Sukey and Emmy are recalled from their upbringing in the countryside with Emmy’s Aunt and Uncle, taken back to London to live with Emmy’s mum, Sukey expects to become a housemaid, it soon becomes clear Emmy’s mum is expecting her to work as a harlot, to use the terminology of the time, and yes Emmy is expected to become one too (great parenting!)

A brilliantly written tale of life in Georgian Covent Garden, with all the excitement of fast paced London, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the houses and gowns, the characters are really well written and I was surprised by the true feelings and motives of some. The girls in this story are young and I was very aware of the few choices they have and risks they are facing, between rivalry with the other girls, manipulation by the brothel owners and constant risks of disease, pregnancy and violence from customers, yet despite all this their lifestyle can still be seen as preferable to the alternatives open to them. Louise has woven the true story of Jonathan Strong into her novel, a young slave who’s treatment contributed to the start of a legal campaign against slavery. So obviously I’m off to research Jonathan Strong and Granville Sharp…

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.

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