Publisher's Synopsis
'What a sumptuous, evocative triumph of a novel!' Jenny Ashcroft
A picture can tell a thousand words. And hide as many secrets...
England, 1895: In the bustling seaside town of Brighton, Ellen Harper assists her brother running their photography studio, where fashionable ladies and gentlemen pose in all their finery. Behind the facade of a respectable business, the siblings hide a dark and shadowy secret. One that if exposed to the light of day could destroy them all.
When newly married Clementine comes to sit for a portrait, Ellen learns she is looking for a lady's companion. Longing for a life of her own choosing and freedom from the deals her brother has made, Ellen accepts the post. The new position transports her to a sweeping white-fronted townhouse on one of Brighton's most prestigious crescents, full of every luxury imaginable.
But Clem's gilded world hides as much darkness as Ellen has hoped to escape. And what will happen when Clem discovers the truth about the young woman she has welcomed into her home?
Atmospheric, sensual and powerfully moving, The Golden Hour is a spellbinding portrait of women determined to find their freedom - perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, The Doll Factory and The Essex Serpent.
Praise for The Secret Photographs:
'A divine and sumptuous portrait of Victorian Brighton, written in gloriously seductive prose, I was enthralled' Amanda Geard, author of The Midnight House
'A glorious and sumptuous feast for the senses and it drew me in from the start, wanting to find out more about these women's stories and their struggles for freedom and change. It's an absolute joy. I couldn't put it down' Rosanna Ley, author of The Orange Grove
'A captivating panorama of late-Victorian Brighton... Beautifully atmospheric' Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife
'I was hooked from the very beginning... The characters and the setting were all portrayed with such vivid colour and conviction' Suzanne Goldring, author of My Name is Eva
'Luminous... Perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry' Sean Lusk, author of The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley
