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Deborah Swift

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The Gilded Lily: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Deborah Swift (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.2 1,668 ratings

Book 2 of 2: Westmorland

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Beauty is skin deep; blood runs deeper
One sister is pretty, the other plain.
Shy Sadie Appleby is the plain one, and has never left her small village. But one night she is rudely awoken by her older and bolder sister, Ella, who has robbed her employer and is on the run.
Together they head for a new life in London, hoping to lose themselves in the teeming city. Flirtatious Ella is soon seduced by the glitter and glamour of the city and sets her sights on flamboyant man-about-town, Jay Whitgift. Jay is a member of Charles II's 'Merry Gang' and owner of 'The Gilded Lily', a beauty parlour for the wives of the London gentry.
Ella begins to see Sadie is a millstone around her neck, and as she rises in society, she pushes Sadie down. Soon a deep rift has formed between the sisters.
But nothing in the capital is what it seems, least of all Jay Whitgift. And when a desperate danger threatens, will blood prove thicker than water?
Set in Restoration London, in the coldest winter of the 17th Century, when the Thames freezes and birds plummet frozen from the sky, The Gilded Lily is a novel about beauty and desire, and how sisterhood can be both a burden and a saving grace. "It's hard to say why you find a novel unputdownable, but I've just spent about 4 hours curled up with the second half, and there was no way I was not going to finish it today!"

"The story line, like a meandering river, was full of unexpected twists and turns which enchanted me and made it very hard to put down."

"Brilliant. a cracking good read couldn't put it down, exciting from beginning to end the author really brought the characters to life."

"I enjoyed this one particularly as it has a different and engaging storyline. It was another book I couldn't put down...read in a day and enjoyed the characters and storyline immensely."

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In 1660 England, Ella sees the chance to escape the countryside and build a new life in London after the death of her employer. With her sister Sadie in tow, the two escape with valuables from their employer’s house, and with their employer’s twin brother hot on their heels, Ella and Sadie try to disappear into London. Life in the city is not as easy as they had hoped, though. Ella’s acerbic nature costs her a job, but her beauty catches the eye of Jay—a wheeler and dealer with connections to shady characters—who offers Ella a new position. When she realizes that her new opportunity is far from what she expected, Ella is quickly in over her head. Swift creates complex characters whose difficult lives and complicated motivations create compelling drama; the sibling relationship between Ella and Sadie is particularly fraught. Filled with action and sparked with romance, this will please the many fans of Swift’s companion novel, The Lady’s Slipper (2010). --Eve Gaus

Review

Superb dialogue, steeped in contemporary language, adds credibility and atmosphere to this compelling tale... a fast-paced adventure peopled with ruthless villains and feisty heroines whose exploits grab the imagination and add suspense and excitement to a historical gem. Lancashire Evening Post
Deborah Swift's captivating writing makes you feel as if you're in Restoration London alongside the two lead characters of this excellent historical novel. Highly recommended.The Bookbag
Swift creates complex characters whose difficult lives and complicated motivations create compelling drama....Filled with action and sparked with romance, this will please the many fans of Swift's companion novel, The Lady's Slipper (2010). Booklist (Eve Gaus)
With intriguing characters, an action-packed plot, and history brought to life, this book is a must read. Night Owl Reviews
The Gilded Lily had me hooked from the first chapter - even the first page. I love a book like that - a book that is almost 500 pages but seemed so much less because I wanted more every time I had to put it down. Sadie was a character that just grabbed your heart from the beginning...I loved it. Peeking Between the Pages Blog

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00842HA7C
Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin; First edition (November 27, 2012)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 27, 2012
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 612 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 479 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #3,078,117 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #5,295 in Historical British Fiction
- #8,971 in Historical British & Irish Literature
- #239,580 in Historical Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.2 1,668 ratings

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Deborah Swift

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THANK YOU for visiting my author page! As you read this I'll probably be writing from my tall stone house which was once a school and built in 1902. This is a house that is "new" in English terms, as many of our local villages date back to the 1630's or even earlier.

I write historical fiction, a genre I love. I loved the Victorian classics such as Jane Eyre, Little Women, Lorna Doone and Wuthering Heights. As I child I loved to read and when I had read my own library books, I used to borrow my mother's library copies of Anya Seton and Daphne du Maurier. I have loved reading historical novels ever since; though I'm a bookaholic and I read widely - contemporary and classic fiction as well as historicals.

In the past I used to work as a set and costume designer for theatre and TV, so I enjoy the research aspect of creating historical fiction, something I loved doing as a scenographer. More details of my research and writing process can be found on my website. I like to write about extraordinary characters set against the background of real historical events.

I live in North Lancashire on the edge of the Lake District, a beautiful area made famous by the Romantic Poets such as Wordsworth and Coleridge. I love exploring the mountainous landscapes and interesting coastline near my home.

