A Pearl for my Mistress is a sensual and tense historical novel set in England in 1934. Old ways and ideas are changing rapidly as the world itself begins to turn on it’s head.
I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely piece of LGBTQ historical fiction and felt a slight homage to Sarah Waters, although the writing is completely different. The settings and description of the era and liquid and dreamy and I really felt as if I was there with Hester, a young maid girl, and Lucy, a daughter in an aristocratic family, fighting the social ideals of relationships, money and power.
Hester comes down from a small northern town with high hopes of exciting times in the big smoke of London. Finding a job with the Fitzmartin family she is drawn to the unmarried daughter who is reckless and wild, compared to her rigid family. As they grow closer and closer, both of them realise that there is no going back to the way they used to be before they met.
Tackling issues such as class, same-sex relationships and social ideals, this didn’t feel like your classic historical novel. I was swept up in the romance and the story and while I didn’t feel it was life-changing, it was a very pleasant way to escape for a few hours.
Would definitely recommend for reading groups and friends who like historical fiction.
About the Author
Annabel Fielding is a novelist, a history geek and an international woman of mystery.
She has long since pledged her allegiance to travel, tea and books. On her blog you will find travel posts, lesser-known facts, some photography and (mostly) historical fiction-related book reviews. To check out her blog click here.
To buy your copy now click here
Thank you to Annabel & HQ Digital for a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
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is book as a work of art, it is not something that I enjoyed reading. Yet, I feel that books like this HAVE to be written to keep the landscape of modern literature fresh, live and moving forward.
ristine Angot is one of the most controversial authors writing today in France. Born in 1958 in Châteauroux, Angot studied law at the University of Reims and began writing at the age of 25. After six years of rejections, Angot published her first novel, Vu du ciel, the story of woman named Christine told from the perspective of an angel who died after being raped as a little girl. Her subsequent novels have dealt with a variety of taboo topics, including homosexuality, incest, and sexual violence, and have continually blurred the line between autobiography and fiction. Ever since gaining widespread notoriety with the 1999 publication of Incest, Angot has remained at the centre of public debate and has continued to push the boundaries of what society allows an author to express.
A quirky romance story about finding love on the internet, while working in a sexual health clinic and being in your mid-fifties.
Whatever you do, do not judge this book by its cover (which, I found slightly off-putting) there is a thrilling and very unique murder mystery inside.
Michael Stanley is the writing team of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. Both were born in South Africa and have worked in academia and business. On a flying trip to Botswana, they watched a pack of hyenas hunt, kill, and devour a wildebeest, eating both flesh and bones. That gave them the premise for their first mystery, A Carrion Death, which introduced Detective ‘Kubu’ Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department. It was a finalist for five awards, including the CWA Debut Dagger. The series has been critically acclaimed, and their third book Death of the Mantis, won a Barry Award and was a finalist for an Edgar Award.
This warm and engaging read caught me by surprise. I read this right after reading The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce and was struck by the similar relatable and comforting prose.
Andrea Bennett graduated from the University of Sheffield in History & Russian and then spent a good part of the “Yeltsin years” living and working in Russia. On her return to the UK she joined the Civil Service – first at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, then the Department for International Development. A stint in local government followed, and she now works in the charity sector. She lives in Ramsgate, Kent, with her family and dog. Her first novel was Galina Petrovna’s Three-Legged Dog Story. Two Cousins of Avoz , her second novel was released on 13th July 2017. To purchase your own copy click 
Sarah Vaughan read English at Oxford and went on to be a journalist. After training with the Press Association, she worked for The Guardian for 11 years as a news reporter, health correspondent and political correspondent. She started writing fiction after deciding to freelance. The Art of Baking Blind – published by Hodder (UK and Canada), St Martin’s Press (US) and translated into eight languages – is the result. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and two young children and is currently writing her second novel.
