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Publication Date: 17 September 2025
Format: Hardback
Extent: 352 pp
Our Price: 18.99
ISBN: 9780857308856
Publication Date: 30 April 2026
Format: Paperback
Extent: 352 pp
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ISBN: 9780857309464
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SLASHED BEAUTIES
A. Rushby
A spellbinding tale of sisterhood, betrayal and reclamation revolving around three 18th-century wax models of women, known as Anatomical Venuses or 'slashed beauties'. Legend has it, these beauties are bewitched, coming to life to murder men who have wronged them.
Finally, these men will get what they deserve. We will make sure of it. Together.
Seoul, present day: Antiques dealer Alys is offered a vast sum of money to transport one of three highly coveted Anatomical Venuses to London, with one key condition - she must destroy it when she reaches the city.
London, 1769: After a chance meeting at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, young and inexperienced Eleanor is promised a life of luxury by the beautiful and charismatic Elizabeth and her protégé, Emily. All she must do is allow Elizabeth complete control of her destiny.
In a darkly compelling and magical plot, prepare to discover the dangerous secret shared by these women - a secret that spans centuries, and which will unearth horrors not of this world. Perfect for fans of Weyward by Emilia Hart, The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow and The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo, as well as readers of Jessie Burton and Stacey Halls.
This novel contains depictions of sexual assault, sexual harassment, body horror and violence.
PRESS REVIEWS FOR Slashed Beauties
'Adored this gorgeous, sumptuously gothic feminist novel. Slashed Beauties moves from present-day Seoul to the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens of Georgian London in a colourful riot that examines the macabre world of the anatomical Venus and the seedy underbelly of the modern-day antiques trade, with a dash of witchcraft thrown in. It's also about sisterhood, friendship and the ties that bind a beautifully-rendered love story that spans centuries. I loved it'
- Emma Cowing, author of The Show Woman
'Easily one of the best books I've read this year... Captivating from start to end and tells a haunting tale of feminine rage'
- Abbie Eaton, author of Dragonhart
'The warped, witchy lovechild of Madame Tussaud and Jack the Ripper - an engrossing gothic tale of friendship, misogyny and the murderous consequence of denying women's autonomy'
- Ellie Marney, author of None Shall Sleep
'
Two timelines collide with imaginative verve'
- Times
'Slashed Beauties, like all the best horror, uses its brilliant concept to lay bare uncomfortable truths about the world we live in... Slashed Beauties is the perfect mix of old school horror chills and thoughtful social commentary, all delivered through compelling characters and unforgettable monsters. A horror classic for the ages'
- Fantasy Hive
'Rushby melds gothic horror, historical fiction and feminist fury into a story that's both unsettling and addictive. The imagery is lush, the pacing brisk and the themes - female survival, rage and resilience - cut deep. Inventive and cunning in its macabre creativity, Slashed Beauties proves Rushby's storytelling translates brilliantly to the adult gothic, positioning her as a bold new voice in horror'
- Seattle Times
'Rushby blends historical fiction with horror, examining objectification, the persistence of trauma and the intersection of art, science and female agency'
- Tatler Asia (9 must-read historical fiction novels of 2025)
'Rushby uses the real-life history of Georgian medical experiments to marvelous effect, with haunting descriptions of pickled organs and grotesque maladies. Eleanor's relationships with Emily, a fellow sex worker, and Elizabeth, the draconian madam of an upstart bordello, remain compelling and full of lovely period details'
- Washington Post
'Rich, intricate, and full of surprises, and everything ties up wonderfully at the end'
- Historical Novel Society
'An extraordinary tale. Slashed Beauties left me spellbound '
- Emma Grey, author of Pictures of You
'Utterly compelling from the first page to the final, shocking twist, Slashed Beauties is a darkly exquisite story that explores the corrosive effects of misogyny and the enduring power of female love'
- Christine Wells, author of The Paris Gown
'Rushby's prose is lush and vivid... Ferociously feminist body horror with a sentimental heart'
- Kirkus
'Entertaining... Rushby's characters are richly realized, and she doesn't shy away from depicting the high risk of their lives as sex workers or society's cruelty and indifference toward women on the margins. Tense and fast-paced with refreshingly unique supernatural elements, this dark fantasy should win Rushby plenty of new fans'
- Publishers Weekly
'Drawing upon her own ingenious brand of literary magic, Rushby casts a spell over readers with a beguiling blend of horror, history and high-stakes suspense. Deftly pivoting between the past and the present day, Rushby constructs an ingeniously menacing plot that slowly suffuses readers with a growing sense of dread, only to be shattered by the book's jaw-dropping conclusion. A fiercely feminist take on gothic fiction'
- Library Journal
