The Somnambulist by Essie Fox

I very much enjoyed this novel set in Victorian London about a young girl being brought up by her mother and aunt who have very different outlooks on life.  The characters are colourful and realistic and the plot is fast paced and interesting.  There is a touch of the Victorian gothic in this novel which gives it a slightly darker tone than you might expect and lends an air of mystery to some of the aspects of the plot.   The writing is unobtrusive and a little formulaic in places but this does not detract from a very readable and enjoyable novel.