The Quietness

Growing up in the slums of Victorian London, Queenie is accustomed to poverty and squalour. Ellen has had a very different upbringing - wealthy and comfortable, but lonely and loveless. Yet although the two girls seem to have little in common, there is already a connection between them.

When Queenie leaves home to find a better life, she is overjoyed to be taken on by the seemingly respectable Waters sisters as a maid - but she gradually comes to realise that there is something dark and sinister happening in their household. Meanwhile, Ellen suffers a horrific betrayal at the hands of her charming young cousin Jacob, leaving her at the mercy of her cold-hearted father. Soon, the two girls meet - and find themselves in grave danger.

Alison Rattle brings the nineteenth century vividly to life in this dark and dramatic historical novel, which contains some graphic content. Rattle's punchy writing style and a plot full of tension and suspense make this a compelling read right up to the shocking and unexpected conclusion. Carefully-researched and providing a thought-provoking insight into what it meant to be a young woman in the Victorian era, The Quietness will fascinate fans of historical fiction.