Release Date: August 9, 2017

Hester Blake takes a job as a lady’s maid for Lucy Fitzmartin in England.  The year is 1934 and the climate is unsettled with drastic political challenges. Hester is from a small town and hopes that this job will provide her with a steady income.  She is also searching for new friends and the potential to see new places. Her employer is unmarried and is considered reckless by her aristocratic family. She has very strong opinions of the political landscape and is a secret member of the British Union of Fascists. She also writes for the local papers and hopes to establish some freedom from her parents.

Hester and Lucy develop a close friendship due to similar interests and soon make the progression to being lovers. Their relationship is kept a secret to avoid a scandal for Lucy and her family.  As Lucy becomes more entrenched in politics, her extreme views put a strain on their relationship. Their divergent ideals along with the complexities of their employee/lover relationship creates more havoc.  

In her debut novel, Annabel Fielding has written a compelling work of historical fiction. She weaves together a nice blend of scandal, class distinction, love, and politics.