The Silk Weaver

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What to expect

*Published in the US as The Hidden Thread*

Inspired by real historical events and characters, Liz Trenow's The Silk Weaver is a captivating, unforgettable story of illicit romance in a time of enlightenment and social upheaval.

1760, Spitalfields. Anna Butterfield’s life is about to change forever, as she moves from her idyllic Suffolk home to be introduced into London society. A chance encounter with a French silk weaver, Henri, draws her in to the volatile world of the city’s burgeoning silk trade. Henri is working on his ‘master piece’, to become a master weaver and freeman; Anna longs to become an artist while struggling against pressure from her uncle’s family to marry a wealthy young lawyer.

As their lives become ever more intertwined, Henri realizes that Anna’s designs could give them both an opportunity for freedom. But his world becomes more dangerous by the day, as riots threaten to tear them apart forever . . .

Critics Review

What a delicious read The Silk Weaver is. I was enchanted by this novel set in eighteenth-century Spitalfields; meticulously researched, richly detailed, the brilliantly structured story shimmered as the threads of silk wound through its pages. I devoured it in two days and was gripped from start to finish. The characters shine too and Anna is an absolute triumph. A fabulous book
Dinah Jefferies
I absolutely love the details about silk weaving . . . Liz Trenow conjures up atmosphere concisely and brilliantly, with not a spare word to be found. I felt enriched when I reached the end of this gem of a novel, and can’t wait to read her next one
Gill Paul
Push back the gorgeous brocade curtains of The Silk Weaver's period detail and romance and you find a window on eighteenth century London that, with its prejudice and divisions, is surprisingly pertinent today
Kate Riordan
I absolutely loved The Silk Weaver. Liz writes beautifully, and I adored the characters of Anna and Henri - their love was so delicately and believably evoked. The background motifs of the silks and the floral designs, and the political/social context which made their relationship so difficult is also brilliantly done. I really couldn't wait to get back to it each evening
Tracy Rees
A wonderful read . . . full of such extraordinary, fascinating detail
Kate Thompson
Liz Trenow sews together the strands of past and present as delicately as the exquisite stitching on the quilt which forms the centrepiece of the story
Lucinda Riley on The Forgotten Seamstress
An assured debut with a page-turning conclusion
Daily Express on The Forgotten Seamstress
Extraordinary, fascinating . . . deeply rooted in history
Midweek, Radio 4, on The Forgotten Seamstress
This absorbing novel delves into the secrets of wartime silk production and makes them totally fascinating . . . tremendously atmospheric and convincing in its details, with characters that touch the heart. A book to savour
Kate Furnivall, author of The Russian Concubine, on The Forgotten Seamstress

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