The Apple and the Pearl

A richly atmospheric fantasy set across one day, as a ballet troupe of lost souls perform an ancient dance for the faerie realms, knowing they could be snatched away by their audience of faerie princes, imps and sprites at any moment. For fans of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Caraval by Stephanie Garber, Pantomime by Laura Lam and The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee. As dawn breaks on All Souls Day, the lingering mists part to unveil an unending vista of serried gravestones. Between them looms a theatre like a haunted house from a horror film and the sleek iron carapace of a steam train - the Pearl. On board are the cast, orchestra and crew of a travelling ballet company, performing a show called The Apple and the Pearl. Nine o' clock in the morning and as he stumbles toward the restaurant car the lighting director, Zach, is introduced to a new recruit, Lara. "Have you ever worked in ballet before?" he asks her and quickly follows up with, "Have you had any contact with the supernatural?"Everyone from the principal ballerina to the first violinist, from the wardrobe mistress to the newest members of the corps de ballet does everything they can to get the show on stage and looking fantastic. But in the world of The Apple and The Pearl these artists also have to contend with the malevolent glamour of an audience of Fae creatures only too eager to snatch them away into the Otherworld.

Rym Kechacha is the author of Dark River and To Catch a Moon, and a teacher. Her debut novel, Dark River, was shortlisted for the BFA Best Novel and Best Newcomer awards. She previously trained as a ballet dancer and danced professionally with Northern Ballet for three years. Born in Epping, east London, she now lives in Norwich with her family, a lot of books, and a much-loved and messy garden.