The Secrets of Blythswood Square

£16.99

Glasgow, 1846, the second city of the British Empire is expanding rapidly and Ellory McHale, a working class woman receives an unexpected bequest which allows her to leave her job as junior assistant to a famous male photographer in Edinburgh to set up Glasgow’s first professional photography studio, in a glass-roofed top floor within sight of the Clyde. There, Ellory crosses paths with wealthy heiress Annis Buchanan, and the two strike up a friendship based on a mutual understanding of what it means to be a woman trying to carve out her own path in a man’s world. While Annis must fend off the advances of her cousin Forbes, who is determined to inherit the Buchanan fortune by hook or by crook, Ellory ventures into the dark underbelly of the city, using Glasgow’s most famous performers as models in early erotic photography.

In stock

SKU: 9781399701570 Category: Tags: ,

Description

THE ENCHANTING NEW NOVEL BY THE AUTHOR OF THE 2022 WATERSTONES SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE YEAR, THE FAIR BOTANISTS, called ‘Grippingby Good Housekeeping.

You wouldn’t suspect it, but scandalous secrets are being kept on Blythswood Square…

1846. Glasgow is a city on the cusp of great social change, but behind the curtains, neighbours are watching, and rumours of improper behaviour spread like wildfire on the respectable Blythswood Square.

When Charlotte Nicholl discovers that the fortune she has been bequeathed by her father is tied up in a secret collection of erotic art, she is faced with a terrible dilemma: sell it and risk shaming her family’s good name or lose her home.

An encounter with Ellory McHale, a talented working-class photographer newly arrived in Glasgow, leads Charlotte to hope she has found not only someone who might help her, but also a friend. Yet Ellory is hiding secrets of her own – secrets that become harder to conceal as she finds herself drawn into Charlotte’s world.

As the truth begins to catch up with both women, will it destroy everything they’ve fought to build – or set them both free?

‘Dripping with intrigue and luscious prose, this sumptuous novel shines a light on a Glasgow long past … Sherdian’s fine writing and expert characterisation just pull you in, so you can hear silk skirts swish and secret doors creak, as if you too are dwelling amongst the bustle of Blytheswood Square. I loved it’ KAREN CAMPBELL

‘A gripping and beautifully written book’ ES THOMSON

Readers love Sara Sheridan’s storytelling!
‘I absolutely love Sara Sheridan’s books. They’re so easy to get into and so hard to put down. The Secrets of Bythwood Square is no exception. It’s a great story populated with excellent, believable characters and woven with rich historical detail’ 5* reader review, NetGalley
‘A fascinating, atmospheric story which I greatly enjoyed’ 5* reader review, NetGalley
‘I absolutely loved it, finished it within 2 days’ 5* reader review, NetGalley
‘Wonderful characters and a beautifully interwoven story.’ 4* reader review, NetGalley

PRAISE FOR THE FAIR BOTANISTS:
‘Sheridan creates an evocative, enjoyable portrait of two women determined to lead independent lives’ SUNDAY TIMES
‘Completely enchanting and fascinating . . . a rollicking and immensely readable tale’ SCOTSMAN
‘Lush, seductive and scandalous, this is a gorgeous read’ DAILY MAIL
‘A cracking good read’ VAL MCDERMID
‘Dazzling, original, full of wonderful characters’ KATIE FFORDE
‘What a beautiful, immersive gem of historical fiction’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
‘An absolute treat for fans of historical fiction and rich storytelling’ RED

Additional information

Weight 0.32 kg
Dimensions 22.9 × 14.7 × 3.8 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Hardback

Pages

389

Language

English

Edition

Hardback original

Dewey

823.92 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K

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