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‘I loved this!… I was drawn into the shadowy world of illicit photography in late-Victorian Brighton and felt I was walking those streets with my own camera and watching the images develop… A compelling tale of love, friendship and identity… This book does what the best historical fiction can do: immerses you in its world… I thoroughly recommend!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Remember,’ Ellen says, teasing strands of the girl’s hair from the pins, ‘once you’re in front of the camera, you become someone else entirely.’
England, 1895: In the bustling seaside town of Brighton, photography is all the rage. Ellen Harper assists her twin brother running one of the city’s seafront studios, where fashionable ladies and gentlemen pose in their finery to have their likeness captured forever in a silver frame.
But behind the façade of a respectable business, the siblings have something to hide. After the studio closes for the day, secret photographs are taken in the back room. There is money to be made from this underground trade, but if exposed to the light of day, these photographs would destroy them…
When newly married Clementine comes to sit for a portrait, Ellen learns she is looking for a lady’s companion. Longing for a life of her own choosing and freedom from the deals her brother has made, Ellen accepts the post. The new position transports her to a sweeping white-fronted townhouse on one of Brighton’s most prestigious crescents, full of every luxury imaginable.
But Clementine’s gilded world hides as much darkness as Ellen hoped to escape… What will happen when the secrets Ellen has left behind finally catch up to her?
Perfect for fans of The Clockmaker’s Daughter, The Doll Factory and Sarah Waters. This is richly atmospheric and gripping historical fiction shining a light on the role of women in a world dominated by men.
Praise for The Secret Photographs:
‘I was instantly hooked into the story, it has vivid descriptions of the times and places, and a plotline that kept me guessing. Ellen and Clem are particularly strong and fascinating characters, I very much enjoyed sharing their battles and endeavours during such unfair times for women’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A sumptuous, evocative triumph of a novel!‘ Jenny Ashcroft
‘I could not put it down… Fantastically researched. Got to be a 5-star rating from me’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A divine and sumptuous portrait of Victorian Brighton, written in gloriously seductive prose, I was enthralled‘ Amanda Geard
‘I loved the way you were drawn into the various characters and their struggles through gender and class divides of the era’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A glorious and sumptuous feast for the senses and it drew me in from the start, wanting to find out more about these women’s stories and their struggles for freedom and change. It’s an absolute joy. I couldn’t put it down‘ Rosanna Ley
‘Beautifully atmospheric‘ Gill Paul
‘Beautifully written book with fabulous characters and plot, hard to put down!‘ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was first published as The Golden Hour.
‘Remember,’ Ellen says, teasing strands of the girl’s hair from the pins, ‘once you’re in front of the camera, you become someone else entirely.’
England, 1895: In the bustling seaside town of Brighton, photography is all the rage. Ellen Harper assists her twin brother running one of the city’s seafront studios, where fashionable ladies and gentlemen pose in their finery to have their likeness captured forever in a silver frame.
But behind the façade of a respectable business, the siblings have something to hide. After the studio closes for the day, secret photographs are taken in the back room. There is money to be made from this underground trade, but if exposed to the light of day, these photographs would destroy them…
When newly married Clementine comes to sit for a portrait, Ellen learns she is looking for a lady’s companion. Longing for a life of her own choosing and freedom from the deals her brother has made, Ellen accepts the post. The new position transports her to a sweeping white-fronted townhouse on one of Brighton’s most prestigious crescents, full of every luxury imaginable.
But Clementine’s gilded world hides as much darkness as Ellen hoped to escape… What will happen when the secrets Ellen has left behind finally catch up to her?
Perfect for fans of The Clockmaker’s Daughter, The Doll Factory and Sarah Waters. This is richly atmospheric and gripping historical fiction shining a light on the role of women in a world dominated by men.
Praise for The Secret Photographs:
‘I was instantly hooked into the story, it has vivid descriptions of the times and places, and a plotline that kept me guessing. Ellen and Clem are particularly strong and fascinating characters, I very much enjoyed sharing their battles and endeavours during such unfair times for women’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A sumptuous, evocative triumph of a novel!‘ Jenny Ashcroft
‘I could not put it down… Fantastically researched. Got to be a 5-star rating from me’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A divine and sumptuous portrait of Victorian Brighton, written in gloriously seductive prose, I was enthralled‘ Amanda Geard
‘I loved the way you were drawn into the various characters and their struggles through gender and class divides of the era’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A glorious and sumptuous feast for the senses and it drew me in from the start, wanting to find out more about these women’s stories and their struggles for freedom and change. It’s an absolute joy. I couldn’t put it down‘ Rosanna Ley
‘Beautifully atmospheric‘ Gill Paul
‘Beautifully written book with fabulous characters and plot, hard to put down!‘ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was first published as The Golden Hour.
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Reviews
A compelling Sapphic novel in which subjugated women defy society's expectations . . . Atmospheric, dark, and daring
Luminous - a sensitive and moving portrayal of women caught up in the perilous world of erotic photography in late Victorian Brighton. Jacquie Bloese brings the period and characters vividly to life. Perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry
A delicious peep into the world of 'what the Butler saw', contrasting the drudgery of the steamy laundry with the sordid cigar smoke of the gentlemen's clubs. The characters and the setting were all portrayed with such vivid colour and conviction . . . there was also a strong element of defying the patriarchy, which resonates with issues today
A captivating panorama of late-Victorian Brighton, where beauty and seediness coexist in the shadowy alleyways behind the seafront. The story highlights the hypocrisy of a society where women are expected to be angels, while the men think nothing of buying titillating photographs for their private entertainment. All the characters are vividly drawn . . . and the writing is beautifully atmospheric
An absorbing novel of secrets and survival that exposes darker aspects of Victorian life, as three women seek to defy societal conventions in order to determine their own destinies. A gutsy tale that is sure to please!
A divine and sumptuous portrait of Victorian Brighton, written in gloriously seductive prose, I was enthralled. Jacquie Bloese writes so evocatively, truly drawing on all the senses. A stunning writer and such an absorbing novel
Jacquie Bloese's pitch-perfect prose draws us powerfully into late Victorian Brighton, and the shadowy world of illicit photography. I loved this novel: its fascinating narrative, its strong themes of female empowerment, its mesmerising characters. It's a novel to be savoured, and I whole-heartedly recommend it.
I adored it. It's a glorious and sumptuous feast for the senses and it drew me in from the start, wanting to find out more about these women's stories and their struggles for freedom and change. It's an absolute joy. I couldn't put it down.
Engrossed to the last page. Opens with a mystery and pulls the reader through a labyrinth of plot twists, its key character Ellen shining in her struggle to assert her right to define her own life and loves
Compelling and beautifully drawn characters, an intriguing setting and tons of atmosphere - I felt I was right there, seeing, hearing and even smelling the sea in fin-de-siecle Brighton. I loved this book and want to read more by Jacquie Bloese
Beautifully written . . . captures how these women's lives unravel at the mercy of their men. A passionate, enthralling and historically rich book. Hard to put down