Imprint
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Hodder & Stoughton
The Golden Hour: Absolutely gripping historical fiction by the author of the Richard and Judy Book Club Pick The French House
Jacquie Bloese
Photography & photographs, Historical mysteries, Historical romance
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Imprint
Hodder & Stoughton
- Trade Paperback Feb 27, 2024 | 9781529377385 | RRP $34.99 Buy Now
- Hardback May 28, 2024 | 9781529377361 | RRP $55.00 Pre-Order
- e-Book Feb 22, 2024 | 9781529377378 | RRP $15.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook Feb 22, 2024 | 9781529377392 | RRP $44.99 Buy Now
Play Sample0:00 -
Imprint
Hodder & Stoughton
- Trade Paperback Feb 27, 2024 | 9781529377385 | RRP $34.99 Buy Now
- Hardback May 28, 2024 | 9781529377361 | RRP $55.00 Pre-Order
- e-Book Feb 22, 2024 | 9781529377378 | RRP $15.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook Feb 22, 2024 | 9781529377392 | RRP $44.99 Buy Now
Play Sample0:00 -
Imprint
Hodder & Stoughton
- Trade Paperback Feb 27, 2024 | 9781529377385 | RRP $34.99 Buy Now
- Hardback May 28, 2024 | 9781529377361 | RRP $55.00 Pre-Order
- e-Book Feb 22, 2024 | 9781529377378 | RRP $15.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook Feb 22, 2024 | 9781529377392 | RRP $44.99 Buy Now
Play Sample0:00 -
Imprint
Hodder & Stoughton
- Trade Paperback Feb 27, 2024 | 9781529377385 | RRP $34.99 Buy Now
- Hardback May 28, 2024 | 9781529377361 | RRP $55.00 Pre-Order
- e-Book Feb 22, 2024 | 9781529377378 | RRP $15.99 Buy Now
- Audiobook Feb 22, 2024 | 9781529377392 | RRP $44.99 Buy Now
Play Sample0:00
A richly atmospheric and compelling historical novel about three women fighting for a different future in fin-de-siecle Brighton - perfect for fans of The Doll Factory and Sarah Waters
'What a sumptuous, evocative triumph of a novel!' Jenny Ashcroft
At the golden hour, hidden truths and desires come to light . . .
In the genteel squares of late-Victorian Brighton, Ellen and Reynold Harper - twins, companions, colleagues - ply their trade as portrait photographers.
But at the golden hour, the models arrive to pose for the lucrative - and illicit - photographs that really keep the Harpers' business afloat. This is the other, shadowy world of the city: a world of erotic tableaux, boundary-crossing music hall performers, and the sinister figure of the local gangster, the Croc.
When Ellen is drawn into the orbit of unhappy newly-wed Clementine, she finds herself torn between loyalty to her brother, her dangerous attraction to new model, Lily, and her burgeoning friendship with Clem. And as the two worlds of Brighton collide, the three women discover that there is only a knife edge between the promise of freedom, and the threat of ruin . . .
Atmospheric, sensual and powerfully moving, The Golden Hour is a spellbinding portrait of three women determined to find their freedom - perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, The Doll Factory and The Essex Serpent.
Praise for The Golden Hour:
'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
More books by Jacquie Bloese
Praise for The Golden Hour: Absolutely gripping historical fiction by the author of the Richard and Judy Book Club Pick The French House
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Deeply involving . . . A fantastic debut by a gifted storyteller
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A raw and honest love story, filled with a wealth of historical detail. The French House is a powerful depiction of the brutal intricacies of island relationships and loyalties in a time of war
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I was gripped from the start by the characters and the setting. A wonderful read
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A story of fraught secrets and tested loyalties, of family and friendship, and of a love that once reignited, refuses to die. I found this beautifully told tale hard to put down.
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An accomplished, atmospheric debut. . . deeply moving
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Fascinating and beautifully researched... Moving and absorbing, this is a fabulous debut - Jacquie Bloese is certainly one to watch for the future - My Weekly
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THE FRENCH HOUSE is such an emotionally gripping novel portraying how love can be betrayed yet still endure. The backdrop is the war and the occupation of Guernsey which is fully realised, but the crux of the novel is the intriguingly complex relationships of people struggling to survive and find love.
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Heart-wrenching . . . A truly special novel
Jacquie Bloese
Jacquie Bloese is a writer of historical book group fiction, originally from the Channel Island of Guernsey. She draws her inspiration from atmospheric locations with intriguing histories, and people - both real and imaginary - whose stories are calling out to be told.
Her first novel The French House, set during the German Occupation of Guernsey in the second World War, was a Richard and Judy Winter 2022 book club pick, and a finalist in the Mslexia Novel Award. Her second novel The Golden Hour is inspired by the seaside town of Brighton, where Jacquie currently lives, and tells the stories of three women from different classes who become caught up in the underground world of erotic photography in 1890s Victorian England.
Jacquie began her professional life teaching English, in Turkey and Spain, before returning to the UK to work in ELT publishing for a number of publishers, including Scholastic, Oxford University Press and Penguin Random House. She now works freelance as an educational consultant, writer and editor.
In her spare time, Jacquie loves reading, walking, socialising, travel, theatre, cinema and daydreaming!
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