than meets the eye?
On arrival at her new home, Maddie feels excluded and isolated, but her penchant for drawing could help Lucius out in his museum of ‘small things’ and enable him to make a breakthrough in evolutionary science: a fish with feet. However, the more Maddie learns about Lucius and his sister, the more apprehensive she gets. Finding herself framed for a crime she didn’t commit that will take her straight to the gallows, Maddie is terrified that she will end up a scapegoat for the Everley’s twisted transgressions,
Will her friend Caroline Fairly manage to help her clear her name and save her from certain death? Or is it already far too late?
A dark, terrifying and heart-pounding Victorian thriller with shocking twist after shocking twist, The Small Museum chills and thrills with a beguiling blend of tension, terror and intrigue that will keep readers up all night and have them checking that they’ve double bolted every single door and window in the house.
Jody Cooksley knows how to make her readers jump out of their skin making The Small Museum a must-read for Gothic fiction fans.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 30, 2025
thesmallmuseum #jodycooksley is a coming of age story full of horrors from Maddie. The intellectual woman in a man's world is not a unique historical fiction concept, but I liked the array of other varied but still strong characters portrayed.
The storyline is intriguing and although the "twist" at the end is not entirely unexpected by it's completion, the plot reveal and actions of our star characters is not spoiled by this.
What I did struggle with was the consistency, the laudenum use seemed to be sporadic and not entirely believable, as did Maddie's strength of character but willingness to be ignored and secreted away without any real attempt to be a part of Lucius's life or of society. Her family history and the "downfall" of Rebecca has meant she steeled herself for an inevitably unhappy marriage prospect, but then instantly withers when faced with a stubborn housekeeper and an aloof husband. Maddie behaves timidly being afraid to open a conversation with Lucius for most of the novel, yet is suddenly bravely at odd times, with him immediately agreeing to throwing an impromptu party at zero notice.
The ghostly noises are heard "nightly" yet no others in the neighbourhood can attest, or are asked about it, the ghost apparition is not explained, not is the constant moving of her possessions.
Maddie's prior knowledge and access to biological texts, makes it seem unlikely she would be unable to recognise the sources of natural specimens she was drawing and painting, just as her experience assisting her father with his medical practice makes it unlikely she would have zero understanding of childbirth, laudenum and chlorophorm.
The sudden and out of the blue Tazzy romance feels very forced and shoehorned in at the end, where there could have been countless opportunities to lay the groundwork since her introduction.
Unfortunately this means the whole novel is less entrancing than I wanted it to be, overall I found it enjoyable but wouldn't rush to reread
The storyline is intriguing and although the "twist" at the end is not entirely unexpected by it's completion, the plot reveal and actions of our star characters is not spoiled by this.
What I did struggle with was the consistency, the laudenum use seemed to be sporadic and not entirely believable, as did Maddie's strength of character but willingness to be ignored and secreted away without any real attempt to be a part of Lucius's life or of society. Her family history and the "downfall" of Rebecca has meant she steeled herself for an inevitably unhappy marriage prospect, but then instantly withers when faced with a stubborn housekeeper and an aloof husband. Maddie behaves timidly being afraid to open a conversation with Lucius for most of the novel, yet is suddenly bravely at odd times, with him immediately agreeing to throwing an impromptu party at zero notice.
The ghostly noises are heard "nightly" yet no others in the neighbourhood can attest, or are asked about it, the ghost apparition is not explained, not is the constant moving of her possessions.
Maddie's prior knowledge and access to biological texts, makes it seem unlikely she would be unable to recognise the sources of natural specimens she was drawing and painting, just as her experience assisting her father with his medical practice makes it unlikely she would have zero understanding of childbirth, laudenum and chlorophorm.
The sudden and out of the blue Tazzy romance feels very forced and shoehorned in at the end, where there could have been countless opportunities to lay the groundwork since her introduction.
Unfortunately this means the whole novel is less entrancing than I wanted it to be, overall I found it enjoyable but wouldn't rush to reread
May 15, 2024
***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
This book takes place in London in 1873. Madeleine Brewster's family has lost their status in society ever since her older sister ran away to elope, so they decide to marry Maddie off to Dr Lucius Everley, in the hopes that it will restore their good name. Dr Everley is not only a physician but also a collector of natural curiosities. His 'Small Museum' of bones and specimens in jars is his pride and joy, Dr. Everley's sister Grace runs a home for fallen women, which was also laudable. However, once they are wed, Maddie soon realizes all is not how it seems. Everything is a facade. Lucius wants nothing to do with Maddie, and they do not spend any time together. Grace is the only one he seems to find time for. Grace seems to be controlling everything, and Maddie is unable to make any decisions for herself. The housekeeper hates Maddie from the start, and seems to go out of her way to make her as miserable as possible. Any time something gets moved in Maddie's room, or she questions a sound she heard, Lucius starts acting as if she is suffering from "hysteria". When the baby Maddie gives birth to dies, and she is accused of killing it, she only has the one friend she was able to make that might be able to save her from the gallows.
I really wanted to like this book, but it just fell flat for me. It was a slow burn for the entire book. I found it depressing, disturbing, and at times boring.... which I know that time period and that subject matter is not a cheerful one, so there you go. I didn't feel any sort of connection with any of the characters. I was hoping Maddie would be someone I could root for, but she just felt a little too one-dimensional. Maybe this was a case of "it's not you, it's me'.
This book takes place in London in 1873. Madeleine Brewster's family has lost their status in society ever since her older sister ran away to elope, so they decide to marry Maddie off to Dr Lucius Everley, in the hopes that it will restore their good name. Dr Everley is not only a physician but also a collector of natural curiosities. His 'Small Museum' of bones and specimens in jars is his pride and joy, Dr. Everley's sister Grace runs a home for fallen women, which was also laudable. However, once they are wed, Maddie soon realizes all is not how it seems. Everything is a facade. Lucius wants nothing to do with Maddie, and they do not spend any time together. Grace is the only one he seems to find time for. Grace seems to be controlling everything, and Maddie is unable to make any decisions for herself. The housekeeper hates Maddie from the start, and seems to go out of her way to make her as miserable as possible. Any time something gets moved in Maddie's room, or she questions a sound she heard, Lucius starts acting as if she is suffering from "hysteria". When the baby Maddie gives birth to dies, and she is accused of killing it, she only has the one friend she was able to make that might be able to save her from the gallows.
I really wanted to like this book, but it just fell flat for me. It was a slow burn for the entire book. I found it depressing, disturbing, and at times boring.... which I know that time period and that subject matter is not a cheerful one, so there you go. I didn't feel any sort of connection with any of the characters. I was hoping Maddie would be someone I could root for, but she just felt a little too one-dimensional. Maybe this was a case of "it's not you, it's me'.
May 5, 2024
This was a wonderful example of a historical fiction set in Victorian era London.
A young woman named Madeleine (Maddie) is from a socially disgraced country family. Her family’s only hope to revive their ruined name is for her to marry well. So, her father, a doctor matches her with a London acquaintance. Dr Lucius Everley is a well respected collector of natural curiosities. However, he keeps his small museum under lock and key in his sprawling London home. He along with his sister are also well known for their charity work. Throughout this book Maddie strives to help her new husband in his work, with her natural talent of drawing. As she also tries to uphold the image of the well to do lady of her new status, some things never accept change in the Everley household. Of course this well known London family has its own closet full of skeletons, as every family does. The Everley family is full of their own dark secrets. The book evolves its story through Maddie’s eyes and that of her beloved friend Caroline. These two different perspectives help to show the struggles of a victorian lady, and the framing of a crime of which Maddie may not survive. Through both perspectives you will see the entirety of the story and its final resolution.
The historical knowledge laced throughout the story Is well done and fairly accurate. There are accurate details of the current advancements in science and natural history in the victorian age. Overall this was a wonderful book, full of knowledge and a bit of mystery as well as intrigue.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of Allison and Busby for this digital ARC!
A young woman named Madeleine (Maddie) is from a socially disgraced country family. Her family’s only hope to revive their ruined name is for her to marry well. So, her father, a doctor matches her with a London acquaintance. Dr Lucius Everley is a well respected collector of natural curiosities. However, he keeps his small museum under lock and key in his sprawling London home. He along with his sister are also well known for their charity work. Throughout this book Maddie strives to help her new husband in his work, with her natural talent of drawing. As she also tries to uphold the image of the well to do lady of her new status, some things never accept change in the Everley household. Of course this well known London family has its own closet full of skeletons, as every family does. The Everley family is full of their own dark secrets. The book evolves its story through Maddie’s eyes and that of her beloved friend Caroline. These two different perspectives help to show the struggles of a victorian lady, and the framing of a crime of which Maddie may not survive. Through both perspectives you will see the entirety of the story and its final resolution.
The historical knowledge laced throughout the story Is well done and fairly accurate. There are accurate details of the current advancements in science and natural history in the victorian age. Overall this was a wonderful book, full of knowledge and a bit of mystery as well as intrigue.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of Allison and Busby for this digital ARC!
February 10, 2025
"The Small Museum" ist ein solider Schauerroman, der sich allerdings mit einem sehr düsteren, makaberen Thema beschäftigt, der so gar nicht zu dem Verlauf der Geschichte passt.
Nachdem ich jetzt ein paar "Gothic Novels" gelesen habe, stelle ich fest, dass es gar nicht so einfach ist, einen guten zu schreiben. Die meisten sind einfach mittelmäßig. Das liegt mal an der fehlenden Atmosphäre, mal an den Charakteren und mal am Plot selber.
Hier ist es ein bisschen von allem, jedoch hat mich besonders gestört, dass die meiste Zeit über nicht viel passiert. Die Handlung, in der es zunächst einmal darum zu gehen scheint, dass eine junge Frau versucht ihren neuen Ehemann von sich und ihren Qualitäten zu überzeugen, plätschert so vor sich hin; alles wiederholt sich ständig. Die junge Frau, Maddie, bekommt Besuch, ärgert sich über die unfreundlichen Bediensteten oder glaubt, im Haus seltsame Geräusche zu hören. Erst gegen Ende nimmt die Handlung an Fahrt auf - wie so häufig. Leider reicht das aber nicht für eine spannende Story, denn die Charaktere sind selbst auch nicht besonders überzeugend und eher flach und eindimensional.
