Caroline Lea – författare

A tale in the tradition of Jane Eyre and Rebecca, in which a young woman follows her new husband to his remote home on the Icelandic coast in the 1680s, where she faces dark secrets surrounding the death of his first wife amidst a foreboding landscape and the superstitions of the local villagers

“Haunting, evocative and utterly compelling. The Glass Woman transports the reader to a time and place steeped in mystery, where nothing is ever quite as it seems. Stunning.” — Tracy Borman, author of The King’s Witch

“Piercing…. Devastating and revelatory.” — New York Times Book Review

Rósa has always dreamed of living a simple life alongside her Mamma in their remote village in Iceland, where she prays to the Christian God aloud during the day, whispering enchantments to the old gods alone at night. But after her father dies abruptly and her Mamma becomes ill, Rósa marries herself off to a visiting trader in exchange for a dowry, despite rumors of mysterious circumstances surrounding his first wife’s death.

She follows her new husband, Jón, across the treacherous countryside to his remote home near the sea. There Jón works the field during the day, expecting Rósa to maintain their house in his absence with the deference of a good Christian wife. What Rósa did not anticipate was the fierce loneliness she would feel in her new home, where Jón forbids her from interacting with the locals in the nearby settlement and barely speaks to her himself.

Seclusion from the outside world isn’t the only troubling aspect of her new life—Rósa is also forbidden from going into Jón’s attic. When she begins to hear strange noises from upstairs, she turns to a local woman in an attempt to find solace, but the villager’s words are even more troubling.

Rósa’s isolation begins to play tricks on her mind: What—or who—is in the attic? What happened to Anna? Was she mad, a witch, or just a victim of Jón’s ruthless nature? And when Jón is brutally maimed in an accident a series of events are set in motion that will force Rósa to choose between obedience and defiance—with her own survival and the safety of the ones she loves hanging in the balance.

The critically acclaimed author of The Glass Woman and The Metal Heart reimagines the shocking story of one of the most controversial contests in history, the Great Stork Derby, in which a millionaire’s death spawns a furious competition for his inheritance.

Toronto, 1926. Knowing that he will die without an heir, childless millionaire Charles Millar leaves behind a controversial will: the recipient of his fortune will be decided in a contest that will become a media sensation and be known as the Great Stork Derby. His money will go to the winner: the woman who bears the most children in the ten years after his death. It is a bequest that will have dramatic consequences for the lives of two women—allies and close friends.

Lily di Marco is young, pregnant, and terrified of her alcoholic, violent husband. When her town is damaged by an earthquake, she flees to Toronto, arriving, by chance, on the doorstep of the glamourous Mae Thebault.

While Mae presents an elegant, confident face to the world, she secretly struggles with her own tortured past and a present consumed with the never-ending burdens of motherhood. Lily enters her life at a breaking point, and soon a fierce friendship blossoms between the women. That is until the Great Depression and the contest, with its alluring prize, threatens to tear their friendship—and their lives—apart.

Prize Women is an evocative and engrossing novel of motherhood, survival, and the heartbreaking decisions we make to protect the ones we love—even when it hurts those we care for most.

Based on the incredible true story of The Great Stork Derby, Prize Women is the profoundly moving novel that sheds light on a scandalous moment in history just as relevant today'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___________Toronto, 1926.A childless millionaire leaves behind an astonishing will: the recipient of his fortune will be decided in a contest known as 'The Great Stork Derby'. His money will go to the winner: the woman who bears the most children in the ten years after his death.Lily di Marco is young, pregnant, and terrified of her husband. Fleeing to Toronto, she arrives on the doorstep of glamorous free spirit Mae Thebault. At a time when men hold all the power, Lily and Mae look out for each other. But as their friendship grows, Lily wonders if there's more to Mae - and her past - than she has been told . . .And as the Great Depression bites, the Stork Derby contest - with its alluring prize - proves too good to ignore for Lily and Mae, each living hand to mouth.These best friends are now fierce rivals. But if only one woman can win, what will the contest cost the other?___________'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

The gripping and unforgettable new novel from Caroline Lea, based on one of history's most shocking but largely untold scandals'A highly original and inventive writer' Sunday TimesToronto, Canada, 1926Best friends Lily di Marco and Mae Thebault were once inseparable. They lived under the same roof and cared for each other's children. But with mouths to feeds and demanding husbands to keep happy, both women are forced into terrible decisions as the Great Depression tightens its grip. When lawyer Charles Vance Miller's will promises a handsome sum of money to the woman who can produce the most babies in the next ten years, it is initially dismissed as a vanity project. But as the Great Depression worsens, and times get increasingly tough across the world, for the most desperate in society this contest known as The Great Stork Derby suddenly seems like a way out.Ten years later, Lily and Mae couldn't be further apart. And as The Great Stork Derby continues to make headlines, for all the wrong reasons, both these women must face up to their part in it, and the consequences... ***PRAISE FOR Caroline Lea: 'Memorable and compelling' Sarah Moss'Enthralling' Stacey Halls'Caroline's beautiful writing transported me entirely to another time and land' Susan Fletcher'Lea writes beautifully' The Times'Atmospheric, heart-wrenching, evocative - this is a gorgeously written story about the scars we carry with us, and how they can be overcome' Gytha Lodge'Exquisitely researched, beautifully told' Mary Beth Keane

Brought to you by Penguin. 1686, ICELAND. AN ISOLATED, WINDSWEPT LAND HAUNTED BY WITCH TRIALS AND STEEPED IN THE ANCIENT SAGAS.Betrothed unexpectedly to Jón Eiríksson, Rósa is sent to join her new husband in the remote village of Stykkishólmur. Here, the villagers are wary of outsiders.But Rósa harbours her own suspicions. Her husband buried his first wife alone in the dead of night. He will not talk of it. Instead he gives her a small glass figurine. She does not know what it signifies.The villagers mistrust them both. Dark threats are whispered. There is an evil here - Rósa can feel it. Is it her husband, the villagers - or the land itself?Alone and far from home, Rósa sees the darkness coming. She fears she will be its next victim . . .''Memorable and compelling. A novel about what haunts us - and what should'' Sarah Moss, author of Ghost Wall''Utterly unputdownable. Rich in superstition and mystery, it pulled me in. An incredible novel'' Ali Land, author of Good Me Bad Me''Haunting, evocative and utterly compelling. The Glass Woman transports the reader to a time and place steeped in mystery, where nothing is ever quite as it seems. Stunning'' Tracy Borman, author of The King''s Witch''Like a ghost story told around a winter fire, The Glass Woman is taut, haunting, and broodingly tense. Playing out against the harsh backdrop of the Icelandic winter, it kept me hooked all the way to the end'' Tim Leach, author of Smile of the Wolf''Suspenseful, gripping and beautifully drawn'' Cecilia Ekbäck, author of Wolf Winter

Brought to you by Penguin. A BEAUTIFULLY COMPELLING WARTIME STORY OF FREEDOM AND LOVEThe sky is clear, star-stamped and silvered by the waxing gibbous moon.No planes have flown over the islands tonight; no bombs have fallen for over a year.Orkney, 1940. Five hundred Italian prisoners-of-war arrive to fortify these remote and windswept islands. Resentful islanders are fearful of the enemy in their midst, but not orphaned twin sisters Dorothy and Constance. Already outcasts, they volunteer to nurse all prisoners who are injured or fall sick.Soon Dorothy befriends Cesare, an artists swept up by the machine of war and almost broken by the horrors he has witnessed. She is entranced by his plan to build an Italian chapel from war scrap and sea derbis, and something beautiful begins to blossom.But Con, scarred from a betrayal in her past, is afraid for her sister; she knows that people are not always what they seem.Soon, trust frays between the islanders and outsiders, and between the sisters - their hearts torn by rival claims of duty and desire. A storm is coming...In the tradition of Captain Corelli''s Mandolin, The Metal Heart is a hauntingly rich Second World War love story about courage, brutality, freedom and beauty and the essence of what makes us human during the darkest of times.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© Caroline Lea 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

In 1920s Toronto, best friends Lily di Marco and Mae Thebault used to be inseparable. They lived under the same roof and cared for each other''s children - in a world where men held all the power, they looked out for one another. But then the Great Depression hits, changing their relationship forever, as both women are forced to make impossible decisions to save themselves - and their families - from ruin.As times get increasingly desperate, the fever of the Great Stork Derby grips the nation, where the woman who bears the most children is in line for a cash prize. The derby is both a cruel game and a welcome distraction, but for Lily and Mae, what bond will prove most sacred? That of family, or that of unimaginable wealth?

Brought to you by Penguin. 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 a refuge.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, it possesses her.Her heart, her desires.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. Perfect for fans of The Essex Serpent and The Manningtree Witches.© Caroline Lea 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025