The House of Fallen Sisters

by Louise Hare

The exquisite new novel from bestselling author Louise Hare based in 18th century LondonDecember, 1765. In the early hours of the morning, Sukey Maynard flees her home – a brothel in Covent Garden. Her maidenhood is about to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, and she is too frightened to stay. But when she is captured and returned to the house of fallen sisters, she has a choice to make – should she stay, or should she run again?

As Sukey accepts her fate, she begins to learn how to navigate this strange new life of hers, and soon realises that there are those who wish her and her sisters harm. But this world that operates in the shadows has its own set of rules, and if Sukey is to survive then she must learn to play the game …

From the brothels of Covent Garden to the oppressive society of the eighteenth century, Louise Hare’s enthralling historical masterpiece paints a vivid picture of London’s underbelly and shows how, even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for a better future.

* * * *

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical

372 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 12, 2026

About the author

Louise Hare is a London-based writer and has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London. Originally from Warrington, the capital is the inspiration for much of her work, including This Lovely City, which began life after a trip into the deep level shelter below Clapham Common.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

December 1765
Young Sukey Maynard has stolen away from Mrs. Macauley’s house of ill repute in London’s Covent Garden. She comes across a badly beaten young man who she takes to Dr Sharp on Mincing Lane – two desperate souls who badly need help in an unsympathetic world. Dr Sharp helps the young man who proves to be Jonathan Strong. Sadly for Sukey, her escape from Mrs Macauley’s is short lived and she is taken back very unwillingly. Here, she knows her virginity will be auctioned off to the highest bidder – should she stay or try to run again? She accepts she has little choice as her status is low but also because of her skin tone. However, she has come to know this dark, dark underbelly of London, especially in the brothels, as they operate to their own set of rules and so she aims to set her own. Dare she be optimistic for a better future for herself?

This is a terrific novel, the storytelling is outstanding as Louise Hare makes me feel as if I’m there, so visual is the writing. It’s an absorbing read, richly atmospheric as Covent Garden and the surrounding areas spring to life. I admire the fact that the author shines a light on marginalised groups that history frequently overlooks. Included are not just the “fallen sisters“ but other groups of the poor whose freedom is not guaranteed and the cruelty that lies therein. It contrasts so strongly with the rich clients of Mrs. Macauley and others who run the brothels. Sukey is a good central character to focus the story around and I grow immensely fond of her. I love her resilience, her care for the likes of Jonathan as well as her pragmatism.

The novel really captures the times and deftly weaves with fiction. Jonathan Strong is real, as is Doctor Sharp whose brother Granville is a famous abolitionist who strikes an anti-slavery blow in a court case centred around Jonathan. The author also references Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies which unbelievably is also true, and is the directory of prostitutes with other information about them. I’ve always said truth is frequently stranger than fiction! The list in itself should tell you plenty about late Georgian attitudes.

What emerges is definitely harsh, it’s dark and gritty, undeniably authentic, there’s danger and cruelty with every human emotion from revenge to jealousy to love but it’s also full of heart via Sukey and other central characters. The novel twists and turns through Covent Garden to a good ending.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated early copy and return for an honest review.

[Dan Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly compelling, atmospheric, thrilling, and binge-worthy, The House of Fallen Sisters is a must-read for fans of Covent Garden Ladies, Daughters of Night, and indeed the excellent TV series Harlots. I blazed through this flawless piece of Historical Fiction and I applaud Louise for her talents in transporting me into a different world. Bravo!!!

[Dabarai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sukey Manyard is a very young mixed race woman, a prostitute in 18th century London, who after a failed escape attempt tries to build her life in a profession she did not choose and which left her with few options to better herself. In Mrs Macauley’ house there are rules to be obeyed, girls who are jealous and unpleasant customers to deal with. And there are also rumours of girls disappearing around Covent Garden, the terrifying tales about the Pied Piper who snatches them under the guise of offering help.


In her book, Louise Hare offers readers a glimpse into the lives of inhabitants of the seedy London underbelly, everyday folk and those struggling to survive. There is little of opulence present here, the snatches of better life only glimpsed occasionally, hard to imagine, even harder to attain. The author offers a very truthful vision of Georgian London, including the precarious situation of Black people, new sources of wealth, and talks about ways in which women could acquire independence. In her version of the unsavoury Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies, a list of known prostitutes, the girls are treated like commodities, but they are also able to better her lives by making themselves available to the highest bidders. 