'Her characters are so real that they linger in the mind long after the book is back on the shelf. Highly recommended. ' The Historical Novels Review.

Visit my website deborahswift.com for a free story,

WW2 Books:

Past Encounters

The Occupation

The Lifeline

The Silk Code

The Italian Renaissance Series:

The Poison Keeper

The Silkworm Keeper

The Fortune Keeper

The Pepys Trilogy:

Pleasing Mr Pepys

A Plague on Mr Pepys

Entertaining Mr Pepys

17th Century Books:

The Lady's Slipper

The Gilded Lily

A Divided Inheritance

Books for Adults/Young Adults:

Shadow on the Highway

Spirit of the Highway

Lady of the Highway

Find me on my website www.deborahswift.com

or on Twitter @swiftstory

or facebook - authordeborahswift

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

1,668 global ratings

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Cynthia Neale

A suspenseful and satisfying visit to Old England!

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2013

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Deborah Swift's style portrays old England in the 1600s vividly and realistically.I am right there running through the streets with my heart pounding, right along with the main characters and sisters, Ella and Sadie. I didn't like Ella (secondary character) in the first book, 'The Lady's Slipper,' but by the middle of The Gilded Lily, I sympathize with her and not only do I want her to get her comeuppance and must keep reading to find out if she indeed does, I also want her to be redeemed. Ella's sister, Sadie, is my favorite and I also must stay with the story to see if she triumphs over her sorrows and predicament. There's suspense, a little romance, and excellent character development. I can't wait to read the next novel by this knowledgeable and skilled historical fiction writer.

17 people found this helpful

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AZsMyHome

Gritty reality of life in 1661 London

Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2021

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The historical detail is very riveting and gripping. The 'hold your breath' till the next page is well done. Well written and edited.

One person found this helpful

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Suzanne G

The a perfect summer read

Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021

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When I was in high school my favorite thing to do in the summer was to ride my bike to the public library, pick out a nice thick book, and go home and read all day, only stopping for dinner. Reading The Gilded Lily was like taking a trip back in time to those summer days.

Set in the 17th century England, this is the tale of sisterly love, redemption, and just desserts. The characters are extremely well developed, showing well crafted arcs in behavior, motivation, and character. The plot and numerous subplots are also well drafted and the reader has no problem following each tale as it weaves in amongst the others. The book draws you in so well that you can see the back roads of London’s Friarsgate and the city in all of its mucky glory. You can smell the various odors, you can see the lead paint on the women’s faces, and you can hear the noises of the peddlers, beggars, and carriages.

Well I loved everything about this book, I was slightly disappointed that one of the characters did not get her just desserts. I think this is mainly because she did show some guilt and repentance at the end. For the rest of the characters, the bad guys got exactly what they deserved, a A father saw his son for what he truly was, and the brother realized that punishing his twin’s murderer was not going to bring him back.

If anything, I’m sad that I finished this book so quickly. It’s one of those books where you have to sit for a bit before picking up another book, as well as one that has you imagining what the characters did after the book ends. It is the perfect book for summer reading when you’re in a hammock, porch swing, or sitting beside a pool.

3 people found this helpful

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jcwjc

attention to detail, but a bit slow moving to start

Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2021

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I gave this an "average" rating because during the first third of the book I kept wanting to quit reading it. I felt it was just plodding along. I had difficulty connecting to one of the major characters. The plot revolves around two sisters, one I pitied and one that just irritated me. I decided to continue to see if what I wanted to happen to the one I pitied would make her not pitiable at all. I still considered not reading to the end until about the last quarter of the book when the pace finally picked up.
The atmosphere is well done and the descriptions of the life of women was interesting, if gruesome at times. That was important for the plot and to understand the period. That setting Swift did well. I had read the first one in the series some time ago but it is not necessary to understand this one. This is a fairly dark historical novel, so don't expect sweeping romance or humor. Not a light read.

One person found this helpful

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Sally J. Taylor

Worth your time to read.

Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2019

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This historical fiction set in early England depicting the dramatic struggles of financial crisis, inequalities, social class of a large number of the population describes two young sisters and their decision to take their lives in their own hands in order to escape their despicable conditions. Their journey into even more hardships and their way of maneuvering through the twists and turns makes for a captivating and interesting story.

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2023

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What a book you won't want to put it down! Exciting and tense from beginning to theend. You will enjoy it.

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NWReadingMaven

Two resourceful sisters navigate the gritty, fascinating world of 1660s London

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2018

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A fascinating voyage into the gritty underworld of 1660s London, seen through the eyes of two desperate sisters in search of a better future. Swift is a master of historical details and deftly immerses the reader in the seedy back alleys and fog-shrouded banks of the River Thames, a place where life is short and dangerous, and women have few choices or opportunities. Sisters Sadie and Ella arrive in the big city determined to not only survive but thrive. At first, luck is on their side, but a crime they committed before fleeing to London shadows them everywhere they turn. The tension between the sisters sizzles as the authorities close in, and the thrilling pace during the story's dramatic climax makes this book impossible to put down. Swift's London is a feast for the senses, and the harsh world she creates feels chillingly real. I was transported!

