The Secret Photographs: Absolutely gripping historical fiction for 2024 by the author of the Richard and Judy Book Club Pick The French House
About this ebook
Discover the spellbinding portrait of two women determined to find their freedom - perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, The Doll Factory and The Essex Serpent.
England, 1895: In the bustling seaside town of Brighton, photography is all the rage. Ellen Harper assists her twin brother running one of the city's seafront studios, where fashionable ladies and gentlemen pose in their finery to have their likeness captured forever in a silver frame.
But behind the façade of a respectable business, the siblings have something to hide. After the studio closes for the day, secret photographs are taken in the back room. There is money to be made from this underground trade, but if exposed to the light of day, these photographs would destroy them...
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 Clementine's gilded world hides as much darkness as Ellen hoped to escape... What will happen when the secrets Ellen has left behind finally catch up to her?
Don't miss this richly atmospheric and gripping historical fiction shining a light on the role of women in a world dominated by men.
This book was first published as The Golden Hour.
Praise for The Secret Photographs:
'I loved this!... I was drawn into the shadowy world of illicit photography in late-Victorian Brighton and felt I was walking those streets with my own camera and watching the images develop... A compelling tale of love, friendship and identity... This book does what the best historical fiction can do: immerses you in its world... I thoroughly recommend!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I was instantly hooked into the story, it has vivid descriptions of the times and places, and a plotline that kept me guessing. Ellen and Clem are particularly strong and fascinating characters, I very much enjoyed sharing their battles and endeavours during such unfair times for women' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A sumptuous, evocative triumph of a novel!' Jenny Ashcroft
'I could not put it down... Fantastically researched. Got to be a 5-star rating from me' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A divine and sumptuous portrait of Victorian Brighton, written in gloriously seductive prose, I was enthralled' Amanda Geard
'I loved the way you were drawn into the various characters and their struggles through gender and class divides of the era' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'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
'Beautifully atmospheric' Gill Paul
'Beautifully written book with fabulous characters and plot, hard to put down!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
About the author
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!