It would be tempting to present the story as a fairy tale, Sukey as Cinderella, but instead, she is a more complex character, who throughout the book learns to “play the system", use her assets and becomes realistic about her prospects. She is headstrong, not always right, and I liked the way in which the author finished her story in the book. Other characters in the book are equally well depicted, each with its own agenda, dreams to follow and none of them flawless. 

I loved the historical setting of this book, the story and plot twists and the people painted so vividly, and I think of all Louise Hare's books, this one became my favourite.  

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House of Fallen Sisters is a fast paced historical mystery - and a firm 5⭐️ from me!
I’ve loved all of Louise Hare’s books, and she’s fast becoming an insta-read author for me. Every book has been distinctly different from her others. Books have been set in: 1950’s London, 1930’s London and Harlem, and now this book is set in the brothels of 1760’s London (London seems to be a key place in all of her books so far - and that’s OK with me!).

In trying to escape her inevitable life as a prostitute in a Covent Garden brothel, Sukey finds a young black man in a side street, almost beaten to death. Whilst trying to save him, she’s captured and returned to the brothel. There’s a lot going on in the underbelly (and brothels) of London: slavery, double dealing, and cheating those who think they’re a friend.

I really enjoyed this - I got a real sense of the hustle and bustle of London. The danger, the community, friendships, hardships and the rules of the game Sukey and her Fallen Sisters must adhere to. They’re all fabulous characters - even the more untrustworthy people!

I can’t wait to see where Louise Hare takes us next!

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully realised romp through the stews of Eighteenth Century London with the pacing of a thriller. We accompany Sukey Maynard, a young black woman brought up in a restrictive, religious household as she is relocated to London and an unexpected new life as a prostitute in Covent Garden. Attempting to escape her fate, Sukey is drawn into a dark plot that tangles her back into brothel life and forces her to grow up fast. The characters are fantastic, the history is worn lightly and never intrudes into the plot in a way that trips up the flow of the narrative, but which situates the characters perfectly in their time and place. This was a terrific read.

[LX · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much for the finished copy!!

4 stars!

This really felt like it had everything in it! And I went in only having reaf a brief premise and ooof I wasn't expecting so much.

fantastic read that just kept me going as I was trying to hold onto any slither of hope loool

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seedy Georgian London under belly. Really atmospheric and gripping

[Rayh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harlots of the ton?! Why would I have not loved it?

I feel so much love for Sukey she’s literally just a girl. Historical fiction isn’t my go to but boy was I hooked on this.

This one lightly held my heartstrings girlies I will not lie to you.

Thank you to NetGalley & HQ for the opportunity to read this arc!

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

This is another book I had on pre-order but had to cancel due to money issues, so I was excited to receive an early copy.

I do own Louise's three others books - This Lovely City, Miss Aldridge Regrets, and Harlem After Midnight - but for one reason or another, I am yet to read them, and so I had no real expectations going into this.

It is very honest and raw and brutal. It's not always an easy book to read, it has a lot of very uncomfortable moments and topics in it, but I think overall she has handled them well.

But overall I wasn't overly enamoured by the whole book.

There isn't a huge amount of plot, which isn't necessarily a negative, as long as there's something else to keep me interested, good characters or the suchlike, but they didn't excite me either. Sukey is our main protagonist and she was interesting but I was still after something more, given her difficult background and fierce passion and desire to make something of herself. But she, like the other characters, were a bit too 2D for me to really invest in. There just wasn't much depth. I can't say anything specifically bad about the plot or the characters, they just all seemed to plod on without really getting anywhere.

There are a few substories or side-stories as it were, all of which have merit on their own, but they didn't all feel finished and I don't like having loose ends. And the ending itself, whilst perfectly fine, it felt perhaps a bit too neat and tidy for the rest of the story.

Louise has done a tremendous job at giving us a sense of space and time and atmosphere. .Everything is dialled up and you can practically see yourself on the page. And I commend her ability to balance the historical elements without being so distracting to the overall story.

