The Pleasure Palace

‘A sexy, clever page-turner’ * Amand Geard, author of The Midnight House *
‘Cleverly drawn characters, a fascinating setting and a mystery at its heart that kept me one-more-chaptering until the early hours.’ * Frances Quinn, author of The Lost Passenger *
‘Lush, clever and packed with intrigue, this is a totally arresting novel with the heartbeat of a thriller - artfully plotted and gorgeously written, revealing its darkest secrets one layer at a time. Emma Cowing is a stunning writer - I loved this book.’ * Alex Hay, author of The Housekeepers *
‘I loved this book! An immersive historical thriller that moves from the dazzle of London’s theatre world to the dangerous solitude of a remote Scottish castle. The Pleasure Palace is a fast-paced, sexy thriller set in stunningly painted historical detail. Emma Cowing is a glorious storyteller with a wonderful talent for illuminating the Edwardian era and its women.’ * Kate Foster, Women’s Prize longlisted author of The Maiden *
‘Emma Cowing’s prose is singular. The Pleasure Palace is elegant, thrilling and deeply compelling, and every page oozes with intrigue. This novel’s spell lingers long after it has been cast.’ * Lucy Rose, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lamb *
‘Sarah Waters meets The Handmaid’s Tale in a deliciously dark story packed with unexpected twists’ * Fiza Saeed McLynn, author of The Midnight Carousel *
‘Expect depravity, wickedness, and the shining light of female solidarity’ * Joanna Miller, author of The Eights *
This gripped me from the first page. Blending high stakes mystery with a heartrending story of sisterhood, I was transported between the glittering high society of theatrical London in the early 1900s, to the struggle of Italian immigrant communities, to a remote Scottish castle with hidden rooms and dark secrets. Beneath the decadent and glamourous world of the rich upper classes lurks danger and unspeakable crimes, as our heroine Emerald Vane valiantly seeks truth, and justice. * Anya Bergman, author of The Tarot Reader of Versailles *

Emma Cowing is an award-winning journalist and writer. She has written for a wide number of publications including The Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, Guardian Weekend Magazine, Spectator and Scotsman.

Emma is a former Feature Writer of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards, and two-time Interviewer of the Year. She holds an Ochberg Fellowship in Journalism and Trauma at Columbia Journalism School in New York, for her work covering the war in Afghanistan, and its aftermath.

Emma was shortlisted for the 2023 Cheshire Novel Prize, and longlisted for the 2023 Bath Novel Award and Blue Pencil First Novel Award. The Show Woman is her first novel.

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