SOON TO BE STREAMED ON NETFLIX By the Baillie Gifford prize-winning and No. 1 Sunday Times
bestselling author of THE FIVE 'A fascinating expose of the seamy side of eighteenth century
life' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Rubenhold's pages practically reek with smelly pox-ridden Georgian
Soho' GUARDIAN ------------------------------------------------------- In 1757 a
down-and-out Irish poet the head waiter at the Shakespear's Head Tavern in Covent Garden and
a celebrated London courtesan became bound together by the publication of a little book:
Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies. This salacious work - detailing the names and
'specialities' of the capital's sex-workers- became one of the eighteenth century's most
scandalous bestsellers. Yet beyond its titillating passages lies a glimpse into the lives of
those who lived and died by its profits - a tragicomic opera of the Georgian era motivated by
poverty passionate love aspiration and shame. In this modern and visceral narrative
historian Hallie Rubenhold reveals the story behind Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies and
the legion of ordinary women whose lives in the sex trade history has chosen to ignore.
'Scrupulously researched' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Crackles with drama and tension' GUARDIAN '
Compelling and ingenious' INDEPENDENT WHAT READERS ARE SAYING: 'This book is an absolute
'must'-read for any person interested in English social history' 5 **** 'Fascinating' 5 ****
'Brilliant. Full of intelligent insight which brings this period to vibrant life' 5 ****
________ **PRE-ORDER THE AUTHOR'S BRAND NEW WORK STORY OF A MURDER** 'Terrific' Ian Rankin
'I dare you to put it down' Lucy Worsley 'Fascinating' Val McDermid