Some historical novels can be dry and sluggish, whereas this one was well paced and I did fly through it, even though I wished there was a bit more to get my teeth into.

I do wonder if the problem is with me rather than with the book. I have read countless of historical books about women forced to work in brothels for fear of what would happen to them otherwise. So it's not necessarily a bad book, but it didn't give me anything new, it just felt like I was re-reading something I'd read countless of times before.

I am clearly in the minority here because I have found it almost impossible to find a review that wasn't 4 or 5 stars absolutely raving about it.

Whilst it wasn't my favourite book, it is clear that Louise has a strong and intelligent voice in historical fiction and I am still interesting in reading her previous books.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louise Hare has written several historical novels set in various periods, but this is the first one I’ve read. I’ll probably be looking for her others as I enjoyed this one – it has an interesting setting and an engaging heroine and it explores a little-known episode from British history.

It’s December 1765 and Sukey Maynard is running away from home – home being Mrs Macauley’s brothel in Covent Garden. It used to be her mother’s place of work, until she died when Sukey was very young, and since then Sukey has been cared for by Mrs Macauley and her family. Now that she’s fourteen, her virginity is about to be auctioned off to the highest bidder and she’s decided to flee rather than stay and go through with it. Before she gets very far, she encounters a young man who has been badly beaten and wounded, and she helps him reach a doctor, who agrees to treat him. However, this delay means that Sukey finds herself captured and taken back to Mrs Macauley.

The rest of the novel follows Sukey after she returns to the brothel and prepares to face whatever life has in store for her. At first her position is better than she expected as she catches the eye of a wealthy client whom she hopes will become her ‘keeper’, but what will she do if he changes his mind? The lives of Sukey and the other girls in Mrs Macauley’s establishment are difficult, uncertain and often unpleasant, but Hare shows us how even in the bleakest of circumstances, small acts of friendship and kindness can make a big difference. Although Sukey makes some enemies, she also makes some good friends and I enjoyed watching her various relationships develop.

There’s a mystery element to the story, which unfolds as young women begin to go missing, both from Mrs Macauley’s house and from the surrounding area, thought to have been lured away by a mysterious figure known only as the Piper. We find out what’s happening to the women earlier than I expected, but this allows Hare to take the story in some interesting directions as Sukey and her friends look for revenge.

Another subplot revolves around Jonathan Strong, the young man Sukey rescues after he is beaten almost to death. Strong really existed and his story is a fascinating one as he was a slave whose owner brought him to London from Barbados and he became the subject of an important legal case regarding slavery and the abolitionist movement in Britain. Sukey herself is mixed race, which gives her an added interest in his fate, and she and her friends try to help Jonathan in any way they can throughout the book. William Sharp, the doctor who treats him, and his brother Granville Sharp are also real people. This is the first time I’ve read a novel in which the Sharps and Jonathan Strong appear, so I found that aspect of the story fascinating.

Although I’ve read other novels about women in Sukey’s position (I highly recommend Michel Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White and Elodie Harper’s The Wolf Den), the addition of the Jonathan Strong storyline made this one well worth reading as well.

[Teresa Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Fallen Sisters by Louise Hare
Having read This Lovely City, Miss Aldridge Regrets and Harlem After Midnight by the same author I was very interested to see how she wrote about a period further back in time for this novel is set in London in 1765. At the opening of the novel we encounter Sukey Maynard who has escaped from Mrs Macauley’s house of ill repute in Covent Garden. Sukey has just arrived in London having been brought up in the countryside in a god-fearing household.
She comes across a young man, Jonathan, who has been beaten almost to death, and Sukey helps him to the home of Dr Sharp a renowned doctor who offers assistance to those unable to pay for their treatment. Her escape from Mrs Macauley does not last very long and she is returned to the house of ill repute where her virginity will be auctioned to the highest bidder.
The plight of Sukey and the other girls in her position is told with compassion and as a person of colour Sukey seems to accept that it is her fate to be sold to a man for his entertainment. We also become involved with other slaves who have escaped from their masters and the whole idea of whether it is possible to own another person is questioned.
Sukey, the central character, is very well drawn and there are other characters with whom she is involved who are based on real characters from the time such as Doctor Sharp and his brother Granville. The writer also talks about a book of the time called Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies which gave details of the ladies available at the various houses and their attributes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and will be recommending it at my various book groups. Many thanks to the author, the publishers and to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in December 1765, this novel plunges the reader into the shadowy underbelly of Georgian London, following Sukey Maynard as she flees a Covent Garden brothel to escape the auctioning of her maidenhood. When she is captured and forced to return, Sukey must decide whether to accept her fate or risk everything by running again. As she learns to survive within this dangerous world, she discovers that threats lurk not only outside the brothel but within the rigid, unspoken rules that govern life on the margins of society.

Louise Hare’s writing is, as expected, beautifully done. The prose is vivid and immersive, bringing 18th-century London to life with richly detailed settings that make the streets, rooms, and hidden corners feel tangible. Hare excels at atmosphere, and her portrayal of Georgian London—particularly the lives of the poor and people of colour—is compelling and thoughtfully rendered. The novel offers an engaging and often unsettling glimpse into a world that operates in secrecy and desperation, while still allowing space for hope.

However, while the story itself is enjoyable, the characterisation feels like a missed opportunity. Having previously read This Lovely City, I had hoped to see the authors progression in creating more depth and development in the characters, but instead the large cast here feels even less fleshed out. Sukey’s journey is interesting, yet many of the supporting characters lack the complexity needed to make them truly memorable. Despite this, the novel remains an engaging read overall, elevated by strong writing and historical detail, even if it doesn’t quite reach its full potential.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the depths of the winter of 1765, in the darkness of the early hours, Sukey Maynard is running away from her future. Brought up with her best friend Emmy in the countryside, both girls have been summoned to London by Emmy's mother, the infamous brothel madam, Mrs Macauley, so their maidenhoods can be sold at auction. Recaptured almost immediately, Sukey is forced into her new life but she soon finds out that everything is not what it seems nor what she expected it to be. There are darker forces at play in the shadows, not everyone who declares themselves a friend can be trusted and her own mother's past with Mrs Macauley might have more relevance than she realises.

I wasn't a hundred percent sure what to expect from this novel, but I have loved Louise Hare's precious books and was looking forward to seeing her tackle a different, much earlier, time period.

You are thrown straight in at the deep end with The House of Fallen Sisters.The action starts almost immediately with Sukey running away and coming across an injured young man and the pace doesn't let up at all.

Given the subject matter, there are some fairly grim scenes in this book, but I liked that Hare didn't shy away from them. I always felt like the characters were true to themselves and I believed the way they developed and changed over the course of the novel. I especially liked that no-one was what they seemed at first glance and there were some pretty big twists and turnarounds in several key relationships.

It is a page turner from the start but even more so towards the end and I did find myself squeezing in a few pages here and there when I could to try and race to the end.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louise Hare’s The House of Fallen Sisters is a novel that grips you from its opening scene and doesn’t let go. Set in 1765, it follows Sukey Maynard, a young woman whose desperate flight from a Covent Garden brothel is cut short, forcing her back into a world where survival depends on wit, resilience, and courage.

What makes this book so compelling is the way Hare balances grit with tenderness. The brothel, with its shadowy rules and dangerous patrons, is vividly drawn—an underworld of London that feels both atmospheric and authentic. Yet at the heart of the story is Sukey herself: frightened but determined, vulnerable yet quietly defiant. Watching her navigate this perilous life, learning when to bend and when to fight back, is both heartbreaking and inspiring.

Hare’s prose is steady and evocative, painting London’s underbelly with rich detail while never losing sight of the humanity of those trapped within it. The novel is dark, yes, but it’s also full of hope—reminding us that even in the bleakest corners of history, there are sparks of resilience and dreams of a better future.

This is historical fiction at its most immersive: atmospheric, poignant, and deeply human. Sukey’s journey lingers long after the final page, a testament to Hare’s gift for storytelling and her ability to give voice to those history often overlooks.

