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The Pleasure Palace: Lush, seductive and richly immersive historical fiction, for fans of Sarah Waters and Jessie Burton
Not yet published
Expected 28 Jan 27'This novel's spell lingers long after it has been cast' Lucy Rose, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lamb
'Expect depravity, wickedness, and the shining light of female solidarity' Joanna Miller, bestselling author of The Eights
'Lush, clever and packed with intrigue, this is a totally arresting novel with the heartbeat of a thriller' Alex Hay, author of The Housekeepers
On a remote island in the Hebrides sits a castle of gleaming red sandstone. By day, it is the picture of elegance. But when night falls, the servants are blindfolded, and a different story altogether starts to unfold . . .
When London showgirl Emerald is invited to spend a weekend on the island by a mysterious and wealthy Scottish bachelor, she life in the theatre means little can shock her.
Quickly, she is dazzled by her lavish surroundings - gilt-panelled ballrooms, hothouses filled with hummingbirds and orchids and no shortage of the finest Champagnes. Yet it is not long before Emerald - no stranger to secrets herself - realises things are not quite as they seem. Why are the doors sealed when the sun goes down? And are the rumours of a hushed-up scandal true?
But when Emerald starts to investigate exactly what is happening in the castle's basement - in the so-called pleasure palace - what she eventually finds has the potential to unleash consequences that will echo down the generations. That is - unless she can find a way to stop it.
READERS LOVE EMMA COWING
'You won't be able to put an Emma Cowing book down' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Emma Cowing immerses you in fascinating, vanished worlds' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'The best book I've read in years' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I cannot recommend her enough' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Just magnificent' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Expect depravity, wickedness, and the shining light of female solidarity' Joanna Miller, bestselling author of The Eights
'Lush, clever and packed with intrigue, this is a totally arresting novel with the heartbeat of a thriller' Alex Hay, author of The Housekeepers
On a remote island in the Hebrides sits a castle of gleaming red sandstone. By day, it is the picture of elegance. But when night falls, the servants are blindfolded, and a different story altogether starts to unfold . . .
When London showgirl Emerald is invited to spend a weekend on the island by a mysterious and wealthy Scottish bachelor, she life in the theatre means little can shock her.
Quickly, she is dazzled by her lavish surroundings - gilt-panelled ballrooms, hothouses filled with hummingbirds and orchids and no shortage of the finest Champagnes. Yet it is not long before Emerald - no stranger to secrets herself - realises things are not quite as they seem. Why are the doors sealed when the sun goes down? And are the rumours of a hushed-up scandal true?
But when Emerald starts to investigate exactly what is happening in the castle's basement - in the so-called pleasure palace - what she eventually finds has the potential to unleash consequences that will echo down the generations. That is - unless she can find a way to stop it.
READERS LOVE EMMA COWING
'You won't be able to put an Emma Cowing book down' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Emma Cowing immerses you in fascinating, vanished worlds' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'The best book I've read in years' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I cannot recommend her enough' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Just magnificent' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Audible Audio
Expected publication January 28, 2027
About the author
Emma Cowing
3 books22 followersEmma Cowing is an author and journalist.
She is a former Feature Writer of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards, and two-time Interviewer of the Year. She holds an Ochberg Fellowship in Journalism and Trauma at Columbia Journalism School in New York, for her work covering the war in Afghanistan, and its aftermath.
Emma lives in Glasgow, Scotland with her husband Jonathan and their enormously fluffy cat, Moses.
Her first novel, The Show Woman, was published in May 2025. Her second novel, The Pleasure Palace, will be published in January 2027.
She is a former Feature Writer of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards, and two-time Interviewer of the Year. She holds an Ochberg Fellowship in Journalism and Trauma at Columbia Journalism School in New York, for her work covering the war in Afghanistan, and its aftermath.
Emma lives in Glasgow, Scotland with her husband Jonathan and their enormously fluffy cat, Moses.
