THE VISIONIST was picked as one of Barnes and Noble’s great new writers for Spring 2014, and has received the following praise:

“Urquhart constructs this debut novel around a seminal era in Shaker history. Set in New England in the mid-nineteenth century during the “Era of Manifestations,” this tale explores the often paradoxical nature of a zealously rigid and charismatic belief system. After setting fire to her family’s farmhouse while her abusive father sleeps, 15-year-old Polly Kimball escapes with her mother and young brother in tow. Seeking refuge as indentured orphans in a Shaker community, Polly is mistakenly hailed as a “visionist,” inflaming spiritual passions and arousing suspicions among various citizens of the City of Hope. As Polly attempts to guard her secret, a determined private investigator works behind the scenes to uncover the truth about the fire…Compelling.” - Booklist

“Equal parts exquisite historical coming-of-age story and harrowing crime procedural, THE VISIONIST breathes life into desperate young orphan Polly Kimball, weaving a complex and compelling drama about one of American history's most elusive religious communities. Lovers of historical fiction and seekers after truth will devour THE VISIONIST just like I did.” - The Library Journal

Set in 1840 in a Shaker settlement known as the City of Hope, THE VISIONIST revolves around 15 year-old Polly Kimball, who seeks refuge there after accidentally setting fire to her family farm, accidentally killing her abusive father. It is the Era of Manifestations, when young Shaker girls across the East Coast are being visited by mystical visions, earning them the honorific of “Visionist” and bringing fortune upon their settlements.

The City of Hope has not yet been blessed with its own Visionist, but that will change when Polly arrives and is unexpectedly exalted. As she struggles to keep her dark secrets concealed--in the face of mounting suspicion from forces both inside and outside the City of Hope--Polly finds herself developing a life-changing friendship with young Sister Charity, who will stake everything—including her faith—on Polly’s purity.

Praise for THE VISIONIST:

"Gripping, profound, and beautifully written, THE VISIONIST takes us to a world where faith and fear exist simultaneously and safety has a price. A remarkable exploration of love in all its forms with complex characters who linger far beyond the final pages."

- Brunonia Barry, author of THE LACE READER

"THE VISIONIST is both a haunting, beautifully imagined tale of lives devastated by cruelty and transformed by love, and a gorgeously evocative portrait of an 1840s Shaker settlement that is as startling as it is convincing."

- Cathy Buchanan, author of THE PAINTED GIRLS

"Rachel Urquhart's transporting debut THE VISIONIST lifts the veil on the intriguing, mystical past world of the Massachusetts Shakers. Equal parts exquisite historical coming-of-age story and harrowing crime procedural, THE VISIONIST breathes life into desperate young orphan Polly Kimball, weaving a complex and compelling drama about one of American history's most elusive religious communities. Lovers of historical fiction and seekers after truth will devour THE VISIONIST just like I did."

- Katherine Howe, New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

"Rachel Urquhart paints a fascinating, complex portrait of Shaker culture in early America. An unexpected coming of age story, a suspenseful mystery. But what makes THE VISIONIST particularly engaging is its thoughtful examination of the nature of good and evil, and our struggle to recognize it in ourselves and in others."

- Eowyn Ivey, New York Times bestselling author of The Snow Child

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