The Three: A devastating, compelling historical thriller

by Kelsey O'Brien

1791. The dressmaker, his lover and his lover's wife. A house full of secrets where danger lies behind every door.

Matthew came from nothing. Now he is a skilled corset-maker adored by high society. But he must hide his true self from prying eyes, seeking love in the riotous underbelly of Georgian molly houses. If outed, he will face the noose.

When he falls in love with aristocrat Henry, he is hired as private dressmaker to Henry's wife, Elina, so they can continue their secret affair.

The three live together in uneasy tension inside the huge dark country mansion, and Matthew soon discovers Elina has secrets of her own. Slowly he is drawn into her dangerous world of revolutionary politics.

When the truth about Matthew and Henry threatens to explode their lives, Matthew is forced to make a devastating who does he save? His lover or his friend?

A thrilling and devastating read perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, Jessie Burton and A.J. West

Genres: Gay

279 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 29, 2026

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rare for me to read a book set in the 18th Century ( 1791 and earlier as the book goes between times )

We meet Matthew who is a skilled ladies dressmaker and got to say there is a lot of talk of his trade/skill in the book and I wondered how I would find it and most of the time it was fascinating, the talk of different fabrics and how the dresses were made were enlightening and as for the wonderful women characters he met, they were a delight to read about)

I also found it more than interesting in this time of much gender talk that men wore wigs and more make up ( powders, blusher ) than women, the gender gap was small if there at all ( modern ‘we are the first Gen to do this’ would probably be surprised at some practices from that time )

But Matthew has a secret, being gay is certainly not accepted and has to be kept to certain places for quick meets and ‘Molly Houses’ that are at constant risk of raid, to be gay is a real risk of prosecution and a hanging offence

So when Matthew meets Henry and they fall in love everything has to be a secret, and if this means Matthew has to become Henrys wife’s live in dressmaker, so be it

As the story progresses life becomes unbearable for Matthew and as he gets politically closer to Henrys wife guilt starts to appear

I wont say why but the section on Bedlam is sobering for anyone to read

It really was a staggering read re the info and research the author has done and the many questions/ideas the book welcomes, it may not suit everyone and yes at times I had to fully concentrate to take it all in but found myself looking forward to reading it and really believing all was reading

Wonderful authors notes where she states as a reader the book is now ours as well
as hers as we shared the journey together

[Mystica · Rating 5 out of 5]

1791 England. Interesting times and we have people living dangerously on the edge. Matthew is a skilled corset maker and his business is steadily on the rise. He came from nothing and has clawed himself up, setting up a business which is seen as successful. Though catering to the elite, he is still on the outside of society until he takes up with the aristocratic Henry with whom he falls in love. The danger of keeping a liaison like this secret is a must as it is a criminal offence. Matthew moves into Henry’s house as a private corset maker to Henry’s wife Elina so that the deception can continue.

So far the story is nothing untoward because society had many secrets swept under the Carpet, and ignored by polite society so that surfaces are not ruffled and secrets are kept hidden. Discovering that his lovers wife was well into revolutionary politics which she had kept carefully hidden was a surprise. Supporting her in her movement to popularise her ideas was not part of Matthew’s duties but he sympathised with Elina’s position in the household and then began his surreptitious life of helping Eliza without Henry’s knowledge.

The reckoning was coming and it did. It was sobering, difficult and emotional to process, but it was excellent reading.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading The Three. It is so clear how much research the author put into the work in order to truly transport the reader into this time period. She does an amazing job of taking present-day cultural and political discussions and depicting them in the book’s setting. The characters are simultaneously so relatable and likeable, we’re rooting for them and finding empathy for their mistakes. I highly recommend this book ! The writing is super fun to read and done by a clearly talented author.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

couldn't put it down. totally transporting page-turner that delivers on drama, plot, pace, heart and emotional depth. you get invested in these characters, they feel real and three dimensional, you care about their inner lives and journeys. deeply researched, political and intelligent - all in a non-pretentious way. one of those books you ‘surface’ from at the end if that makes sense as you realise you’ve truly been immersed in its world and don’t want it to end

[Paula Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this novel! It was fun to be transported to England in the 1700-1800s. The story was thrilling and I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend