Listen to a sample
The Golden Hours
- Author
- Louisa Young
- Narrator
- Indira Varma
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Publish Date
- 3 September 2026
- Run Time
- 13 hours 25 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
One of The Times' 40 books not to miss this autumn
Brought to life with the captivating narration of Indira Varma (Game of Thrones, Luther and Oedipus at The Old Vic).
Continuing the story of one of the most beloved families in British literature, The Golden Hours is the brilliant new novel in Elizabeth Jane Howard’s iconic Cazalet Chronicles written by her niece, the bestselling author Louisa Young.
Our lives have changed so much . . .
It’s December 1962, and the Cazalet family are gathering to celebrate Christmas. With the family’s beloved Home Place long sold, Polly and Gerald have offered up their rambling stately pile, Fakenham Hall in Norfolk, to parents, siblings, cousins and children.
The old guard – brothers Hugh, Edward, Rupert and their sister Rachel – look on as the England they knew and understood fades from view. Cousins Polly, Louise and Clary, all now on the brink of turning forty, are struggling to balance the demands of midlife with their personal desires – however secret. And then there are the young – a new generation growing up in a society on the cusp of real change.
In this spellbinding novel, familiar faces reappear, newcomers are introduced, and the legacy of the Cazalets carries on into the Swinging Sixties.
‘Effortlessly authentic, pitch-perfect, funny, sexy and heart-wrenching, I can't remember the last time I lost myself so deliciously in a novel!’ - Julie Myerson, author of Something Might Happen
‘I'm overjoyed to have this . . . The Golden Hours is a wonderful read’ – Nina Stibbe, author of Love, Nina
Critics Review
-
I’m overjoyed to have this new volume in the Cazalet Chronicles. The Golden Hours is a wonderful read
Nina Stibbe, bestselling author of Love, Nina
-
The Golden Hours is a total delight... A new generation takes up the mantle of the next generation of Cazalets: with a seventh and eighth volume promised, long may it continue.
The Guardian
-
This sequel to The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard is written by Howard’s niece, author Louisa Young and is a complete joy.
Good Housekeeping
-
Magnificent – a sweeping, arresting continuation of a dearly beloved series, and a majestic tribute to Elizabeth Jane Howard
Stacey Halls, bestselling author of The Familiars
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
Effortlessly authentic, pitch-perfect, funny, sexy and heart-wrenching, I can't remember the last time I lost myself so deliciously in a novel!
Julie Myerson, author of Something Might Happen
-
This sequel to Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet Chronicles is a corker
Woman & Home
-
A book full of pleasures
Susie Boyt, author of Loved and Missed
-
If, like me, the end of Elizabeth Jane Howard’s exquisite Cazalet chronicles left you bereft, take heart. In The Golden Hours, Louisa Young seamlessly picks up the thread and weaves magical new life into one of my favourite fictional families.
Indira Varma
-
A formidable task to undertake, Louisa Young has triumphed. The Golden Hours is so beautifully written and emotionally acute, it had me enraptured. The Cazalets live again, summoned into being by the surest and cleverest of authors
Elizabeth Buchan, author of Bonjour, Sophie
-
The Golden Hours is quite simply marvellous. By some magic, Louisa Young has acquired Elizabeth Jane Howard's touch. It seemed impossible that I would love these Cazalets as much as I love the originals, but I honestly do
Christobel Kent, author of The Loving Husband
-
Louisa Young is the great chronicler of romantic love and the pain of its loss
Linda Grant, author of When I Lived in Modern Times, on Twelve Months and a Day
-
Young possesses in abundance emotional conviction, pace and imaginative energy
The Guardian
-
The Cazalets have earned an honoured place among the great saga families
Sunday Telegraph
-
Maybe my favourite books ever
Marian Keyes, bestselling author of My Favourite Mistake, on The Cazalet Chronicles
-
Should you read this new volume of the Cazalet Chronicles? Yes!
The Times
-
A proper triumph
Fabulous Magazine
-
Breezy, elegant prose - it's addictive reading
Mail on Sunday
-
Rich characterisation, and fascinating historical insight into the era. Elizabeth Jane Howard . . . would approve
i Paper
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Louisa Young
- Narrator
- Indira Varma
- Duration
- 13 hours 25 minutes
- Release Date
- 3 September 2026
- ISBN
- 9781035068913
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Genre
- Fiction: literary and general non-genre, Historical fiction, Family saga / generational saga fiction, Historical romance, Family life fiction / Stories about family, Romance: wholesome / clean, Classic fiction: literary and general, Narrative theme: love / relationships
Synopsis
One of The Times' 40 books not to miss this autumnBrought to life with the captivating narration of Indira Varma (Game of Thrones, Luther and Oedipus at The Old Vic).Continuing the story of one of the most beloved families in British literature, The Golden Hours is the brilliant new novel in Elizabeth Jane Howard’s iconic Cazalet Chronicles written by her niece, the bestselling author Louisa Young.Our lives have changed so much . . .It’s December 1962, and the Cazalet family are gathering to celebrate Christmas. With the family’s beloved Home Place long sold, Polly and Gerald have offered up their rambling stately pile, Fakenham Hall in Norfolk, to parents, siblings, cousins and children.The old guard – brothers Hugh, Edward, Rupert and their sister Rachel – look on as the England they knew and understood fades from view. Cousins Polly, Louise and Clary, all now on the brink of turning forty, are struggling to balance the demands of midlife with their personal desires – however secret. And then there are the young – a new generation growing up in a society on the cusp of real change.In this spellbinding novel, familiar faces reappear, newcomers are introduced, and the legacy of the Cazalets carries on into the Swinging Sixties.‘Effortlessly authentic, pitch-perfect, funny, sexy and heart-wrenching, I can't remember the last time I lost myself so deliciously in a novel!’ - Julie Myerson, author of Something Might Happen‘I'm overjoyed to have this . . . The Golden Hours is a wonderful read’ – Nina Stibbe, author of Love, Nina
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.