About The Book
December, 1765. In the early hours of the morning, Sukey Maynard flees her home – a brothel in Covent Garden. Her maidenhood is about to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, and she is too frightened to stay. But when she is captured and returned to the house of fallen sisters, she has a choice to make – should she stay, or should she run again?
As Sukey accepts her fate, she begins to learn how to navigate this strange new life of hers, and soon realises that there are those who wish her and her sisters harm. But this world that operates in the shadows has its own set of rules, and if Sukey is to survive then she must learn to play the game …
From the brothels of Covent Garden to the oppressive society of the eighteenth century, Louise Hare’s enthralling historical masterpiece paints a vivid picture of London’s underbelly and shows how, even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for a better future.
About the Author
Louise Hare is a London-based writer and has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London. Originally from Warrington, she has found inspiration in the capital for much of her work. Louise was selected for the Observer Top 10 Best Debut Novelists list in 2020, securing her place as an author to watch.
Louise’s debut novel, This Lovely City, was featured on the BBC TWO TV book club show, Between the Covers, shortlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize, and longlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Award. Miss Aldridge Regrets was shortlisted for Historical Novel of the Year in the Fingerprint Awards 2023, and Harlem After Midnight was shortlist for the CWA Historical Dagger Award 2024.
