Katherine Howe, author of the “magical” debut novel, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, returns with the mesmerizing The House of Velvet and Glass. The year is 1915 and Sybil, still reeling from the deaths of her mother and sister on the Titanic, is living a quiet life with her father and wastrel brother in an elegant townhouse by the river in Boston.  She has reluctantly settled into the role of the head of household after her mother’s death, but feels as if much of the world is passing her by.   Desperate for any kind of stimulation, Sybil is drawn into visits to a medium, where she tries to make contact with her lost relatives.  Instead, she encounters Ben, an old family friend who has lost his first wife to illness, and to whom Sybil was attracted years ago. As Ben and Sibyl work together to solve a harrowing mystery, the long-simmering spark reignite, and they realize that there may be something more magical between them than a crystal ball. From the opium dens of Boston’s Chinatown to the upscale salons of high society to the decks of the Titanic, The House of Velvet and Glass combines meticulously executed period detail, a compelling romance, and a shocking twist at the end in a fantastic novel that will thrill readers.