The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar -Mar '18

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The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar -Mar '18

Post by Clare Bookclub Mod » Sat Apr 07, 2018 1:29 pm

Described by The Bookseller as the next The Essex Serpent, this astounding debut delivers a wonderful romp through Georgian London, charting one merchant’s unlikely rise through society when he is gifted an unusual creature from the sea and decides to display it to the public.

He then meets sex worker Angelica, who leads a dangerous life and is looking for a way out. The book is deliciously rich with authentic detail of 18th-century life, without dumbing it down for the reader. It may be a long read at more than 400 pages, yet each one feels essential to the plot. (The Independent)

`A brilliantly plotted story of mermaids, madams and intrigue in 1780s London and I wouldn't be surprised to see it become the Essex Serpent of 2018' - The Pool'Imogen Hermes Gowar is a soon-to-be literary star' - Sunday Times

Imogen Hermes Gowar studied Archaeology, Anthropology and Art History before going on to work in museums. She began to write fiction inspired by the artefacts she worked with, and in 2013 won the Malcolm Bradbury Memorial Scholarship to study for an MA in Creative Writing at UEA. The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock was a finalist in the MsLexia First Novel Competition and shortlisted for the inaugural Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers' Award.

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