Caroline Lea – författare

In the shadowed halls of Villa Diodati, Mary Shelley’s fury took shape – and birthed a monster…The thrilling retelling from the author of PRIZE WOMEN, THE METAL HEART and THE GLASS WOMAN. Perfect for fans of The Essex Serpent and The Manningtree Witches.‘Hauntingly beautiful, dangerous and magnificent’ Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardo‘A deliciously dark reimagining of the birth of literature's greatest monster’ Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters‘Richly woven, gorgeously addictive, this is a true Gothic novel about life, death, desire, fury and passion’ Joanne Burn, author of The Bone Hunters--Villa Diodati, Lake Geneva, 1816.The dark summer that birthed a monster . . .Eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley has fled London with her lover, Percy Shelley, and her sister, Claire. Tormented by Shelley’s betrayals, haunted by the loss of their baby and suspicious of her sister’s intentions, Mary seeks sanctuary.But Lord Byron’s villa, lying under ominous, ash-shrouded skies, feels more like a trap. When Byron suggests each guest write a supernatural tale, Mary is as drawn to the challenge as she is, unexpectedly, to Byron himself.And so an idea begins to form in her mind . . .It spills out of her in thick, black ink. A thing given life is before her.Day and night, she is possessed. Heart and mind. Body and soul.But is she in control, or is it?In this hauntingly evocative feminist retelling, Caroline Lea delves into the female rage, creative madness and steamy scandal that bore the world's most famous work of gothic fiction.–PRAISE FOR LOVE, SEX & FRANKENSTEIN‘Fury and passion, obsession and revenge sizzle beneath the surface as out-of-this-world prose spins the book to a powerful, sensual grand finale. What a firecracker of a story - it completely swept me off my feet!’ Fiza Saeed McLynn, author of The Midnight Carousel‘You cannot help but fall in love with Mary, whose journey as an artist and as a woman is both absolutely heartbreaking and truly inspiring. This is a deeply moving, magical book from a consummate storyteller’ Elodie Harper, author of The Wolf Den'Beautifully written and wonderfully intense, this is no glamorous story of the rock star poets and their female muses but a rendition of absolute powerlessness turned around through sheer force of will’ Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Disobedient

1686, Iceland. A cold, windswept land where they talk of witches and fear strangers . . . 'Gripped me in a cold fist. Beautiful' Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton'A perfect, gripping winter read. I loved it' Sophie Mackintosh, author of The Water Cure ________When Rósa is betrothed to Jón Eiríksson, she is sent to a remote village. There she finds a man who refuses to speak of his recently deceased first wife, and villagers who view her with suspicion. Isolated and disturbed by her husband's strange behaviour, her fears deepen. What is making the strange sounds in the attic? Who does the mysterious glass figure she is given represent? And why do the villagers talk of the coming winter darkness in hushed tones? A mysterious and captivating tale of love, fear and superstition, perfect for readers of The Miniaturist, The Silent Companions, and The Bear & The Nightingale. Venture to the wild, beautiful and spellbinding Orkney islands in THE METAL HEART, the compelling new story of freedom and love from Caroline Lea.________'ENTHRALLING' Stacey Halls, author of The Familiars & The Foundling 'CRACKLES WITH TENSION. MOVING AND ATMOSPHERIC, I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN' Laura Purcell, author of The Silent Companions & Bone China 'MEMORABLE AND COMPELLING. A NOVEL ABOUT WHAT HAUNTS US - AND WHAT SHOULD' Sarah Moss, author ofGhost Wall 'EVOCATIVE, COMPELLING, WITH A BRILLIANT TWIST' Daily Express'AN ICELANDIC JANE EYRE . . . COMPELLING, ATMOSPHERIC' Sunday Times'INTENSELY WRITTEN AND ATMOSPHERIC, WITH AN UNUSUAL SETTING' Daily Mail'A CHILLING TALE' Good Housekeeping'LIKE A GHOST STORY TOLD AROUND A WINTER FIRE Tim Leach, author of Smile of the WolfSHORTLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL WRITERS ASSOCIATION DEBUT AWARD

The beautifully compelling wartime story of freedom and love set deep in the Scottish islands'A powerful Second World War love story' THE TIMES'Deeply evocative of Orkney and its wild beauty. A stunning tale of sisters, salvation and sacrifice' EMMA STONEX_________Orkney, 1941.Five hundred Italian prisoners of war arrive to fortify these wild and desolate islands.Orphaned sisters Dorothy and Constance volunteer to nurse the wounded. But while beautiful, damaged Constance remains wary of the men, Dot finds herself increasingly drawn to Cesare, a young man fighting on the wrong side and broken by the horrors of battle. Secretly, passionately, they fall in love.When a tragic mistake from Con's past returns to haunt them, Dot must make a choice:Protect her sister no matter the costs, or save the man who has captured her heart?_________Praise for Caroline Lea:'Enthralling' Stacey Halls, author of The Familiars and The Foundling'Fantastic' The Times'Memorable and compelling' Sarah Moss, author of The Times Book of the Year Ghost Wall'Intensely written and atmospheric' Daily Mail'Gripped me in a cold fist. Beautiful' Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton'Brilliant' Daily Express

