Mrs Gulliver

'Irresistible - a funny, sexy romp that's also smart, even wise' Kirkus starred review

' Pure elegance, subtlety and wit. A triumph of a novel' - Francesca Segal, author of Mother Ship

It is 1954, and prostitution is legal in the tropical haven that is Verona Island. Here, among gangsters and corrupt lawmen, Lila Gulliver runs a brothel that promises her exclusive clientele privacy and discretion. When nineteen-year-old Carita, beautiful and blind since birth, comes to her door seeking employment, Mrs Gulliver sees a business opportunity and takes a chance. Carita is mesmerising, sharp and a mystery to her employer, always holding herself at a distance.

One night, the son of a wealthy judge patronises Mrs Gulliver's establishment, immediately falling madly in love with Carita. This is Ian Drohan - young, idealistic and cushioned by wealth and family connections. Mrs Gulliver mistrusts him, and worries for Carita's future. Carita, on the other hand, is fearless, headstrong and a force of nature that Mrs Gulliver is always several steps behind.

A dazzling drama filled with sex, wry wit and literary references, Mrs Gulliver follows two women who have nothing to lose in their fight for agency on an island too ready to dismiss them.

'The title suggests a rollicking tale and a rollicking tale is what you get, full of twists and surprises and never a dull moment. Entertainingly wild' - Karen Joy Fowler, Man Booker longlisted author of Booth

'I adore Valerie Martin, and Mrs Gulliver is no exception. Pure elegance, subtlety and wit. A triumph of a novel' - Francesca Segal, author of Mother Ship

'Irresistible - a funny, sexy romp that's also smart, even wise' - Kirkus starred review

'Praise for Valerie Martin' - :

'Martin's writing is a reward in itself, a wonderful precision-tool. She uses it to chisel at the human condition - and the effect is astonishing' - Financial Times

Valerie Martin is the author of eleven novels, including I Give It To You, Italian Fever and Property, which won the Women's Prize for Fiction. She has also written three collections of short fiction and Salvation, a biography of Saint Francis of Assisi. She has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, as well as the Kafka Prize for Mary Reilly.

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