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Miss Marley: A captivating and heartwarming historical fiction Christmas ghost story, perfect festive reading for 2025!
‘Exquisite’ Veronica HenryBefore A Christmas Carol there was… Miss MarleyA seasonal tale of kindness and goodwillOrphans Clara and Jacob Marley live by their wits, scavenging for scraps in the poorest alleyways of London, in the shadow of the workhouse. Every night, Jake promises his little sister ‘tomorrow will be better’ and when the chance to escape poverty comes their way, he seizes it despite the terrible price.
And so Jacob Marley is set on a path that leads to his infamous partnership with Ebenezer Scrooge. As Jacob builds a fortress of wealth to keep the world out, only Clara can warn him of the hideous fate that awaits him if he refuses to let love and kindness into his heart…
In Miss Marley, Vanessa Lafaye weaves a spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope – a perfect prequel to A Christmas Carol.
Praise for Miss ‘A spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope’ Mail on Sunday
‘Redemptive… a fitting legacy for a writer who is so sadly missed’ Red
‘Evocative’ Heat
‘Delightful’ Sunday Mirror
‘A reminder of the power of kindness and love’ Stylist
A ‘gem of a tale’ Sunday Express
‘A beautifully written Dickensian tale’ Candis
‘Captivating … A beautiful and tender fable’ Daily Express
‘Fantastic’ Good Housekeeping
‘Ghosts, goodwill and hope on every page’ My Weekly
‘Lafaye masterfully brings the setting of 19th-Century London to life’ Woman
‘Love, disappointment, kindness and greed all play their parts in this delightful companion piece to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol’ Woman & Home
‘A seasonal tale of kindness and goodwill that captures the atmosphere of Dickens’ Yours
‘Exquisite’ Veronica Henry
‘A beautiful, warm, rich hug of a story and bittersweet reminder to embrace life and enrich others as you go’ Liz Fenwick
And so Jacob Marley is set on a path that leads to his infamous partnership with Ebenezer Scrooge. As Jacob builds a fortress of wealth to keep the world out, only Clara can warn him of the hideous fate that awaits him if he refuses to let love and kindness into his heart…
In Miss Marley, Vanessa Lafaye weaves a spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope – a perfect prequel to A Christmas Carol.
Praise for Miss ‘A spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope’ Mail on Sunday
‘Redemptive… a fitting legacy for a writer who is so sadly missed’ Red
‘Evocative’ Heat
‘Delightful’ Sunday Mirror
‘A reminder of the power of kindness and love’ Stylist
A ‘gem of a tale’ Sunday Express
‘A beautifully written Dickensian tale’ Candis
‘Captivating … A beautiful and tender fable’ Daily Express
‘Fantastic’ Good Housekeeping
‘Ghosts, goodwill and hope on every page’ My Weekly
‘Lafaye masterfully brings the setting of 19th-Century London to life’ Woman
‘Love, disappointment, kindness and greed all play their parts in this delightful companion piece to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol’ Woman & Home
‘A seasonal tale of kindness and goodwill that captures the atmosphere of Dickens’ Yours
‘Exquisite’ Veronica Henry
‘A beautiful, warm, rich hug of a story and bittersweet reminder to embrace life and enrich others as you go’ Liz Fenwick
112 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2018
51 people are currently reading
1212 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa Lafaye
7 books83 followersVanessa LaFaye was an American born author living in England. A thirst for adventure brought her to Europe in 1987, first to France and then England. She spent many years in academic publishing, including the Oxford University Press. She wrote two acclaimed historical novels set in Florida, Summertime published in 2015 followed by First Light. Her final novel will be published posthumously. LaFaye was the founder of the Marlborough Community Choir in Wiltshire, England. She detailed the impact of living with cancer in her popular blog Living While Dying.
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October 29, 2018
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
When I was contacted and asked if I would be interested in reading ‘Miss Marley’ I was a little apprehensive at saying yes. You see the author Vanessa Lafaye died whilst in the midst of writing this book and her good friend Rebecca Mascull completed it for her.
I was unsure how I would feel about critiquing the book, or whether I would be able to notice the difference in writing style and where Rebecca took over. Would the writing or plot alter?
I decided to put my big girls pants on and agreed to review it. I mean who could pass up the opportunity to get a new backstory to an old classic. I need not of worried though, the book is just perfect and had I not of known where Vanessa got up to and Rebecca took over from, I wouldn’t have known this was written by two authors.
At just 112 pages, this is a beautiful novella telling Vanessa’s well thought out backstory to why Jacob Marley (Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol) came to be wandering the spirit world and haunting Ebeneezer Scrooge.
The book is split into three parts and begins with Clara Belle Marley (a sister to Jacob that Vanessa has invented) and Jacob himself trying to fend for themselves out on the cold, dirty streets of Victorian London. The children once lived in a beautiful house with their parents, but unfortunately were turfed out by their wicked Uncle, when their parents died.
From here we witness the two getting back on their feet and to Jacob’s money lending business and how he became to be a Bah Humbug and subsequently a ghost.
