London, 1893

The entirety of the novel takes place in London, England during the year 1893. It is a dangerous time for women, as young girls are being kidnapped and murdered across the city. Vast wealth and gender inequality persists. Politics, the police force, and journalism are all dominated by men. The London of this novel is a gloomy place, infested with disease, corruption, and criminal activity.

The house on Vesper Sands

The titular house on Vesper Sands is both the home and prison of Lady Ada. The narrator describes, “The house was not large, for a family of such means, but its isolation gave a stark grandeur to its appearance. It rose from a promontory overlooking the dunes, and might have served at one time as a seaside villa. There was a faded elegance still about its arches and mullions, but it had fallen into neglect. Years of salt air...