The Woman in the Wallpaper
On sale
20th February 2025
Price: £18.99
Are some patterns destined to be repeated?
“Spellbinding and decadent . . . an astounding debut” SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN, author of PANDORA
___________________
Paris, 1789. The Oberst Factory, which crafts exquisite wallpaper for the most fashionable French homes, is a place shrouded in mystery. Most enigmatic is the woman pictured in each of its prints, rumoured to be the late Mrs Oberst, who died in peculiar circumstances.
When sisters Lara and Sofi arrive there for work, they quickly form a friendship with Josef Oberst, the motherless heir to the factory. Whilst Sofi’s political fervour intensifies, Lara is disturbed by the uncanny way her life appears mirrored in the wallpaper. Meanwhile Hortense, Josef’s spoilt aristocratic wife, is similarly unnerved by the scenes that line the walls of her new home. With the mobs growing ever more violent, is she in danger of meeting the same untimely end as the last Mrs Oberst?
As revolution blazes across France, the lives of Sofi, Lara and Hortense are set to collide in unimaginable and irrevocable ways. Can they change what lies ahead, or are some patterns destined to be repeated?
_________
‘We are gifted a platter of intriguing, unpredictable characters and an expertly-plotted narrative that delights and amuses despite the darkly unsettling mystery’ JOANNE BURN, author of THE HEMLOCK CURE
‘Exquisite writing and a riveting plot’ ANNA MAZZOLA, author of THE CLOCKWORK GIRL
“Spellbinding and decadent . . . an astounding debut” SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN, author of PANDORA
___________________
Paris, 1789. The Oberst Factory, which crafts exquisite wallpaper for the most fashionable French homes, is a place shrouded in mystery. Most enigmatic is the woman pictured in each of its prints, rumoured to be the late Mrs Oberst, who died in peculiar circumstances.
When sisters Lara and Sofi arrive there for work, they quickly form a friendship with Josef Oberst, the motherless heir to the factory. Whilst Sofi’s political fervour intensifies, Lara is disturbed by the uncanny way her life appears mirrored in the wallpaper. Meanwhile Hortense, Josef’s spoilt aristocratic wife, is similarly unnerved by the scenes that line the walls of her new home. With the mobs growing ever more violent, is she in danger of meeting the same untimely end as the last Mrs Oberst?
As revolution blazes across France, the lives of Sofi, Lara and Hortense are set to collide in unimaginable and irrevocable ways. Can they change what lies ahead, or are some patterns destined to be repeated?
_________
‘We are gifted a platter of intriguing, unpredictable characters and an expertly-plotted narrative that delights and amuses despite the darkly unsettling mystery’ JOANNE BURN, author of THE HEMLOCK CURE
‘Exquisite writing and a riveting plot’ ANNA MAZZOLA, author of THE CLOCKWORK GIRL
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Reviews
An enthralling story, deftly plotted, with a mystery that winds ever more tightly around the characters, as relentless as the advancing French Revolution with all its hopes and terrors.
A gorgeous, haunting story of how love, ideals, and art can become twisted but also how they can survive
The Woman in the Wallpaper by Lora Jones is that rare delight: a work of historical fiction that makes you consider anew the past you thought you understood, and see it through fresh eyes. An immersive tale of the French Revolution through the eyes of three women and their personal tragedies, The Woman in the Wallpaper will keep you guessing until the end.
Exquisite writing and a riveting plot. As beautifully crafted, and mysterious, as the wallpaper that seems to mirror the characters' lives. A truly brilliant book.
The Woman in the Wallpaper is a beautifully crafted novel, filled with the kind of exquisite historical details that make a story sing. Perfection.
Sumptuous, mysterious and so beautifully textured. Each scene is crafted with the same care as the wallpaper vignettes. What a debut!
A dark mystery set against the backdrop of revolutionary France. An exquisite page-turner that will keep you up at night.
Extraordinary. Lora Jones's storytelling is exquisite, her characters as intricately drawn as the images on the detailed wallpaper patterns that appear throughout the book. The Woman in the Wallpaper is sweeping and yet intimate, powerful and passionate and yet subtle and unnerving. Full of atmosphere and intensity, it's a glorious read and I loved it - I predict great things for Lora Jones!
Immediately swept away into the tumultuous world of revolutionary France, I was captivated from the opening pages by the three young women whose lives are thrown into turmoil by events both personal and political. Skilfully written, we are gifted a platter of intriguing, unpredictable characters and an expertly-plotted narrative that delights and amuses despite the darkly unsettling mystery that urges the story on at a pace.
An epic, elaborate plot told with exquisite, captivating detail. Political intrigue and personal mysteries unfold through the eyes of three riveting female characters searching for some kind of freedom even as they are held in traps beyond their making. An astonishingly accomplished debut.
Spellbinding and decadent, this is an utterly original novel with taut evocative prose and a plot of stunning and intricate complexity, making THE WOMAN IN THE WALLPAPER an astounding debut of true turn-paging quality.
A brilliant debut: vivid, passionate and beautifully woven, which completely transports us back to 18th century France
Set during the French Revolution, this sweeping historical debut is a gripping and beautifully woven tale of intrigue and darkness that is hard to put down
Beautifully written with a heart-stopping plot
Spellbinding, chilling and utterly mesmerising. A twisty portrayal of sisterly devotion and a moving exploration of generational trauma set during the turmoil of the French Revolution. This stunning debut is not to be missed.