The book is just amazing. This new world that Vanessa has created to an old classic is not only extremely imaginative it also fits in perfectly with the original story and I’m sure Mr. Dickens would have been very proud.
The pace is just right, the characters are adorable, especially Clara, and the whole book was delightful to read. This is not only a book that looks beautiful on the outside, but it is also as beautiful on the inside and I truly adored every minute of it. So much so, I read it in one sitting.
This is a book that would make the perfect gift for any Dickens fan and the most glorious read for the festive season.
When I was contacted and asked if I would be interested in reading ‘Miss Marley’ I was a little apprehensive at saying yes. You see the author Vanessa Lafaye died whilst in the midst of writing this book and her good friend Rebecca Mascull completed it for her.
I was unsure how I would feel about critiquing the book, or whether I would be able to notice the difference in writing style and where Rebecca took over. Would the writing or plot alter?
I decided to put my big girls pants on and agreed to review it. I mean who could pass up the opportunity to get a new backstory to an old classic. I need not of worried though, the book is just perfect and had I not of known where Vanessa got up to and Rebecca took over from, I wouldn’t have known this was written by two authors.
At just 112 pages, this is a beautiful novella telling Vanessa’s well thought out backstory to why Jacob Marley (Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol) came to be wandering the spirit world and haunting Ebeneezer Scrooge.
The book is split into three parts and begins with Clara Belle Marley (a sister to Jacob that Vanessa has invented) and Jacob himself trying to fend for themselves out on the cold, dirty streets of Victorian London. The children once lived in a beautiful house with their parents, but unfortunately were turfed out by their wicked Uncle, when their parents died.
From here we witness the two getting back on their feet and to Jacob’s money lending business and how he became to be a Bah Humbug and subsequently a ghost.
The book is just amazing. This new world that Vanessa has created to an old classic is not only extremely imaginative it also fits in perfectly with the original story and I’m sure Mr. Dickens would have been very proud.
The pace is just right, the characters are adorable, especially Clara, and the whole book was delightful to read. This is not only a book that looks beautiful on the outside, but it is also as beautiful on the inside and I truly adored every minute of it. So much so, I read it in one sitting.
This is a book that would make the perfect gift for any Dickens fan and the most glorious read for the festive season.
December 5, 2018
This book is a little novella perfect for Christmas reads. It's written as a prequel to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol featuring Marley siblings Jake and Clara.
Also, sadly it's the last book that the author Vanessa Lafaye wrote, and she couldn't complete it. So, it's finished by her friend Rebecca Mascull.
Coming to the book, it's very charming. The characters pull you in. I loved Clara, and the book moved my feelings for sure. It's full of messages and what's actually important in life when all of us look back at the year for a little judgement.
My only criticism for the book is, it's a bit sad for Christmas spirit. I wish it ended on a high.
Thanks so much to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Also, sadly it's the last book that the author Vanessa Lafaye wrote, and she couldn't complete it. So, it's finished by her friend Rebecca Mascull.
Coming to the book, it's very charming. The characters pull you in. I loved Clara, and the book moved my feelings for sure. It's full of messages and what's actually important in life when all of us look back at the year for a little judgement.
My only criticism for the book is, it's a bit sad for Christmas spirit. I wish it ended on a high.
Thanks so much to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2018
In her author’s note, Vanessa Lafaye explains her intention in Miss Marleywas to try to explain what the Jacob Marley the reader encounters in A Christmas Carol had done to deserve his ‘desperately severe punishment’. The book gives the reader an insight into the development of Jacob’s character from caring boy, determined to provide for his sister and end their life of penury, to ruthless business man building ‘a fortress of money around the two of them’.
The atmosphere of Dickensian London is skilfully recreated and Miss Marleyalso pays homage to A Christmas Carol in its three part structure. As someone very familiar with A Christmas Carol. it was fun to spot the references to the book the authors have sprinkled throughout Miss Marley. For example, Jacob’s thoughts about Christmas and use of a word associated until now with his business partner, Ebenezer Scrooge. Or the walk-on part at the start of parts one and two for a character reminiscent of one in A Christmas Carol.
The final part of Miss Marley draws strongly on the spirit of Dickens’ original and Scrooge’s encounters in A Christmas Carol, although what is revealed to Jacob Marley is definitely not ‘A Wonderful Life’.
One of the challenges an author faces when writing a prequel is that they cannot change what happens in the original story. As most readers will know, A Christmas Carol starts with the death of Marley and his appearance in spirit form to try to ensure Scrooge does not take the same path as him. Therefore, the reader of Miss Marley will finish the book knowing the possibility of redemption offered to Scrooge in A Christmas Carol is sadly not going to be available to Jacob Marley in his lifetime, despite the efforts of his sister.
Miss Marley is an engaging story that conjures up the atmosphere of Dickens’ original. The back story to the book and how it came to be written makes it an especially emotional read. It is to Rebecca Mascull’s credit that the transition from the sections written by Vanessa Lafaye to her own appears seamless to the reader. With its gorgeous cover, I’d like to suggest Miss Marley would make the perfect Christmas gift for someone special.