My thanks to Louise Hare, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Carolyn Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1765, sixteen-year-old Jonathan Strong was beaten almost to death and thrown into a London gutter by the man who claimed to ‘own’ him. The legal aftermath of this assault is often pinpointed by historians as the beginning of the campaign in Britain against slavery. But it is not known how, following the savage attack, Jonathan came to be in the medical care of Dr William Sharp whose brother Granville was to become Jonathan’s legal benefactor and an early crusader for the abolition movement. The gap in this momentous chapter of British history is filled by Louise Hare’s compelling new novel The House of Fallen Sisters. In this engrossing re-telling, Jonathan finds his first saviour in the fictional Sukey Maynard, a young girl of colour fleeing from the Covent Garden brothel where her maidenhead has been put up for auction to the highest bidder. Sukey leads us on her perilous journey through the city’s seamiest houses in a gripping tale that weaves in and out of known facts about the case of Jonathan Strong and the lives of Black people in Georgian London. A wonderfully sparky and appealing protagonist, Sukey’s heart-wrenching quest for dignity and happiness is hard to put down.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sukey has been brought up to know that as a mixed race girl she is different to others in Georgian England. However she is whisked away from the home she has known to London where she realises that she will not be a maid, but a whore for her friend Emily's mother. Whilst attempting to runaway Sukey saves a badly beaten slave and this brings her into contact with a society of Africans living in the city. She is also befriended by a French Madame but this is definitely not what it appears.
I have really enjoyed Hare's previous novels and this one goes back a couple of centuries to high-Georgian London. The perspective offered by the racial aspect of the plot is a change to many other novels set in this time and place and I welcomed it as it was not thrust hard on the reader, it just gives a series of nuances and enhancements to what is a great plot anyway. Sukey is an engaging heroine and the reader can see how her personality develops, as does her understanding of life. A great book

[Heather Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 1765, House of the Fallen Sisters follows Sukey Maynard, a young woman trying desperately to escape life in a Covent Garden brothel. But when her attempt goes wrong, she’s forced straight back into the very world she’s trying to leave behind.

This isn’t an easy read in places — it’s gritty and dark in places. Hare writes with real compassion and gives the story an emotional depth that makes you genuinely care about Sukey and the women around her.

Sukey is a brilliant main character: frightened but strong, vulnerable but determined, and quietly brave in a way that feels believable rather than dramatic.

There’s another story line threaded through the book, that of Jonathan Strong, a slave brought to London from Barbados. Based on a true character this brings another element, no less dark, which adds to historic feel.

Thanks to Louise Harr, HQ and NetGalley for the ARC for which I have given my own honest opinion.

[rina dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful and tender story about one womans attempt to run away from a brothel and her life as a prostitute. Sukey Maynard is about to be placed up for auction, her maidenhead sold to the highest bidder, but as soon as she escapes, she's captured by the brothels bodyguard Jakes.
Frightened and alone, she has no choice but to return to the house of fallen sisters.
Sukey has to learn how to navigate her life as someone who is living under oppression and try and protect the people she cares about.

This exquisite piece of literature really shines a light on the underbelly of London during the 1700s and what it was like for women, especially women of colour.
Louise writes in a way that evokes such a sense of place. I was captivated from the first page right to the very end, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. Louise's writing is so beautiful and her storytelling masterful. This is an often heartbreaking read but ultimately hopeful, too. I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come.

[Gem ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House of Fallen Sisters is the latest book by Louise Hare due out early 2026 and it is my favourite of hers so far. Set in 18th Century Covent Garden, London, this explores the true undercurrent of the great city that runs beneath the respectable and noble appearances. Brothel houses, abject poverty and terrible conditions are everyday for so many, and the character of Sukey is fresh to this scene and has to learn her true friends from her enemies.
Louise Hare is masterful in her writing, I felt fully immersed in the time and invested in the characters, I could easily see this making a fantastic TV costume drama. I was cheering for the wins, and absolutely devastated at the heartbreaking moments. This is a truly wonderful book.

[Ynaiita Warjri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

This book started out slow but when it did pick up pace, it was so entertaining and suspenseful! Each character was different, bringing their own personality, struggles and motivations to the story. I found myself struggling to remain hooked many times, reflecting the inconsistency of my reading experience. I had a love-hate relationship with Sukey and was often really sad and frustrated when reading about how women were treated. But that being said, these characters showed great resilience and bravery across the pages! This is my first read from Louise Hare and I am so impressed by her writing and her ability to engage the reader which can often be difficult with historical fiction set centuries ago.

