The Miniaturist is set in Amsterdam in the 17th century and concerns a country girl, Nella, and her sham marriage to a rich merchant with a penchant for boys.

The house he moves her into is creepy and secretive and the husband, who doesn’t share her bed, is always working.

To occupy his betrothed he buys her an exact replica of the house as a doll’s house and instructs her to furnish it. Miniature items begin to arrive unbidden, exact copies of items in the house and, like the bloodied dog, foretelling future tragedies.

ON an unsuccessful visit to find out how the miniaturist is sending her the items Nella drops in on her husband, to understand his absencse and finds him being attended to a by a boy.

The secrets of the house now pick up big time and Nella needs to grow and fast to cope.

I found this story difficult at first, but once I’d turned a few pages it rattles along nicely. It is deep and I’m not great with deep, but the intrigue and the magic I thought was brilliant.

I recommend it.