The tagline reads 'Every heart holds a secret', and the novel itself revolves around the reveal of each characters long held secrets. Phoebe, the central character lives with her mother Maud, a religious fanatic, and her Aunt Cissy who is a theatre performer. After a bizarre encounter at the theatre one night with an older man in the audience and a younger man backstage, Phoebe senses something is amiss. However, shortly after her beloved Aunt Cissy dies, and the Millais painting after which the novel is named is stolen. Facing destitution, Nathaniel Samuels, Cissy's former lover (who is the Devil in Mauds' eyes), hires Phoebe to be his wife's companion. Phoebe heads to Dinwood Manor, where she finds dark secrets held by Lydia Samuels and her entourage of servants. Without wanting to give too much away, as mystery is the books greatest strength, Phoebe discovers a string of affairs, murders and ghosts which haunt those involved. After Lydia dies, Phoebe discovers her true parentage, and is shaken to her core. However she manages to pick up the pieces and mend bridges with her real father, and the novel itself ends with a classic happy ending.
Phoebe is the main character, through whom the majority of the story is told. Whilst Fox paints a good picture of a young girl conflicted by the religious zeal which her mother has imbued in her and her love of theatre, there are times when Phoebe is difficult to sympathise with. It gets hard to enjoy the constant back and forth of her emotional turmoil, as it tends to slow the pace of the novel form time to time. Maud Turner, Phoebe's mother, is a member of the 'Hallelujahs.' Her vitriolic rants on the rest of society, contrasted with her hypocrisy make her a good character to not like. Cissy, though only present in the first third of the novel, is talked about throughout, and is one of the most intriguing and likeable of the lot. Nathaniel and Lydia Samuels show the dysfunctional family with untold secrets. They are tied to the Turners in a vicious knot of deception.
At one point in the novel, Phoebe compares Dinwood Manor to Walpole's 'Castle of Ontario'. The gothic novels of the Victorian era have clearly inspired Fox, and the ideas of dark secrets, ghosts, hauntings, and mysterious illnesses are central elements. Love plays an important role, although at times the ideas of love, sex and family become twisted, creating another sinister facet. Phoebe growing up and discovery, not just of the secrets but also of herself, is the line which the novel traces in order to progress. Although these themes are captivating, there were times when I felt some were rather obvious, and tracking the outcome was too easily done.
Fox creates a beautiful picture of the vivid theatrical life, and contrasts this to the grimy underworld of London. Fox has done a huge amount of research, and her accuracy to the details of the era brings truth to the novel. Sometimes it can be a bit too poetical in the prose, with one to many adjectives or lengthy descriptions slowing things down a bit. However this does serve to contrast well to the more gothic elements.
All in all, the novel was quick to read and enjoyable, a good modern take on the gothic, but the pace could've done with being a bit faster. Some twists which were a little predictable, but some that you definitely don't expect!
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