'Richly detailed' THE NEW YORKER'Carr has taken an often overly romanticised historical figure and given her new life and originality.' THE TIMES'A vivid, visceral read' TRACY CHEVALIER'Bold and intimate' TLS***They are imprisoned, but not contained.Three women cross a loch. It is 1567: one of them is pregnant, two of them fretful. ...

Brought to you by Penguin.They are imprisoned, but not contained.Three women cross a loch. It is 1567, one of them is pregnant, two of them fretful. The boat takes them to Lochleven castle in the middle of the water. Awaiting them are courtiers braying for blood, hellbent on keeping one of them under lock and key: Mary Queen of Scots.In the tower, Mary's maids Frenchwoman, Cuckoo and watchful Scot, Jane are her only allies, and the ...

Brought to you by Penguin.You have probably not heard of Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon but you certainly should have done.Name any 'modern' human rights movement, and she was a pioneer: feminism, equal opportunities, diversity, inclusion, mental health awareness, Black Lives Matter. While her name has been omitted from too many history books, it was Barbara that opened the doors for more famous names to walk through. And her influence owed as much to who she...

**Brought to you by Penguin.London, 1833**Doctress Hester Reeves has been offered a life-changing commission.But it comes at a price. She must leave behind her husband and their canal-side home in Kings Cross and move to Tall Trees – a dark and foreboding house in Fitzrovia.If Hester can cure the ailing health of its owner, Gervaise Cherville, she will receive payment that will bring her everything she could dream of.But on arriving at Tall Trees, He...

Brought to you by Penguin.A master forger transforms a young woman’s life – but what will it cost her?In post-war Flanders, Adelais de Wolf's family is slowly, inexplicably, falling apart: her mother evermore lost to religious devotion, her father to alcohol. But with the death of a beloved uncle, Adelais finds herself in receipt of an unexpected legacy: a shuttered house in a rundown district and its contents – contents that hold the promise of independenc...

Brought to you by Penguin.Discover one family's fascinating story in this beautiful, sweeping, multigenerational memoir, spanning 19th century south China to modern day SingaporeI would learn that when families tell stories, what they leave out re-defines what they keep in. With my family, these were not secrets intentionally withheld. Just truths too painful to confront.In the last years of her life, Teres...

‘Not just a tale of suspense; it’s also a poignant exploration of familial love, resilience, and the consequences of misplaced trust. Reiss’ evocative writing and rich historical detail make this an unforgettable read for fans of historical fiction with a psychological edge’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A gothic historical novel perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, Stacey Halls and Laura Purcell***1859. Somerset, England.When...

Brought to you by Penguin.A lost princess and a vanished world: a remarkable true story that moves from the Punjab of the Raj to 1930s Paris and the Second World WarIn a Mumbai museum in 2007, Livia Manera Sambuy encounters a photograph that will change her life forever.The caption claims that the Punjabi princess Amrit Kaur sold her jewels in occupied Paris to save Jewish lives, only to be arrested by the Gestapo and sent to a conce...

Two sisters, two very different lives: the next edge-of-your-seat thriller by Sophie McKenzie, bestselling author of Girl MissingAsha has spent her life on an island community built on the principle of truth. But she discovers she has been lied to about something huge – a secret sister called Willow.Willow has always believed her twin sister died years ago. So when she receives a message in the middle of the night ...

A Waterstones Best History Book 2024'Compulsively readable' – Times Literary Supplement'An outstanding work' – Philippa Gregory'A powerful narrative told with frankness and sensitivity' – Helen Fry, historian and author of Women In Intelligence'A woman, a dog and a walnut tree, the more they are beaten, the better they’ll be.'So went the proverb quoted by a prominent MP in ...

Brought to you by Penguin.When Layla and Andy first meet, they can't believe they have the same surname. It feels like fate…Sera, Layla’s best friend, has her doubts about Andy. As the couple fall deeper in love, Sera becomes more and more vocal about Layla settling down with a white boy. And then, only a few weeks before their wedding, Layla makes a devastating discovery – could their families be linked in the worst possible way?Wh...

'This novel felt like a must read' Freida McFadden, bestselling author of The Housemaid**1966:**In London, Jackie Collins's racy The World is Full of Married Men hits bookshops and launches her career. In New York, Jacqueline Susann's debut novel Valley of the Dolls is published, and she's desperate for it to be a bestseller. But both are about to discover the price they will pay ...