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Love and Other Poisons: a gripping historical tale of scandal and murder, based on a true story
Lesley McDowell
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'A fascinating, forensic deep-dive' DENISE MINA
'Beautifully written, richly evoked and utterly gripping' EVA DOLAN 'A seductive tale of sex and death' SARA SHERIDAN***1857, Glasgow.
Madeleine Smith, a young socialite, is on trial for murdering her lover. The scandal shocks the world, with intimate letters published in newspapers. The jury can't decide - delivering a rare 'Not Proven' verdict. Madeleine walks free.
1927, New York.
Hollywood scout Harry Townsend believes he's found Madeleine, now an elusive widow living under a new name. Once a dazzling figure in bohemian London, she vanished in 1890.
Could this quiet woman really be the infamous Madeleine Smith?
She holds one last secret. Will Harry convince her to share it?
***
More praise for Lesley McDowell:
'Riveting - a clever portrait of a fascinating, flawed heroine.' THE TIMES
'An intimate and enlightening tale of one of Romanticism's forsaken muses.' SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN
'An absorbing, intoxicating page-turner about a woman who deserves to be remembered.' JENNIFER SAINT
'A must-read. McDowell brings to vivid, embodied life; a flirtatious, flawed woman fighting for her place in a man's world.' THE HERALD
Read More
Praise for Love and Other Poisons: a gripping historical tale of scandal and murder, based on a true story
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Riveting - a clever portrait of a fascinating, flawed heroine. - The TimesClairmont is an intimate and enlightening tale of one of Romanticism's forsaken muses - artfully told in beautiful prose, a story that lingers in the mind far beyond the last page - Susan Stokes-ChapmanA must-read. McDowell brings Claire to vivid, embodied life; a flirtatious, flawed woman fighting for her place in a man's world. - The HeraldClairmont emerges as a brave and sympathetic heroine in this engrossing novel - The ScotsmanA sensitive, beautifully told fictionalisation that gives a voice to one of literature's greatest muses. - Laura SheppersonA must for all lovers of historical fiction. Clairmont is a true-life story of hope, passion, and regrets with Claire Clairmont (step sister of the writer Mary Shelley) enduring against all odds after an ill-starred affair with the poet, Byron. - Essie FoxClairmont is a fascinating journey into the dark underbelly of Romanticism. I was gripped, horrified and enlightened - and in awe of a woman who risked such pain and sorrow to 'mix in the throng' - Meg ClothierBeautifully written, Clairmont tells the sensuous hidden story of an influential historic woman. - Sara Sheridan
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