The phrase from the book that really stayed with me was ‘Tomorrow will be better’. An inspiring thought from a gifted writer.
The atmosphere of Dickensian London is skilfully recreated and Miss Marleyalso pays homage to A Christmas Carol in its three part structure. As someone very familiar with A Christmas Carol. it was fun to spot the references to the book the authors have sprinkled throughout Miss Marley. For example, Jacob’s thoughts about Christmas and use of a word associated until now with his business partner, Ebenezer Scrooge. Or the walk-on part at the start of parts one and two for a character reminiscent of one in A Christmas Carol.
The final part of Miss Marley draws strongly on the spirit of Dickens’ original and Scrooge’s encounters in A Christmas Carol, although what is revealed to Jacob Marley is definitely not ‘A Wonderful Life’.
One of the challenges an author faces when writing a prequel is that they cannot change what happens in the original story. As most readers will know, A Christmas Carol starts with the death of Marley and his appearance in spirit form to try to ensure Scrooge does not take the same path as him. Therefore, the reader of Miss Marley will finish the book knowing the possibility of redemption offered to Scrooge in A Christmas Carol is sadly not going to be available to Jacob Marley in his lifetime, despite the efforts of his sister.
Miss Marley is an engaging story that conjures up the atmosphere of Dickens’ original. The back story to the book and how it came to be written makes it an especially emotional read. It is to Rebecca Mascull’s credit that the transition from the sections written by Vanessa Lafaye to her own appears seamless to the reader. With its gorgeous cover, I’d like to suggest Miss Marley would make the perfect Christmas gift for someone special.
The phrase from the book that really stayed with me was ‘Tomorrow will be better’. An inspiring thought from a gifted writer.
December 31, 2023
December 2022
I enjoyed listening to this and will definitely read it again.
December 2018
I’ve been listening to the audio version of Dickens famous story every Christmas for a number of years now, so was thrilled to be sent a proof of Miss Marley to review.
As soon as I started reading this I was transported to Victorian London and fell completely into the childhood world of Jacob and Clara Marley. I could see everything happening as I was reading and felt like I was surviving on the streets with these poor orphans.
I loved this story, and how cleverly Vanessa Lefaye created Clara Marley to tell the story of how her brother Jacob became that first terrifying ghost that visits Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. I could tell that the author knew Dickens work by the references to scenes in Miss Marley, the threat of debtors prison, Fezziwig Jacob Marley’s employer, the child with the crutch gazing into the toyshop window, the wonderful descriptions of the Christmas food and the way both Marley and Scrooge complain about the poor as if they are blight on society.
The Afterword by Rebecca Mascull, who seamlessly completed the final few chapters, is so poignant and a wonderful tribute to her friend, who sadly passed away before the book was finished.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be reading it every Christmas alongside A Christmas Carol.
Thanks so much to Joe at HQ Stories for my gorgeous proof copy.
I enjoyed listening to this and will definitely read it again.
December 2018
I’ve been listening to the audio version of Dickens famous story every Christmas for a number of years now, so was thrilled to be sent a proof of Miss Marley to review.
As soon as I started reading this I was transported to Victorian London and fell completely into the childhood world of Jacob and Clara Marley. I could see everything happening as I was reading and felt like I was surviving on the streets with these poor orphans.
I loved this story, and how cleverly Vanessa Lefaye created Clara Marley to tell the story of how her brother Jacob became that first terrifying ghost that visits Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. I could tell that the author knew Dickens work by the references to scenes in Miss Marley, the threat of debtors prison, Fezziwig Jacob Marley’s employer, the child with the crutch gazing into the toyshop window, the wonderful descriptions of the Christmas food and the way both Marley and Scrooge complain about the poor as if they are blight on society.
The Afterword by Rebecca Mascull, who seamlessly completed the final few chapters, is so poignant and a wonderful tribute to her friend, who sadly passed away before the book was finished.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be reading it every Christmas alongside A Christmas Carol.
Thanks so much to Joe at HQ Stories for my gorgeous proof copy.
January 19, 2019
Miss Marley is a beautifully written book that can be read at anytime, not just at Christmas. It features a character from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and its oozes an authentic Victorian London atmosphere.
I embraced the Dickensian vibes and the warmth of the book and was very upset at the end to see the author died before publication. I thought it was great that she captured the poverty and harshness of the time whilst still remaining an inspirational read.
It rings out a charming reminder that all actions have consequences and that you can’t put a price on kindness. What a beautiful message from a beautiful book.
Thanks to Harper Collins Ireland for giving me for giving me a copy of this book for review consideration. As always, no matter what the source of the book, you get my honest, unbiased opinion.
I embraced the Dickensian vibes and the warmth of the book and was very upset at the end to see the author died before publication. I thought it was great that she captured the poverty and harshness of the time whilst still remaining an inspirational read.
It rings out a charming reminder that all actions have consequences and that you can’t put a price on kindness. What a beautiful message from a beautiful book.
