Not content with being a previous Book of the Month author, Stacey Halls has done it again with Mrs England a study of an Edwardian marriage in the North of England. She delivered a stonker of a book with The Familiars which had strong women and a sharp focus on the issues facing them in the seventeenth century. Can she do it again with Lilian England? You can read alongside us, answer our Book Club questions and join in with our Big Review at the end of the month.
Mrs England – the blurb
‘Something’s not right here.’
I was aware of Mr Booth’s eyes on me, and he seemed to hold his breath. ‘What do you mean?’
‘In the house. With the family.’
West Yorkshire, 1904. When newly graduated nurse Ruby May takes a position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear there’s something not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs England.
Distant and withdrawn, Lilian shows little interest in her children or charming husband, and is far from the ‘angel of the house’ Ruby was expecting. As the warm, vivacious Charles welcomes Ruby into the family, a series of strange events forces her to question everything she thought she knew. Ostracised by the servants and feeling increasingly uneasy, Ruby must face her demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there’s no such thing as the perfect family – and she should know.
Join Us…
We will be sharing our Big Review of Mrs England on the last Friday of the month. A series of Book Club questions will also be around for you to answer on the last Thursday. Don’t wait until then though, we would love to know your marks out of ten as soon as you have read it. So grab your copy and read along with us.
