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The Doll Factory

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The Doll Factory

By: Elizabeth Macneal
Narrated by: Tuppence Middleton
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About this listen

This audiobook is read by Tuppence Middleton and includes an exclusive interview with Elizabeth Macneal.

Now a major TV series with Paramount+
Sunday Times Bestseller – BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick – BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime

The intoxicating story of one woman's dreams of freedom in Victorian England and the man whose obsession threatens to destroy them forever . . .

'A sharp, scary tale of love, art and obsession' – Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train

London. 1850. On a crowded street, the dollmaker Iris Whittle meets the artist Louis Frost. Louis is a painter who yearns to have his work displayed in the Royal Academy, and he is desperate for Iris to be his model. Iris agrees, on the condition that he teaches her to paint.

Dreaming of freedom, Iris throws herself into a new life of art and love, unaware that she has caught the eye of a second man. Silas Reed is a curiosity collector, enchanted by the strange and beautiful. After seeing Iris at the site of the Great Exhibition he finds he cannot forget her.

As Iris's world expands, Silas's obsession grows. And it is only a matter of time before they meet again . . .

'A dark delight and fans of The Miniaturist and The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock will love it' - Red

Sunday Times Best Paperback of 2020 Pick – soon to be made into a major TV series!

Listeners love Elizabeth Macneal's The Doll Factory:

'Breathtaking' *****
'I couldn't put it down' *****
'Spellbinding' *****
'I never wanted it to end' *****
'A plot to stop your heart' *****

The Burial Plot, Elizabeth's latest cat-and-mouse thriller, is available to pre-order now!

 Historical Mystery Psychological Romance Thriller & Suspense Victorian Scary Fiction Suspense Exciting Heartfelt

Critic reviews

A remarkable example of historical fiction . . . full of life, colour and intelligence
Stunningly confident . . . thoroughly engrossing (Ian Rankin)
One of this year's best debuts tells the story of Iris, an aspiring artist in 1850s London . . . A clever and gripping read
Fantastic - vivid, poignant, colourful, and elegantly horrifying (Bridget Collins, author of The Binding)
Macneal is excellent on the tension between idealised women and the reality . . . The Doll Factory is a remarkably strong debut; clever and readable with flashes of wonderful, descriptive prose (Book of the Month)
Astounding . . . I recommend it wholeheartedly (Jo Whiley, BBC Radio 2 Book Club)
This brilliant literary thriller gripped me from the opening page . . . a beautifully researched historical novel with a plot to stop your heart (Hannah Kent, author of Burial Rites and The Good People)
This is a dark delight and fans of The Miniaturist and The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock will love it
There is hardly an aspect of Victorian London that Macneal has not mastered in her lush, evocative Gothic, which chronicles a sadistic taxidermist’s sinister obsession with an impoverished young painter . . . a harrowing and bewitching adventure
Vividly rendered . . . captivating . . . engrossing
Bewitching and disturbing by turns, The Doll Factory is a glorious gothic romance (Laura Purcell, author of The Silent Companions)
I’ve missed subway stops to finish a book, but this is the first time I almost missed a plane . . . a perfect blend of froth and substance . . . a fascinating portrait of a talented young woman trying to negotiate the impossible sexual standards of her era: To acquire the skills she needs, Iris must endure society’s approbation, and to enjoy the romance she craves, she must keep her talent subordinate to her lover’s . . . magical storytelling (Ron Charles)
I loved The Doll Factory from the very first page . . . an exquisite novel of obsession, delusion, resilience and love . . . breathtaking (AJ Pearce, author of Dear Mrs Bird)
Magnificent . . . features an extraordinary, unforgettable cast of characters . . . you can't help but be entranced by this uniquely evocative and arresting story . . . the tension ramps up to a breathtaking climax . . . if you love books like The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock, Tulip Fever and Perfume then add The Doll Factory to your reading list
A deliciously gothic concoction that abounds with energy and imagination, conjuring up 1850s London life in all its Dickensian glory. Macneal marries art, obsession and possession in a plot that gains momentum and leaves the reader breathless
All stars
Most relevant
An enjoyable fairytale like story with the pre-raphelites as the background. it felt as though feminism had been retro fitted into the story without too much trouble. And it was a pleasant immersion in time and place. I'll definitely keep an eye out for more from this author

Enjoyable & Immersive

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This is a terrific first book from a new author. I'm not really into historical novels, but I was grabbed by this one. My only gripe is that it seemed to get a bit bogged down in places. It seemed to me that a bit of trimming would make it a bit slicker.

Excellent first book

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This book is wonderful! It's just a shame it had to end. Intertwining characters and a beautiful portrayal of the complexity of human emotion. Left desperate to know what happened next

Emotion fully unveiled

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Loved the descriptions of London in Victoria times. I thought she captured the era well. Worth a listen.

Dark but well crafted

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It’s very hard to give a mark to a book I’ve given up on because it just dragged my mood down! To be fair that might be the fault of my Seratonin levels and not the author. However, I found the book so relentlessly hopeless in the first of three parts I couldn’t carry on. If it gets chirpier after that and its characters less downtrodden or false (in the case of the PRB ) then it’s my loss.

Great art, shitty men and sad women

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