Workhorse
- Author Caroline Palmer
- Narrator Helen Laser
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date 14 October 2025
- Run Time 18 hours and 35 minutes
- Format x-book®
- Genre Humorous fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Coming of age, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging.
Click to open directly in the xigxag app.
Standard price shown. Sign in for personalised pricing.
Send as a gift Get in the xigxag appFlexible Pricing & Rewards For Listening
At xigxag, the more you read, the less you pay* on select audiobook and x-book® titles, as in the table below. Pricing updates automatically in the app and resets one year after your first purchase. And you can always find a selection of brilliant titles available for only £3.99.
Titles Purchased
- 1-5
- 6-10
- 11-15
- 16-20
- Over 20
Price per title
- £7.99
- £6.99
- £5.99
- £4.99
- £3.99
*Only the full price titles you buy count toward your personal pricing tier. Full price titles don’t include Listen for Less or other books bought with a voucher or discount code.
Listen to a sample
What to expect
'Razor-sharp and deliciously wry' COCO MELLORS
'Funny, tender, thrillingly dark' HEATHER DARWENT
'Exhilarating, beguiling, beautiful' OLIVIA PETTER
An astonishing portrait of a city on the brink of a dizzying new era and a story about a young woman who will do anything to infiltrate the rarefied world of New York's fashion elite.
New York City, 2001.
Editorial Assistant Clodagh “Clo” Harmon wants nothing more than to rise through the ranks at the world’s most prestigious fashion magazine. But there’s just one problem: she doesn’t have the right pedigree. Clo is a ‘workhorse’ in a world of beautiful, wealthy, impossibly well-connected ‘show horses’ and it seems that her fortunes will never change. That is until Clo meets Harry Wood, a reporter with visions of his own media empire and the person who might be Clo’s ally in gaming the system…or is he the only thing standing between Clo and her rightful place at the top?
Clo begins to wade across boundaries, taking ever greater and more dangerous risks to become the Important Person she wants to be. But who is Clo under all the borrowed designer clothes and studied manners? And who are we if we share her desires?
As wickedly funny as it is darkly unsettling, Workhorse is an astonishing story of envy and ambition, set against the glamour and privilege of media and high society in New York at its height.
Critics Review
‘Fierce, funny and unflinching. Palmer’s observations are razor-sharp and deliciously wry’ Coco Mellors, bestselling author of Blue Sisters
n'Truly brilliant writing' Guardian
n‘Palmer offers a full-body immersion into the sights and sounds of early 2000s New York life. There’s a distinct touch of the Tom Ripleys about this…punchily funny’ The Times
n'Brilliant in every way' Irish Times
n‘The world Palmer builds is exhilarating, particularly because she fills it with such beguiling, beautiful and fundamentally flawed characters. Imaginative and refreshing, I was completely addicted to it’ Olivia Petter, author of Gold Rush
n‘Brilliantly observes working life’Sunday Times Style
n'There are shades of Slaves of New York and The Devil Wears Prada in this deep, deep dive into the fashion abyss of Noughties New York. Clo is an exceptional creation. An absolute treat of a book, I was obsessed' Louise Candlish, bestselling author of Our House
n'The Devil Wears Prada meets The Talented Mr. Ripley…I easily could have spent another 500 pages in the glamorous 2000s New York publishing scene'Daily Express
n'Sly, fun and astutely observed. A suspenseful story about an assistant who will do anything in her power to move up on the masthead. Propulsive, surprising, and fun' Emma Rosenblum, bestselling author of Bad Summer People
n‘The best thing I've read this year by far. It's Prep meets The Devil Wears Prada meets The Goldfinch. Funny, tender, but with so many thrillingly dark moments. OBSESSED’ Heather Darwent, bestselling author of The Things We Do to our Friends
n'Thrilling, page-turning and deeply absorbing – fin de siecle indulgence shackled to an anxious expense account' Matthew Thomas, bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves
n'A heady brew of nostalgia and melancholia, resurrecting a magazine yesterworld of prima donnas, cash drawers and petty grievances' Lauren Mechling, author of How Could She
nUser Reviews
More from the same
About xigxag and the x-book®
Discover the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed to simplify finding, purchasing, and enjoying your favourite books in audio format. Our flexible pricing model makes bestselling audiobooks affordable, offering the best audiobook deals without the need for a subscription. You can also give the perfect gift with our convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.
A core differentiator of xigxag is our groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology, which delivers a truly immersive digital book experience. This unique innovation seamlessly combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant, integrated format, complete with exclusive audiobook features and a next-generation digital reading experience. Our growing x-book selection is easily discoverable by looking for the distinctive purple x-book® ribbon, or by simply filtering your search by ‘x-book’.
Beyond our technology, xigxag is committed to sustainability and ethical practices, ensuring a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we stand as a leader in audiobook innovation and a compelling alternative to big tech. Our commitment extends to delivering extraordinary customer service, provided by our friendly UK support team.
Effortlessly search audiobooks, gain insights from honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. You can download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere, guaranteeing the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.