Thanks to Harper Collins Ireland for giving me for giving me a copy of this book for review consideration. As always, no matter what the source of the book, you get my honest, unbiased opinion.
January 7, 2019
A confession. I’ve never read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens but that didn’t stop me being entranced by Miss Marley, a 157 page hardback novella, and the original creation of Vanessa Lafaye. Sadly Vanessa passed away earlier this year but the writing baton was picked up by her friend Rebecca Mascull who did her friend proud by racing over the finishing line.
Jacob Marley is of course well known as the ghost who haunts his business partner Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’ story, however in Miss Marley we meet the boy Jacob and his younger sister Clara Belle as orphans, living off the streets of London and scavenging for food. Jacob as a boy is a much kinder person than he is as a man. Although his love for his sister never wavers, his experiences harden him. Clara is very different. A chance opportunity may have changed their lives but Clara is intrinsically kind and good and she never loses those qualities.
Clara Belle was Vanessa’s invention and a fantastic one that I fell in love with straight away. She wants to see the good in people and give second chances whilst Jacob is all about the money and profit.
Separated into three parts by black and white illustrations, I adored this wonderful story and it will be a keeper on my bookshelf. The writing is just beautiful and the story is brought to life by the excellent scenic descriptions and characterisations.
Rebecca Mascull writes a very moving Afterword in which she tells about her decision to finish the story her friend started. It can’t have been an easy task but she has done a fabulous job and the transition between the two author’s writing is seamless.
This would be a beautiful addition to your Christmas book collection. Although it’s not too late to read it now….. Just saying!
Jacob Marley is of course well known as the ghost who haunts his business partner Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’ story, however in Miss Marley we meet the boy Jacob and his younger sister Clara Belle as orphans, living off the streets of London and scavenging for food. Jacob as a boy is a much kinder person than he is as a man. Although his love for his sister never wavers, his experiences harden him. Clara is very different. A chance opportunity may have changed their lives but Clara is intrinsically kind and good and she never loses those qualities.
Clara Belle was Vanessa’s invention and a fantastic one that I fell in love with straight away. She wants to see the good in people and give second chances whilst Jacob is all about the money and profit.
Separated into three parts by black and white illustrations, I adored this wonderful story and it will be a keeper on my bookshelf. The writing is just beautiful and the story is brought to life by the excellent scenic descriptions and characterisations.
Rebecca Mascull writes a very moving Afterword in which she tells about her decision to finish the story her friend started. It can’t have been an easy task but she has done a fabulous job and the transition between the two author’s writing is seamless.
This would be a beautiful addition to your Christmas book collection. Although it’s not too late to read it now….. Just saying!
Read
September 10, 2018A very poignant story, given that Vanessa (a friend of mine) didn't manage to finish this novel before she died. Becca Mascull skillfully finished it for her, and I'm so glad she did. It imagines the story of Clara Marley - the sister of Jacob Marley from A Christmas Carol by Dickens. Lafaye and Mascull vividly conjure up Dickensian London, complete with the poor, the rich, and the greedy. A wonderful novel for Christmas.
November 28, 2019
The idea for this book was a good one! I enjoyed the language and style.
What I didn’t like was that some things (such as conversation—I want you to be free!) didn’t seem plausible conversation or themes for that timeframe. Additionally, while this was a small detail, the author said the body was taken to a funeral home. They did not have these during this timeframe. Little things bugged me so I took a couple stars off.
What I didn’t like was that some things (such as conversation—I want you to be free!) didn’t seem plausible conversation or themes for that timeframe. Additionally, while this was a small detail, the author said the body was taken to a funeral home. They did not have these during this timeframe. Little things bugged me so I took a couple stars off.
December 19, 2025
Jacob Marley, the first ghost to visit Ebenezer Scrooge on that fateful night. Ever wonder what happened in his lifetime that caused him to forge those chains that he’s condemned to carry through all eternity? No, me neither. But here’s a clever imagining of that life, as told by his sister.
June 22, 2022
This was a brilliant twist on a classic , we all know the story of Jacob Marley and Scrooge , but was great reading the story and life from the view point of Clara Marley. Reading through the struggles of them in their childhood really does give you more of an insight of how A Christmas Carol turned out that way. Vanessa Lafaye has done a brilliant job with this book it is beautifully written, you absolutely get drawn into the book and into their lives. If you want a new book to read around Christmas I'd recommend this little one!
October 30, 2018
Before you watch a single version of A Christmas Carol this Christmas read Miss Marley. A beautiful, warm, rich, hug of story and a bittersweet reminder to embrace life and enrich others as you go...
December 9, 2020
3.5 stars.
A very good attempt at a prequel to A Christmas Carol. This time focussing on Jacob Marley. I liked the idea and it was fairly well done but not as well as Dickens of course. :)
A very good attempt at a prequel to A Christmas Carol. This time focussing on Jacob Marley. I liked the idea and it was fairly well done but not as well as Dickens of course. :)
January 5, 2023
Vanessa Lafaye ha sempre apprezzato molto il classico natalizio “Il canto di Natale” di Charles Dickens e decide di approfondire il personaggio di Jacob Marley, socio di Ebenezer Scrooge, figura secondaria ma fondamentale e per fare ciò ha inventato il personaggio di Clara Belle Marley, sua sorella minore.
Jacob e Clara conducono una vita piuttosto agiata fino al giorno in cui rimangono orfani, totalmente abbandonati a se stessi in giovane età. Si trascinano stanchi e sporchi per i vicoli della città, raccattando cibo ovunque sia possibile e dormendo nei posti più squallidi. Monetina dopo monetina Jacob riesce ad aprire una piccola attività e sul suo cammino incontrerà Ebenezer Scrooge.
L’autrice è mancata durante la scrittura di questo meraviglioso libro e la sua migliore amica, Rebecca Mascull, ha completato la stesura.
Ho comprato questo libro perché attratta dalla copertina. Ok, l’ho detto. Poi, prima di tutto, ho letto il classico di Dickens (recensione tra i post precedenti) e successivamente mi sono approcciata a questo testo, così da poterne dare un parere sincero anche nei confronti del testo a cui si ispira.
Non so come l’autrice abbia fatto ma è stata una lettura molto intensa e molto in linea con il libro di Dickens. Ha fatto un lavoro straordinario, creando una sorta di prequel che esponga i motivi per cui Jacob Marley ha deciso di intraprendere un’attività lavorativa con Ebenezer Scrooge.
Clara, personaggio splendido, di buon cuore. Ha un legame molto forte con il fratello, nonostante abbia un’indole opposta alla sua. Sarà spesso un esempio da cui imparare e aiuterà Jacob a trovare la strada migliore.
Ho divorato la storia in pochissimo tempo e mi sono commossa più volte durante la lettura. Lo consiglio caldamente a tutti gli amanti del libro di Dickens (che è fondamentale leggere prima).
Jacob e Clara conducono una vita piuttosto agiata fino al giorno in cui rimangono orfani, totalmente abbandonati a se stessi in giovane età. Si trascinano stanchi e sporchi per i vicoli della città, raccattando cibo ovunque sia possibile e dormendo nei posti più squallidi. Monetina dopo monetina Jacob riesce ad aprire una piccola attività e sul suo cammino incontrerà Ebenezer Scrooge.
L’autrice è mancata durante la scrittura di questo meraviglioso libro e la sua migliore amica, Rebecca Mascull, ha completato la stesura.
Ho comprato questo libro perché attratta dalla copertina. Ok, l’ho detto. Poi, prima di tutto, ho letto il classico di Dickens (recensione tra i post precedenti) e successivamente mi sono approcciata a questo testo, così da poterne dare un parere sincero anche nei confronti del testo a cui si ispira.
Non so come l’autrice abbia fatto ma è stata una lettura molto intensa e molto in linea con il libro di Dickens. Ha fatto un lavoro straordinario, creando una sorta di prequel che esponga i motivi per cui Jacob Marley ha deciso di intraprendere un’attività lavorativa con Ebenezer Scrooge.
Clara, personaggio splendido, di buon cuore. Ha un legame molto forte con il fratello, nonostante abbia un’indole opposta alla sua. Sarà spesso un esempio da cui imparare e aiuterà Jacob a trovare la strada migliore.
Ho divorato la storia in pochissimo tempo e mi sono commossa più volte durante la lettura. Lo consiglio caldamente a tutti gli amanti del libro di Dickens (che è fondamentale leggere prima).
December 6, 2018
Before A Christmas Carol there was….Miss Marley.
Miss Marley is a beautifully bound book that was begun by Vanessa Lafaye and completed by her friend Rebecca Mascull. Vanessa Lafaye passed away earlier this year and, due to her illness, she was unable to complete this labour of love, this book that enabled her to express, in her own way, her love for Charles Dickens famous novel, A Christmas Carol.
Vanessa Lafaye was intrigued by Jacob Marley, the business partner of the infamous Scrooge and always wondered why he was destined to a drag chains around forever in the ghostly realm.
With the assistance of fellow author and her very close friend, Rebecca Mascull, Miss Marley was lovingly completed and was published in November by HQ Stories.
Miss Marley is a real treat for all, whether a Dickens fan or not. For many, Charles Dickens’ writing belongs to another time, another era and A Christmas Carol may not be a book to tempt all but, with Miss Marley, Vanessa Lafaye has created a very accessible tale. By creating a brand new character, that of Clara Belle Marley, Vanessa Lafaye felt that she wasn’t overstepping a mark with the true Dickens fan.
Miss Marley is an accompaniment to A Christmas Carol, giving the reader an imagined background to the life of Jacob Marley before he was confined to roaming the earth in a ghastly ghostly form. Miss Marley tells the tale of two young orphans, Jacob and Clara Belle. Following on from the very tragic death of both their parents, these two children were left homeless and penniless. After a very short time in the workhouse, they ran away, choosing life on the streets instead.