[Nydia Hetherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House of the Fallen Sisters is a wonderful, page turning and important book. Its thrilling story, told with masterful precision, had me racing to get to each new chapter. Alongside the exemplary storytelling though, is a profound exploration of regency London which has been much lacking in the recent rush of love for that period. In her novel, Louise Hare gives voice to the marginalised, the poor, the much maligned, and most importantly, the hidden people of the city. Making The House of the Fallen sisters a deeply emotive and vital read for historical fiction lovers and beyond.

Seriously good writing!

[Louise Fein · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House of Fallen Sisters is an extraordinary, thought-provoking, addictive and thrilling novel. On one level, it is an excellent, page-turning story that I couldn’t wait to get back to. On another, it is a fascinating exploration of the lives of those vilified by all, yet used (and abused) by those at the apex of society. The best of historical fiction gives voice to those excluded from the history books, and Hare does exactly this with great skill and exceptional storytelling. I absolutely loved it!

[Mrs Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is 1765 and prostitutes are going missing in London. Sukey has fled from Mrs Macauley's establishment as she doesn't want to be a prostitute. She had grown up in the country with Mrs Macauley's daughter Emma, until at the age of 14 Mrs Macauley had brought them back from her sister's house to work for her.
A compelling read about the underworld of the 18th century.

[Hannah Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

An immersive novel that transports the reader back to the dark streets of 1700s London, shedding light on lesser-known tales of the city's workers. To me, this felt like the flip-side of Bridgerton and was as captivating as the TV show and books. This novel helped me fall back in love with historical fiction!

[julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging historical fiction set in a brothel in Covent Garden. I enjoyed the stories of what the harlots endured; from life in the brothel to Sukey, a ‘mulatto’ being auctioned off to the highest bidder. Featuring other side stories; a rescue of a slave boy and competition between brothel ‘madams.’
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this entertaining read.

[Patricia Moren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very sad story in many ways but was uplifting when a solution was found.. A very varied cast of characters and a well depicted time in history. A great read and relief that life has improved.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me hooked straight away, with the grit and glow of 18th century Covent Garden. The writing painted a picture so vivid I felt transported to the dark alleyways and bawdy houses.
I loved how the book gives space to the voices history usually ignores, from the 'fallen sisters' to the poor and the exploited. Sukey was a great narrator and I loved getting to know her in this book. Do I wish things turned out differently for her? Absolutely.
I did feel some threads felt unfinished, especially Jonas, and I do feel things ended quite quickly and a bit too neatly? But, with that being said, it's still a great read!

Perfect for historical fiction lovers who prefer their Regency stories with truth, grit, and soul.

[Lily-May · Rating 5 out of 5]

2026 Must Read

I absolutely loved this book!
I was hooked from the first page.
This is an exciting historical fiction, the characters feel so real
And the details in the book makes the story come to life.
It's easy to read and written perfectly


thank you netgalley and HQ for this arc read

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about Sukey, the main character who lives in a brothel in London in 1765.

[Charlotte reads history · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgian London is so often retold through the prism of the Ton: glittering assemblies, sharp-tongued matriarchs, eligible bachelors. The House of Fallen Sisters plants itself firmly in the London that history tends to sidestep: cramped, precarious, morally complicated, and very much alive.

At its centre is Sukey, a mixed-race protagonist navigating a world that offers her vanishingly few safe options. Hare handles Sukey's identity with care and specificity, grounding her experience in the real history of Black Britons in the Georgian era.

The setting will be familiar to readers of Georgina Clarke's Lizzie Hardwicke series: London's brothels and the women who inhabited them, rendered not as titillating backdrop but as a functioning world with its own hierarchies, loyalties, and tender economies. What Hare does particularly well is resist easy morality. Poverty, she shows us, has a way of making the "right" choice a luxury. Survival demands its own kind of pragmatism, and the novel holds that truth without flinching or judging.

Hare also takes some key figures from abolitionist history and weaves their stories into the novel, and you can feel that research working quietly beneath the surface without ever tipping into lecture. Threaded through everything is a found-family warmth that gives the book genuine emotional weight. Solidarity feels earned rather than sentimental.

If you want Georgian London as it was actually lived, rather than as it was painted for posterity, this one is well worth your time.

Thanks to @lourhare and @HQstories for a gifted advanced copy of The House of Fallen Sisters, which is out now!