What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?
The Hidden Grove grew out of my interest in the boundary between documented history and unresolved mystery. Manuscripts such as the Voynich Manuscript have always fascinated me—texts that can be studied yet still resist explanation, suggesting that parts of the past remain unknown.
The late nineteenth century was a particularly rich period for this. In London and across Europe, societies explored older traditions such as alchemy alongside newer ideas like mesmerism and psychical research. That made the British Museum a natural setting, where knowledge is preserved but not always understood.
With this second book, I wanted to move from discovery to consequence. Clara’s research begins to produce results as she attempts an alchemical process that has not succeeded for centuries, if at all. At the same time, the forces pursuing the Codex Arcanum become clearer, and the scale of their agenda begins to emerge. Clara is no longer working in isolation. She moves through a world of competing interests, from teashops to elite circles, as she navigates knowledge that carries real risk.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?
Clara Whitmore: “Gnossienne No. 1” by Erik Satie — quietly resolute and searching.
Sebastian Grey: “Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2” by Frédéric Chopin — poised and controlled, with emotional depth and a subtle undercurrent of complexity.
What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
I’m drawn to Victorian fiction, alternative history, and intelligence thrillers. That’s broadly the same space I write in, though my work leans more toward historical mystery with an esoteric edge.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
A Gargoyle’s Guide to Murder by Gigi Pandian, Phenomena by Annie Jacobsen, and The Journal of a Thousand Years by C. J. Archer.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
The final sequence is where Clara begins to see the results of what she has been working toward. It’s a moment where theory shifts into reality, bringing both relief and a sense that something has changed in ways that cannot easily be contained.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
Watching the birds outside my office window while thinking through a scene.
Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?
I’m drawn to As You Like It—Shakespeare’s line often comes to mind: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” It’s a reminder of perspective—that roles change, but awareness matters.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
That with courage and persistence, even the greatest difficulties can be overcome—even where others have failed.
Tasmin Turner is the author of the new book The Hidden Grove (The Alchemical Chronicles Book 2)
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