Times were very tough for them but Jacob was determined that he could make a life for himself and his sister. From the tender age of twelve he had the fortitude and the strength of character to strive above this level of poverty and fend for them both. He made Clara a promise every night that ‘Tomorrow will be better’, embedding in his mind that he could and would make a better life for them.
Miss Marley packs a punch in it’s 150 pages. Divided into three sections aptly titled, The Beginning, The Middle and The End, it takes the reader on a sweeping journey through the rise and fall of Jacob Marley. This insight into his background provides a wonderful backdrop for A Christmas Carol, as Vanessa Lafaye let her imagination take over, writing a captivating and delightful tale.
Vanessa Lafaye never got to write the last few chapters, but Rebecca Mascull picked up the story of Jacob Marley and completed Vanessa Lafaye’s work seamlessly and honourably.
Miss Marley is the perfect festive read. It is packed with charm and warmth and is really quite a treasure to behold.
I have such admiration for Rebecca Mascull for continuing the work of her friend. Her tribute to Vanessa Lafaye is a singular act of love and Rebecca expressed this love in the best way she could, by using her pen and her words.
For me Miss Marley captures the essence of Charles Dickens introducing his characters to a whole new readership but it also is a remarkable tribute to a woman who surely has left, and will continue to leave, her mark on the world.
May She Rest in Peace……
Miss Marley is a beautifully bound book that was begun by Vanessa Lafaye and completed by her friend Rebecca Mascull. Vanessa Lafaye passed away earlier this year and, due to her illness, she was unable to complete this labour of love, this book that enabled her to express, in her own way, her love for Charles Dickens famous novel, A Christmas Carol.
Vanessa Lafaye was intrigued by Jacob Marley, the business partner of the infamous Scrooge and always wondered why he was destined to a drag chains around forever in the ghostly realm.
With the assistance of fellow author and her very close friend, Rebecca Mascull, Miss Marley was lovingly completed and was published in November by HQ Stories.
Miss Marley is a real treat for all, whether a Dickens fan or not. For many, Charles Dickens’ writing belongs to another time, another era and A Christmas Carol may not be a book to tempt all but, with Miss Marley, Vanessa Lafaye has created a very accessible tale. By creating a brand new character, that of Clara Belle Marley, Vanessa Lafaye felt that she wasn’t overstepping a mark with the true Dickens fan.
Miss Marley is an accompaniment to A Christmas Carol, giving the reader an imagined background to the life of Jacob Marley before he was confined to roaming the earth in a ghastly ghostly form. Miss Marley tells the tale of two young orphans, Jacob and Clara Belle. Following on from the very tragic death of both their parents, these two children were left homeless and penniless. After a very short time in the workhouse, they ran away, choosing life on the streets instead.
Times were very tough for them but Jacob was determined that he could make a life for himself and his sister. From the tender age of twelve he had the fortitude and the strength of character to strive above this level of poverty and fend for them both. He made Clara a promise every night that ‘Tomorrow will be better’, embedding in his mind that he could and would make a better life for them.
Miss Marley packs a punch in it’s 150 pages. Divided into three sections aptly titled, The Beginning, The Middle and The End, it takes the reader on a sweeping journey through the rise and fall of Jacob Marley. This insight into his background provides a wonderful backdrop for A Christmas Carol, as Vanessa Lafaye let her imagination take over, writing a captivating and delightful tale.
Vanessa Lafaye never got to write the last few chapters, but Rebecca Mascull picked up the story of Jacob Marley and completed Vanessa Lafaye’s work seamlessly and honourably.
Miss Marley is the perfect festive read. It is packed with charm and warmth and is really quite a treasure to behold.
I have such admiration for Rebecca Mascull for continuing the work of her friend. Her tribute to Vanessa Lafaye is a singular act of love and Rebecca expressed this love in the best way she could, by using her pen and her words.
For me Miss Marley captures the essence of Charles Dickens introducing his characters to a whole new readership but it also is a remarkable tribute to a woman who surely has left, and will continue to leave, her mark on the world.
May She Rest in Peace……
August 22, 2018
The beauty of this book is not only in the gorgeous story, the attention to detail, the flowing prose, and the tribute to the original A Christmas Carol, but in the legacy that it is. The stunning legacy. Vanessa Lafaye, whose previous two novels I adored and who I was lucky enough to befriend online, sadly passed away before finishing this book. Dear Rebecca Mascull, whose The Wild Air I loved, finished it for her. I could not tell where Lafaye ended and Mascull began. Just perfect.
December 29, 2018
This book is perfect for the festive season! This is one of the most delightful imaginings of prequal of such a much loved book I have ever read. I enjoy that is told from the point of view of Miss Marley and it offers us some possible reasons for both Marley and Scrooge's characters. It nods to the original well and for me keeps the style of the original novel. This could well be a modern classic!
December 26, 2022
A fantastic pre Christmas carol story I read it in two days.