Based on the scandalous true story of The Great Stork Derby, Prize Women is a gripping and deeply moving novel about desperate choices and the two unforgettable women forced to make them.'Gorgeous. Prize Women took my breath away. I haven't stopped thinking about it' JENNIFER SAINT'Wonderfully evocative and intelligent. Sheds light on a scandalous moment in history I knew nothing about, told with great sensitivity and grace. I was entranced' EMMA STONEX'This heartbreaking story explores friendship, strength and the fight to survive' WOMAN'S WEEKLY___________It's the 1920s, a time of unparalleled excess.But for the rich to party, the poor must starve . . .Into the city arrives pregnant runaway Lily di Marco.She has nothing – and expects nothing.But soon she will find herself in a towering mansion just streets away.Confidante to, and best friends with, its glamorous owner Mae Thebolt.Until the competition.A childless millionaire leaves his fortune to the womanwho will have the most babies over ten years.Is it an eccentric contest?Or a horrible joke played by a rich man on the poorest women of the city?Either way, it will tear Lily and Mae’s friendship - and their lives - to pieces . . .___________'A profoundly moving and absolutely gripping novel about the choices women face - and the choices they are denied. I cannot recommend it highly enough' ELODIE HARPER'This tale of two women resonates with what is happening in the world today. I was gripped by Lily and Mae's story, the desperate choices that women still face' LOUISE HARE'Fascinating historical fiction with a feminist slant' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING'A serious, thoughtful and epic journey into the trials of motherhood . . . With her contrasting female characters, Lea interrogates the fight for female agency across class divides, a struggle that continues to this day. A fascinating snapshot of another time, perhaps not as far removed from our own as we might hope' JANICE HALLET'Wonderfully researched and full of evocative historical detail' CULTUREFLY'Masterful. Caroline Lea is a superb storyteller, and Prize Women deserves a huge readership. So good, I had to pull myself away' ELIZABETH MACNEAL

In the shadowed halls of Villa Diodati, Mary Shelley’s fury took shape – and birthed a monster…LONGLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2026The thrilling retelling from the author of PRIZE WOMEN, THE METAL HEART and THE GLASS WOMAN. Perfect for fans of The Essex Serpent and The Manningtree Witches.‘Hauntingly beautiful, dangerous and magnificent’ Anya Bergman, author of The Witches of Vardo‘A deliciously dark reimagining of the birth of literature's greatest monster’ Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters‘Richly woven, gorgeously addictive, this is a true Gothic novel about life, death, desire, fury and passion’ Joanne Burn, author of The Bone Hunters--Villa Diodati, Lake Geneva, 1816.The dark summer that birthed a monster . . .Eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley has fled London with her lover, Percy Shelley, and her sister, Claire.Tormented by Shelley’s betrayals, haunted by the loss of their baby and suspicious of her sister’s intentions, Mary seeks sanctuary.But Lord Byron’s villa, lying under ominous, ash-shrouded skies, feels more like a trap.When Byron suggests each guest write a supernatural tale, Mary is as drawn to the challenge as she is, unexpectedly, to Byron himself.And so an idea begins to form in her mind . . .It spills out of her in thick, black ink. A thing given life is before her.Day and night, she is possessed. Heart and mind. Body and soul.But is she in control, or is it?In this hauntingly evocative feminist retelling, Caroline Lea delves into the female rage, creative madness and steamy scandal that bore the world's most famous work of gothic fiction.–PRAISE FOR LOVE, SEX & FRANKENSTEIN‘Fury and passion, obsession and revenge sizzle beneath the surface as out-of-this-world prose spins the book to a powerful, sensual grand finale. What a firecracker of a story - it completely swept me off my feet!’ Fiza Saeed McLynn, author of The Midnight Carousel‘You cannot help but fall in love with Mary, whose journey as an artist and as a woman is both absolutely heartbreaking and truly inspiring. This is a deeply moving, magical book from a consummate storyteller’ Elodie Harper, author of The Wolf Den'Beautifully written and wonderfully intense, this is no glamorous story of the rock star poets and their female muses but a rendition of absolute powerlessness turned around through sheer force of will’ Elizabeth Fremantle, author of Disobedient