Madam

The simmering menace and mystery kept me absolutely gripped...a smoldering novel that I could not put down. --Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne

Rebecca meets The Secret History: gloriously dark, gloriously Gothic. --Sara Collins, bestselling author of The Confessions of Fannie Langton

Named a Best Book of 2021 by Goodreads - Entertainment Weekly - Parade - PopSugar - Brit+Co - Romper - Frolic - Crime Reads - SheKnows.com - Women.com

Discover the secrets of Caldonbrae Hall in this riveting, modern gothic debut set at an all girls' boarding school perched on a craggy Scottish peninsula.

For 150 years, high above rocky Scottish cliffs, Caldonbrae Hall has sat untouched, a beacon of excellence in an old ancestral castle. A boarding school for girls, it promises that the young women lucky enough to be admitted will emerge resilient and ready to serve society.

Into its illustrious midst steps Rose Christie: a 26-year-old Classics teacher, Caldonbrae's new head of the department, and the first hire for the school in over a decade. At first, Rose is overwhelmed to be invited into this institution, whose prestige is unrivaled. But she quickly discovers that behind the school's elitist veneer lies an impenetrable, starkly traditional culture that she struggles to reconcile with her modernist beliefs--not to mention her commitment to educating girls for the future.

It also doesn't take long for Rose to suspect that there's more to the secret circumstances surrounding the abrupt departure of her predecessor--a woman whose ghost lingers everywhere--than anyone is willing to let on. In her search for this mysterious former teacher, Rose instead uncovers the darkness that beats at the heart of Caldonbrae, forcing her to confront the true extent of the school's nefarious purpose, and her own role in perpetuating it.

A darkly feminist tale pitched against a haunting backdrop, and populated by an electrifying cast of heroines, Madam will keep readers engrossed until the breathtaking conclusion.

They want our silence...
They want our obedience...
Let them see our fire burn

Author: Phoebe Wynne
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 05/18/2021
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.18lbs
Size: 9.40h x 6.40w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9781250272041


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 12/01/2020 pg. 64
Booklist 04/01/2021 pg. 24
Shelf Awareness 05/21/2021

About the Author
PHOEBE WYNNE worked in education for eight years, teaching Classics in the UK and English Language and Literature in Paris. She is both British and French, and currently spends her time between France and England. Madam is her first novel.