Auch die Atmoshäre lässt zu wünschen übrig. Weder erfährt man viel über das Haus, in dem sich die Handlung abspielt noch über das Wetter. Die seltsamen Geräusche im Haus, die zur Atmosphäre (und zur Spannung) beitragen könnten, spielen eine so geringe Rolle, dass man sie vernachlässigen kann.
Wie so oft ist auch hier die Grundidee (zwei verschiedene POVs auf zwei Zeitebenen) nicht schlecht, jedoch gelingt es der Autorin trotzdem nicht, eine spannende Geschichte daraus zu stricken. Lange in Erinnerung bleiben wird einem das Buch wohl eher nicht,
Nachdem ich jetzt ein paar "Gothic Novels" gelesen habe, stelle ich fest, dass es gar nicht so einfach ist, einen guten zu schreiben. Die meisten sind einfach mittelmäßig. Das liegt mal an der fehlenden Atmosphäre, mal an den Charakteren und mal am Plot selber.
Hier ist es ein bisschen von allem, jedoch hat mich besonders gestört, dass die meiste Zeit über nicht viel passiert. Die Handlung, in der es zunächst einmal darum zu gehen scheint, dass eine junge Frau versucht ihren neuen Ehemann von sich und ihren Qualitäten zu überzeugen, plätschert so vor sich hin; alles wiederholt sich ständig. Die junge Frau, Maddie, bekommt Besuch, ärgert sich über die unfreundlichen Bediensteten oder glaubt, im Haus seltsame Geräusche zu hören. Erst gegen Ende nimmt die Handlung an Fahrt auf - wie so häufig. Leider reicht das aber nicht für eine spannende Story, denn die Charaktere sind selbst auch nicht besonders überzeugend und eher flach und eindimensional.
Auch die Atmoshäre lässt zu wünschen übrig. Weder erfährt man viel über das Haus, in dem sich die Handlung abspielt noch über das Wetter. Die seltsamen Geräusche im Haus, die zur Atmosphäre (und zur Spannung) beitragen könnten, spielen eine so geringe Rolle, dass man sie vernachlässigen kann.
Wie so oft ist auch hier die Grundidee (zwei verschiedene POVs auf zwei Zeitebenen) nicht schlecht, jedoch gelingt es der Autorin trotzdem nicht, eine spannende Geschichte daraus zu stricken. Lange in Erinnerung bleiben wird einem das Buch wohl eher nicht,
May 18, 2025
London, 1873 & Madeleine Brewster's marriage to Dr Lucius Everley is hastily arranged to assuage the tide of rejection & ill-feeling from their neighbours. Ever since Maddie's older sister left home under a cloud of suspicion, the Brewsters have been ostracised & Maddie's marriage is their passport back to respectability but it means Maddie moving to London far from her family to where she knows no-one.
Lucius is solemn & secretive, working in his 'Small Museum' as a collector of natural curiosities, & consumed with finding the evidence to prove his evolutionary theory. He doesn't seem all that interested in Maddie - his sister, Grace, spends more time with him than his wife. The house is also odd with two sullen servants, the Barkers, & odd noises at night, like crying infants but whenever she mentions anything, everyone denies hearing them. Pushing to find the truth, Maddie finds herself accused of a hideous crime & on trial for her life.
I read this one as I received the sequel as an ARC, so wanted to get an idea of the story. I would say that you really do need to read this one first, there's a lot going on. It was a very dark, almost gothic, read with a possible haunting & furtive servants. The narrative alternates between Maddie's early marriage & scenes from the court case.
I mostly enjoyed it apart from one thing which happened at the end which really irked me. Although there is nothing really graphic here, there are some upsetting themes (please see TWs below).
TWs: death of a child, death of a parent, animal death, misogyny, & gaslighting.
Lucius is solemn & secretive, working in his 'Small Museum' as a collector of natural curiosities, & consumed with finding the evidence to prove his evolutionary theory. He doesn't seem all that interested in Maddie - his sister, Grace, spends more time with him than his wife. The house is also odd with two sullen servants, the Barkers, & odd noises at night, like crying infants but whenever she mentions anything, everyone denies hearing them. Pushing to find the truth, Maddie finds herself accused of a hideous crime & on trial for her life.
I read this one as I received the sequel as an ARC, so wanted to get an idea of the story. I would say that you really do need to read this one first, there's a lot going on. It was a very dark, almost gothic, read with a possible haunting & furtive servants. The narrative alternates between Maddie's early marriage & scenes from the court case.
I mostly enjoyed it apart from one thing which happened at the end which really irked me. Although there is nothing really graphic here, there are some upsetting themes (please see TWs below).
TWs: death of a child, death of a parent, animal death, misogyny, & gaslighting.
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