December 15, 2019
Ever thought what Jacob Marley, the business partner of Scrooge (of "A Cristmas Carol" fame), was like? This little book, told from Clara Marley (his young sister) perspective, presents a plausible story of how he became the haunting chain-bound ghost.
Young Jacob and Clara were raised in a well-to-do family, until suddenly they become orphans. Their unscrupulous uncle, sells their house to clear their father’s debts and without money left nor family support, they find themselves in the London streets to fend for themselves. Jacob feels responsible for Clara’s welfare and vows to work hard to have a better life and become prosperous again. In time, Jacob builds a thriving business and a reputation as a harsh money lender, but at what cost?
This is a sad but charming read, it would be a nice choice for the Christmas season.
November 20, 2024
I'd had my eye on this last Christmas but never got round to it then it popped up on sale from Audible so I snapped up straight away.
This was the perfect festive read. A Christmas Carol is the ultimate Christmas story so I loved the idea of a prequel. This exquisite novella follows the story of young orphans Miss Clara Bell and her brother Jacob Marley. It gives an insight into how Jacob Marley ended up as a ghost weighed down but chains ......
Plenty of delicious festive Dickensian atmosphere and an engaging story to boot.
Highly recommended to any other Christmas obsessed folk like myself.
This was the perfect festive read. A Christmas Carol is the ultimate Christmas story so I loved the idea of a prequel. This exquisite novella follows the story of young orphans Miss Clara Bell and her brother Jacob Marley. It gives an insight into how Jacob Marley ended up as a ghost weighed down but chains ......
Plenty of delicious festive Dickensian atmosphere and an engaging story to boot.
Highly recommended to any other Christmas obsessed folk like myself.
December 27, 2018
A lovely but tragic story that, while fictional and by a different author, does a wonderful job of providing some background information that explains Jacob Marley's ghost character that we all know so well. It also gives insight I to Ebenezer Scrooge's story which I found fascinating. A good holiday read. Be warned that it isn't. Warm and fuzzy festive read - that shouldn't surprise you though, if you consider this as a prequel of sorts to a Christmas Carol.
December 26, 2019
Il segreto del Canto di Natale (Miss Marley il titolo originale) racconta la storia di Jacob Marley (il cui fantasma appare a Ebenezer Scrooge in Canto di Natale di Dickens) utilizzando il punto di vista della sorella. L'idea di partenza è interessante e la lettura piacevole, anche se non c'è un grande approfondimento, né storico né psicologico, e la trama segue binari piuttosto prevedibili e particolarmente tragici.
November 30, 2025
If you ever wanted to know more about the illusive Jacob Marley this is the book for you. Jacob is presented through the eyes of his sister, Clara Belle Marley. Though both had a difficult childhood it molded them very differently. A good read all in all.
December 13, 2018
Simple but not simplistic, affecting, Christmassy novella.
December 10, 2019
Inspired by the famous novel by Charles Dickens, Lafaye imagines the early life of Jacob Marley. When Jacob and his sister Clara are orphaned and on the streets, a chance occurrence means they have the money to start up in business. As they become more successful, Jacob becomes more obsessed with staying rich and soon loses his humanity. Clara attempts to redeem him but it is soon too late. This was a bit schmaltzy in parts but it was a quick easy read and a lovely homage to the work that inspired it.
Read
December 19, 2019Delightful!
November 29, 2021
Bravo! A tale told in a fashion worthy of Dickens himself.
December 24, 2019
A Christmas novella - A Christmas Carol fan fiction, essentially - about Jacob Marley and his sister. Orphaned, they escape the workhouse, and Jacob grows increasingly hard hearted as a businessman, to the detriment of his sister’s dreams. It’s a sweet little story and was a pleasant accompaniment to a day of tree trimming, though, when measured against Dickens, it’s obviously not.
November 25, 2018
Visit the locations in the novel Let's go to Dickens London
This is a a lovely cosy read with a sad twist to the tale. Set in London, it’s an ode to Dickens, what happens to Marley’s sister before the tale of Scrooge begins. The London of Dickens is well known but the story of Marley’s ghost less so. This is the story of the ghost’s sister. So many delicious literary treats in one book.
Sad as the lovely Vanessa died before she could finish the manuscript. Fellow author Rebecca Mascull took up the pen and worked her own magic. A literary double act if you will!
This is a lovely little book. A real homage to Dickens in my mind. When this first arrived on the doorstep, I was emotional before I had even opened the book. I have other books by Vanessa Lafaye and I have enjoyed each and every one. Evocative and stylish in equal measure. Sadly she died before she could finish this story, so Rebecca Mascull took up her magic pen and finished the story.
Kudos to both of them as this is simply magical. I can’t imagine how hard it is to write a book with someone else let alone finish someone else’s story whilst adding your own author magic to it. Rebecca should be really proud.
I love stories which look at minor, or in this case fictional, characters from books and then examine their backstory. Wild Sargasso Sea predates the antics of Mr Rochester before he met Jane Eyre. In Miss Marley, Jacob Marley’s sister takes centre stage and I loved it. It brings a real magic to the world of Dickens, Scrooge and those snowy London streets.
December 12, 2019
A light look at Jacob's life and how he became encumbered with chains. Told from the viewpoint of his sister this story lacks an emotional punch. It flies through their times of hardship, lingers in their time of prosperity. However, Clara doesn't add an emotional side to this story.
An airy read and a nice Christmas story but lacks a punch.
An airy read and a nice Christmas story but lacks a punch.
December 29, 2019
A festive tale of goodwill and and kindness but too little character development to prove riveting.
Miss Marley is a novella consisting of just 157 pages and the idea behind it was the brainchild of Vanessa Lafaye, whose fascination with A Christmas Carol and the enigmatic and all too briefly glimpsed figure of Jacob Marley, inspired her work. Lafaye was interested in the events that shaped Jacob and specifically what he had done to deserve so severe a punishment as being shackled. For this purpose the story imagines a sister, Clara Belle, and shows the two orphans fight to escape poverty and survive as they go from workhouse to street urchins and Jacob eventually forms a partnership with Ebenezer Scrooge. Through Clara’s eyes we see how the lasting memory of their perilous life on the streets moulds them into completely different characters, with Clara’s empathy and compassion contrasting with Jacob’s callousness and avarice.
The novella’s strength is its opening and the period before Jacob meets Scrooge as we learn how the death of both parents robbed the siblings of family and overnight put an end to the opulent life they once knew. Twelve years old when the tale opens and already fiercely loyal to his sister, Jacob is used to living by his wits and understands that one man’s misfortune is another’s opportunity. It is in these days that Jacob makes a promise to Clara and resolves to always keep his sister safe and return her the good life they once knew, thus cementing an immovable determination to survive. Jacob’s intention to make his fortune, thus affording the siblings security, soon hardens into an obsession; one that has the power to alienate his sister. The hard-hearted businessman that Jacob soon becomes as he begins money lending is set in stone within the early chapters of the novel.
There is no character development of Jacob from chapter three onwards and after meeting Scrooge he remains nothing if not more determined in his endeavours. Whilst Clara’s sympathy and pity for those languishing in the world that she and Jacob experienced in the days after losing their parents allows her to relate to others and open her heart to friendship and love, her brother remains ruthlessly pragmatic, thus making the ending signposted well in advance.
The atmosphere evokes Dickensian London and in the early pages is a clear-eyed portrayal of just how harsh life could be for those at the bottom of the food chain, with street children forced to live by their wits, the rich quick to turn a blind eye and the unscrupulous ready to profit from misfortune. As the story progressed I did feel the authentic focus on the period waned and sentimentality prevailed.
As it stands Miss Marley is a story better suited to a younger (age 11+ ) audience. The character development, storyline and emotional resonance of the piece are far too limited to sustain a more demanding adult audience.
Miss Marley is a novella consisting of just 157 pages and the idea behind it was the brainchild of Vanessa Lafaye, whose fascination with A Christmas Carol and the enigmatic and all too briefly glimpsed figure of Jacob Marley, inspired her work. Lafaye was interested in the events that shaped Jacob and specifically what he had done to deserve so severe a punishment as being shackled. For this purpose the story imagines a sister, Clara Belle, and shows the two orphans fight to escape poverty and survive as they go from workhouse to street urchins and Jacob eventually forms a partnership with Ebenezer Scrooge. Through Clara’s eyes we see how the lasting memory of their perilous life on the streets moulds them into completely different characters, with Clara’s empathy and compassion contrasting with Jacob’s callousness and avarice.
The novella’s strength is its opening and the period before Jacob meets Scrooge as we learn how the death of both parents robbed the siblings of family and overnight put an end to the opulent life they once knew. Twelve years old when the tale opens and already fiercely loyal to his sister, Jacob is used to living by his wits and understands that one man’s misfortune is another’s opportunity. It is in these days that Jacob makes a promise to Clara and resolves to always keep his sister safe and return her the good life they once knew, thus cementing an immovable determination to survive. Jacob’s intention to make his fortune, thus affording the siblings security, soon hardens into an obsession; one that has the power to alienate his sister. The hard-hearted businessman that Jacob soon becomes as he begins money lending is set in stone within the early chapters of the novel.
There is no character development of Jacob from chapter three onwards and after meeting Scrooge he remains nothing if not more determined in his endeavours. Whilst Clara’s sympathy and pity for those languishing in the world that she and Jacob experienced in the days after losing their parents allows her to relate to others and open her heart to friendship and love, her brother remains ruthlessly pragmatic, thus making the ending signposted well in advance.
The atmosphere evokes Dickensian London and in the early pages is a clear-eyed portrayal of just how harsh life could be for those at the bottom of the food chain, with street children forced to live by their wits, the rich quick to turn a blind eye and the unscrupulous ready to profit from misfortune. As the story progressed I did feel the authentic focus on the period waned and sentimentality prevailed.
As it stands Miss Marley is a story better suited to a younger (age 11+ ) audience. The character development, storyline and emotional resonance of the piece are far too limited to sustain a more demanding adult audience.
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