‘Robert Dinsdale mixes history and mythology with great panache . . . Richly textured and with an appropriately labyrinthine plot . . . Book of the Month’ – Book of the Month, The Sunday Times

Some villains are meant to be heroes . . .

London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers, she spends her days searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.

But one day, Nell discovers a strange body on the shore. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head is the suggestion of horns. Nell’s fellow mudlarks urge her to steal what she can, but as she ventures closer the figure draws breath – and Nell is forced to make a decision that will change her life for ever . . .

From the critically acclaimed author of The Toymakers, Robert Dinsdale. Perfect for lovers of historical fiction with a mythical twist, such as Stone Blind and Madeline Miller’s Circe.

‘A wonderful magic trick of a story . . . Dinsdale is a beautiful, evocative story teller’ – Stuart Turton, bestselling author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

‘Imaginative mash-up of the mythical with Victorian gothic’ – The Times

‘Historical writing at its finest’ – Essie Fox, bestselling author of The Fascination

London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died four years past, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers in her possession, she spends her days dredging up coals, copper and pieces of iron spilled by the river barges – searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.

But one day, Nell discovers a body on the shore. It’s not the first corpse she’s encountered, but by far the strangest. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head are the suggestion of horns. Nell’s fellow mudlarks urge her to steal his boots and rifle his pockets, but as she ventures closer the figure draws breath and Nell is forced to make a decision which will change her life forever . . .

From the critically acclaimed author of The Toymakers comes an imaginative retelling of the legend of the Minotaur, full of myth and magic and steeped in the grime of Victorian London; perfect for lovers of historical fiction with a mythical twist.

‘A spellbinding tale of nocturnal life and magic in the streets of Paris tells of the courage it takes to be different and follow your dreams.’ WATERSTONES

‘Beautifully captures the hazy dissonance of storytelling and invention.‘ GUARDIAN
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Every city has its own magic…

Every night on their long journey to Paris from their troubled homeland, Levon’s grandmother has read to them from a very special book. Called The Nocturne, it is a book full of fairy stories and the heroic adventures of their people who generations before chose to live by starlight.

And with every story that Levon’s grandmother tells them in their new home, the desire to live as their ancestors did grows. And that is when the magic begins…

But not everyone in Paris is won over by the spectacle of Paris-by-Starlight. There are always those that fear the other, the unexplained, the strangers in our midst. How long can the magic of night rub up against the ordinariness of day? How long can two worlds occupy the same streets and squares before there is an outright war?

Readers love Paris by Starlight!
‘Robert Dinsdale, I salute you! A smorgasbord of delights. It’s a wondrous thing to be able to visit Paris by Starlight and I’d recommend a trip to you all!’

‘Beautifully written and its observations on human nature are spot on. Exceptionally cleverly done. Exceptionally written piece of fabulism with gorgeous, evocative imagery.’

‘A real treat and just as enchanting as Dinsdale’s The Toymakers. Full of magic as well as being a moving tale of displacement, longing and love.’

Lovely cover and beautiful prose. I’m about half way through and enjoying every page’

‘A truly magical tale that couldn’t be more relevant for our times.’

‘A gorgeously written tale of love and acceptance’