Out of Character: A Novel Horror Book Review

Well-kept and well-mannered journalist Emma Gordon has always taken the safe road in her personal and professional life. her romantic life is at a standstill, her career is steady but unremarkable, and her family life, though privileged, has never been the same since her mother disappeared years ago. Her father, Jack, a high-powered broker, finds Emma’s lack of ambition disappointing; she finds his obsession with power distasteful. But there is a fire burning in Emma’s belly for a life worth writing about.

When one of Emma’s colleagues pitches an idea for an undercover expose on strip clubs, she finds herself inadvertently volunteering to cover the story. Out of her depth in this gritty underground world, Emma soon finds herself drawn into this secret lifestyle of sex, seduction, and power. But when Jack discovers her at the club one night, father and daughter are forced to confront the past and finally face each other.

Set against the dual backdrop of London’s top gentlemen’s clubs and the upper-crust world of Holland Park mansions, debut novelist Vanessa Craft explores themes of power and identity in this sexy, smart, and unconventional coming-of-age story.