Westmorland 1660
Sadie Appleby has lived all her life in her small village. One night she is rudely awoken by her older and bolder sister, Ella, who has robbed her employer and is on the run. The girls flee their rural home of Westmorland to head for London, hoping to lose themselves in the teeming city. But the dead man’s relatives are in hot pursuit, and soon a game of cat and mouse begins.
Ella becomes obsessed with the glitter and glamour of city life and sets her sights on the flamboyant man-about-town, Jay Whitgift. But nothing is what it seems – even Jay Whitgift.
Can Sadie survive a fugitive’s life in the big city? But even more pressing, can she survive life with her older sister Ella?
Set in London’s atmospheric coffee houses, the rich mansions of Whitehall, and the pawnshops, slums and rookeries hidden from rich men’s view, The Gilded Lily is about beauty and desire, about the stories we tell ourselves, and about how sisterhood can be both a burden and a saving grace.
“There is no greater compliment than ‘Give me more!’ A delight.” Susanna Gregory
“The Gilded Lily is impeccably written historical fiction. The detail is superb and life in London is so vividly depicted that the city seems to take on its own persona and become a lurking character in the story.” Let Them Read Books
“Where the author excels is in making the reader care for the two girls… I thoroughly enjoyed this tale that explored the darker side of Restoration London.” Historical Tapestry
“A heart-rending story of two sisters on the run, searching for a better life. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, the novel drew me straight into the teeming streets of Restoration London. An addictive, page-turning read.” Mary Sharratt
“The plot is gripping with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers interested. The characters are beautifully developed and three-dimensional. Each character has their own struggles to overcome as circumstances force them to do things and change in ways they would never have dreamed of…I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading Deborah Swift’s next.” History and Women
“An intricate and fascinating tale of low life in the capital city …Deborah Swift is an expert on Restoration costume and seemingly everything else about the economic and social life of 17th-century England ” Historical Novel Society
“Superb dialogue, steeped in contemporary language, adds credibility and atmosphere to this compelling tale which examines the ties that bind together siblings, the consequences of greed and ambition, the fickleness of fate and women’s constant battle to survive in a man’s world. The Gilded Lily is also a fast-paced adventure peopled with ruthless villains and feisty heroines whose exploits grab the imagination and add suspense and excitement to a historical gem.” Lancashire Evening Post