Her first novel, The Show Woman, was published in May 2025. Her second novel, The Pleasure Palace, will be published in January 2027.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Set on a remote Scottish island, The Pleasure Palace introduces us to Emerald, a London showgirl invited to spend a weekend at the lavish castle of the mysterious Lord Lyndon Gunn. But behind the glamour, luxury and apparent elegance lie secrets, strange goings-on and a much darker world than Emerald could ever have anticipated.
I whizzed through the first half of this book, completely drawn in as the suspense gradually built. I initially thought I was settling in for a love story with a few twists along the way, but I was very wrong!
The story takes a much darker turn than I expected, with some genuinely shocking moments that caught me completely off guard. Just when I thought I had a handle on things, the story introduced another perspective, adding a whole new dimension to the characters and events.
Full of twists and turns, secrets and suspense, I was left wondering what would happen next. Would she or wouldn’t she? I was kept guessing right up until the very last moment.
A special mention for Heather Long’s narration, which was brilliant. She brought the characters to life beautifully, handling the different accents and voices so well that it really added to the listening experience.
A gripping, unexpected read that turned out to be far darker and more intriguing than I first anticipated.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for providing me with an advance audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Pleasure Palace – Emma Cowing
* Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Audio
* Narrator: Heather Long
* Publication date: 28 January 2027
Set on a remote Scottish island, The Pleasure Palace introduces us to Emerald, a London showgirl invited to spend a weekend at the lavish castle of the mysterious Lord Lyndon Gunn. But behind the glamour, luxury and apparent elegance lie secrets, strange goings-on and a much darker world than Emerald could ever have anticipated.
I whizzed through the first half of this book, completely drawn in as the suspense gradually built. I initially thought I was settling in for a love story with a few twists along the way, but I was very wrong!
The story takes a much darker turn than I expected, with some genuinely shocking moments that caught me completely off guard. Just when I thought I had a handle on things, the story introduced another perspective, adding a whole new dimension to the characters and events.
Full of twists and turns, secrets and suspense, I was left wondering what would happen next. Would she or wouldn’t she? I was kept guessing right up until the very last moment.
A special mention for Heather Long’s narration, which was brilliant. She brought the characters to life beautifully, handling the different accents and voices so well that it really added to the listening experience.
A gripping, unexpected read that turned out to be far darker and more intriguing than I first anticipated.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for providing me with an advance audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Pleasure Palace – Emma Cowing
* Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Audio
* Narrator: Heather Long
* Publication date: 28 January 2027
October 31, 2026
My goodness this one came out of left field! I’m not normally one for historical stories, stories set in the 1800’s - but goodness this one was so different. It didn’t feel like we were in that time period, there were only glimpses to it which just added to the atmosphere.
What an utterly addicting story. I literally could not stop listening once I’d started.
We follow Emerald (her show name) - show singer in the theatre, and for all intents and purposes we think she’s courting Linden Gun & is hoping for his hand to give herself a better life.
But my goodness the twists and turns in this book. The scheming was just crazy! I absolutely did not see it all coming.
The FMC’s absolute and unconditional love for her sister drives this whole book. And the happiness they shared, but also the heartache.
My goodness by the end my heart was beating for El and Louisa. But I’m so glad that we got out happily ever after, even if it was through so much darkness and was bitter sweet.
A fantastic read that I really didn’t see coming.
What an utterly addicting story. I literally could not stop listening once I’d started.
We follow Emerald (her show name) - show singer in the theatre, and for all intents and purposes we think she’s courting Linden Gun & is hoping for his hand to give herself a better life.
But my goodness the twists and turns in this book. The scheming was just crazy! I absolutely did not see it all coming.
The FMC’s absolute and unconditional love for her sister drives this whole book. And the happiness they shared, but also the heartache.
My goodness by the end my heart was beating for El and Louisa. But I’m so glad that we got out happily ever after, even if it was through so much darkness and was bitter sweet.
A fantastic read that I really didn’t see coming.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Honestly never been fan of historical stories and don’t tried them out really but picking up this book was a good decision cause damn the way this book made me speechless is insane.
The twist and turns of this book will keep you hooked. I was on the edge while listening to each chapters.
The twist and turns of this book will keep you hooked. I was on the edge while listening to each chapters.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews