The Last Handmaid by Clare Whitfield

Dracula meets The Favourite in this gothic historical thriller inspired by the alleged most prolific female serial killer, from the award-winning author of People of Abandoned Character.

There’s more than one way to feed her hunger.

THE HANDMAID
Hungary, 1604. Orphaned and alone, Catalina arrives at Csejte Castle with no protection and no power. The castle is a place of shifting loyalties, and girls who displease the household simply vanish. Survival here depends on silence—and obedience.

THE COUNTESS
Catalina is summoned to serve Countess Erzsébet Báthory, a woman as volatile as she is feared. Only Catalina seems able to soothe her moods, drawing Catalina into her private chambers and her interest in strange ‘medicines’—including the blood of young girls, believed to preserve youth.

THE COMPULSION
As more girls disappear, Catalina knows there is a cost to staying alive. She must decide whether to try and escape her mistress’ hunger, be consumed by it—or learn to feed it herself.

Perfect for fans of Weyward by Emilia Hart, The Doll Factory by Elizabeth MacNeal and The Familiars by Stacey Halls.