Beyond the Veil: Book Signing ’25

Have you attended Lyndhurst After Dark and are fascinated about hearing more about Victorian mourning customs? Or are you just fascinated with how those in the 19th century handled death? This is the book signing for you!

Beyond the Veil: The Victorian Obsession With Mourning and Death (Quarto, 2025) is a deep dive into how grief, ritual, and aesthetics shaped every corner of Victorian life—from postmortem photography to mourning fashion, ghostly séances to grand necropolises. This is not just a history of death culture—it’s a vivid exploration of how an entire society turned loss into elaborate ceremony and art, and how that legacy still fascinates us today.

This book signing will include a Q&A with the author, a display of historic curiosities, and cover topics such as:

• The Queen of Death: Queen Victoria’s reign of doom and gloom.
• The Art of Mourning: Dying’s influence over fashion and the arts.
• Spiritualism and Séances: Contacting the departed.
• Death in Black and White: Victorian Gothic Literature.
• Memento Mori: Keepsakes of the dead.

FREE 1800s Cabinet card with every book signed

Paul Gambino is the author of five books on death culture, macabre artifacts, and gothic interiors—including Morbid Curiosities and The Art of Gothic Living—Gambino brings a mix of historical research, storytelling, and insider access to some of the world’s most unusual collections.

• Please arrive 15 minutes before the time on your ticket.
• Check in at the Welcome Center upon arrival. 
• All ticket purchases are non-refundable.
• This ticket does not include access to the Mansion. If you would like to upgrade your ticket to enter the Mansion, please see the staff at the front desk in the Welcome Center when you arrive.

This season is presented by: