The Oversight

By: Charlie Fletcher

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

"Exciting, exhilaring, scary and moving in equal measure, The Oversight is a teeming world of dark deeds and dark magics, brilliantly realized." -- M. R. Carey

The Oversight of London has been sworn for millennia to prevent the natural and the supernatural worlds from preying on each other.

Now, at its lowest ebb, with its headquarters destroyed and its last members scattered far and wide, this secret society will battle for survival and face the harshest foe it has ever met: itself.

Critic reviews

"A teeming world of dark deeds and dark magics, brilliantly realized. This feels like the start of something amazing."—M. R. Carey on The Oversight

"Fletcher's Victorian London is juicily vivid, and laced with macabre wit. There's a real sense of grim danger, both natural and unnatural, hungrily awaiting the slightest mis-step."—Frances Hardinge on The Oversight

"I couldn't stop reading... It really is a richly atmospheric and intensely readable slice of Victoriana: gothic as all get out, with a splendidly eerie sense of the way the unearthly lies cheek-by-jowl with the mundane. Cheerable goodies, grotesque baddies: the whole book is adventurous and flavorsome and gripping. I really enjoyed it."—Adam Roberts on The Overight

"The second book can't come soon enough."—Booklist on The Oversight

"Utterly enthralling: Charles Dickens meets Susanna Clarke."—Lou Morgan on The Oversight

"It's full of clever blendings of real history and imaginary embellishments.... compelling and hypnotic."—Boing Boing on The Oversight

"[The] characters inhabit a complex, beautifully plotted adventure that begins a fantasy series. Go on and relish The Oversight without further prompting - then we can all wait eagerly for more!"—Locus on The Oversight

The Oversight offers a fascinating and complex wo

Any additional comments?

The tale is set in a Dickenson type London, and the writing is mesmerizing. Fletcher brings the world and characters to life using multiple perspectives. The story is rich in details, laced in magic and dark uncertainty.
The Oversight stands for the Free Company for the Regulation and Oversight of Recondite Exigency and Supernatural Lore. At one time, the Oversight was a powerful group numbering in the hundreds whose sole purpose was to keep the streets of London safe. A secret order that regulates and contains magic. Now, the membership has been reduced to five. These five make up the Hand, and without them, the Oversight would cease to exist allowing things to go unchecked. They are Sarah, Cook, Mr. Sharp, Hodge and the Smith. Sounds exciting right? I love the set up and secret agency.
Fletcher brilliantly takes us from the dangerous streets of London to a traveling Carney. Danger, fate, unknown factors and unique characters quickly draw us into each scene and I found myself caught up in everything from the sights to battling their enemies. While the pacing was slow in the beginning, the twists and unknown factor of Lucy Harbor, a girl who could end them or strengthen them kept me listening into the wee hours.
Each of the characters is unique, quirky and thoroughly fleshed out with just enough mystery to ensnare the reader. When Lucy is first introduced to the Oversight she realizes something is amiss. When Lucy touches things, she has visions, but until she meets Sarah, she believed herself to be crazy. Sarah who heads the Oversight believes that Lucy is a Glint, like herself. Lucy’s arrival sets of a series of events and raises questions as we are thrust into a tale. I found the premise utterly riveting.
There is a threat that exists in the shadows, one that can tip the scales spilling havoc into the world around us. It is this knowledge that gives the tale a suspenseful, dark feel even as the pace meanders. Despite intense spurts and than slower pacing I loved all of the details, suspense and unknowing of it all. The imagery was so impressive.

Sinister peril on the brink of modernity

The failing Oversight exists to protect England from dark forces intent on rolling back modernity.

Cool New Universe

was looking for a new series and stumbled onto this while perusing through titles read by Simon Prebble. very good first book!!

Excellent story and performance

I really enjoyed this story. It is very visual , with lots of twists and turns. Great characters.
I also enjoyed Jim Dale’s reading of the author’s other trilogy : Stoneheart.

satisfying, scary and fascinating

every moment I had to listen closely. fascinating to hear every twist & turn. inventive and yet familiar. gorgeous detail, never boring!