The House of Fallen Sisters by Louise Hare

In my opinion...

I have read all of Louise Hare's novels- each time she tackles a very different subject and I admire the amount of research she must do to write in such an authentic way.

This time though I wasn't sure how comfortable I would feel about the subject matter: a story set in a Covent Garden brothel, but, as usual, the setting is evocative, the book is compelling and strangely addictive.

Sukey, the main character, is convincing and her situation is thought provoking. Although she is fictional , other characters in the novel did exist and it appears that the author was inspired to write it by the true story of Jonathan Strong a young slave, whose 'ownership' became a legal case.

Yet another very different tale , I look forward to where Louise Hare takes us next.

Want to know more?

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 …

My rating..

A thought provoking 4 glasses...

Thank you Harper Collins & NetGalley for my ARC