2 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Wow!!

Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2019

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This was a very interesting story... It was very long but I guess it was all necessary to come to the conclusion it had to come to. Ella and Sadie must have had the good Lord looking out for them for all's well that ends well! Read and enjoy!!

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Top reviews from other countries

FireOpal1

Historical Insight

Reviewed in Canada on April 15, 2019

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Action packed and a window into the life and times in 1661. The story of 2 sisters bond and adventures.

Lizzie James

A gripping read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 17, 2020

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This isn’t my favourite period of history, so it’s a tribute to the power of Deborah Swift’s writing that I found the novel absolutely gripping and couldn’t put it down.

The central relationship is that between the sisters Ella and Sadie Appleby, who live in Westmorland. Ella is naturally very attractive, but Sadie has a disfiguring purple birthmark on the side of her face, and walks in the shadow of Ella.

Ella’s employment in the home of Thomas Ibbetson, into whose bed she occasionally tumbled, ended abruptly with his sudden death. Genuinely fond of him, and upset at his sudden death, she is sufficiently quick-thinking to encourage her sister to help her remove articles of value from the house, such as silver plate and linen, believing that she was owed some recompense for her work. She and Sadie get out of the house with their booty just before the arrival of Thomas’s twin brother, Titus, and his wife. They decide to head for the safety of London, where they hope to enjoy a life of greater comfort as a result of the items they’d removed. Titus, when he discovers the loss of items of value, goes down to London in hot pursuit of the girls.

Life in London in 1661 isn’t easy for two girls of limited means. The items they thought would be a foundation for a more comfortable life don’t go far, and they rent a pitiful room at the top of a house, which doesn’t even have glass in the window. And both get jobs at a nearby wigmaker’s, where the work is difficult, relentless and potentially injurious.

As a result of the wig-making job, at which Ella’s less skilled than Sadie, Ella catches the eye of the son of a successful pawnbroker. His name is Jay Whitgift, and he plans to open a salon that will be separate from the pawnbroker’s shop. It’s to be called ‘The Gilded Lily’, and he offers Ella the position of running the salon. Ella, who’s very taken with Jay, accepts with pleasure, and is even more delighted when she starts working in the salon and realises that she’ll have a maid to run errands for her during the day. Her life seems to be looking up.

The frozen River Thames, the Frost Fair that took place on his banks, and the setting generally, which takes the reader through the narrow back alleys of a poverty-stricken, unsanitary part of London, become extra characters in the novel, brought to life through the author’s meticulous attention to historical detail.

Set against a background in which we can almost smell the rancid odours in the air, and touch the piles of filthy rubbish that line the streets, and sense the dangers that lurk in the alleys, we meet a range of characters, some truly awful in appearance and character, all of whom stand out clearly through the vividness of their description.

In a fast-paced novel, the reader keeps turning the pages, eager to know if the two girls avoid capture, despite the reward offered for them by Titus, and if they escape the fate that an unscrupulous character has in store for them.

The author is a superb storyteller, and I highly recommend the book. It’s a gripping story.

One person found this helpful

Gene

Wonderful historical drama

Reviewed in Australia on December 1, 2018

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Fascinating insight into the life of the poor in London in 1661 and the most realistic relationship between two sisters I have ever read. All the characters were amazing. I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. Excellent companion to The Lady's Slipper. Ms Swift quite justly deserves the title of a historical author, her research is so in-depth.

Phil Syphe

Vivid Portrayal of 17th-Century London

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2017

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Although this is a sequel to “The Lady’s Slipper”, it also works perfectly as a stand-alone novel. This is mainly because none of the leading characters from “The Lady’s Slipper” appear in “The Gilded Lily”. Instead, one of the secondary characters from the previous book shares centre stage with a new character. This in itself is an admirable way to write a sequel, as it shows originality and creativity.

So, the main theme is two young women – sisters Ella and Sadie – who head to London because Ella is suspected of murder. I didn’t warm to Ella and I’m not sure that it was the author’s intention that the reader should warm to her.

Sadie, on the other hand, immediately gets a sympathy vote because of the birthmark on her face. I liked her easy-going personality and hoped she’d find happiness before the end of the story.

The plot features many well-written scenes, which vividly bring 17th-century London to life. I could feel the cold when winter struck hard.

As I’m writing this four years after reading the book, it’s hard to add more, but I do remember thinking that “The Gilded Lily” was a very good read, though not as enthralling as “The Lady’s Slipper”.

One person found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Lots of action

Reviewed in Australia on June 7, 2019

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This was a great read. It was beautifully written. The characters were interesting and diverse. It had lots of detail of how life was back then too.

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