The Square of Sevens

Laura Shepherd-Robinson

22 June 2023
9781529053678
560 pages

Synopsis

'With its twists and turns and revelations of those lies that bind and truths that rend asunder, this story is a deep pleasure to read' - Sunday Times

'This is an intricately plotted, epic book that delivers twist after twist' - The Times


Laura Shepherd-Robinson's The Square of Sevens is an epic and sweeping novel set in Georgian high society, a dazzling story offering up mystery, intrigue, heartbreak, and audacious twists.

This is your story, Red. You must tell it well . . .

A girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller, travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient method: the Square of Sevens. When her father suddenly dies, Red becomes the ward of a gentleman scholar.

Now raised as a lady amidst the Georgian splendour of Bath, her fortune-telling is a delight to high society. But she cannot ignore the questions that gnaw at her soul: who was her mother? How did she die? And who are the mysterious enemies her father was always terrified would find him?

The pursuit of these mysteries takes her from Cornwall and Bath to London and Devon, from the rough ribaldry of the Bartholomew Fair to the grand houses of two of the most powerful families in England. And while Red's quest brings her the possibility of great reward, it also leads her into grave danger . . .

'I doubt I’ll read a better book this year' — Chris Whitaker, bestselling author of We Begin at the End

'A book that stays with you . . . The Square of Sevens is a masterpiece' – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal

'A sweeping Dickensian tour de force of a novel . . . cementing the author’s place as the queen of modern Georgian literature' - Susan Stokes-Chapman, bestselling author of Pandora

This rich, complex and haunting Dickensian epic is a triumph of the Gothic genre. A book that stays with you. Shepherd-Robinson is an exceptional writer and meticulous researcher. She creates an atmosphere so evocative of the 18th century I breathed the same air as the characters, wore their clothes, felt what they felt. The Square of Sevens is a masterpiece
A sweeping Dickensian tour de force of a novel, The Square of Sevens is an immaculately researched piece of fiction with all the twists and turns of a fortune teller’s wheel, cementing the author’s place as the queen of modern Georgian literature. Bravo Laura Shepherd-Robinson, I’m in awe!
This is an intricately plotted, epic book that delivers twist after twist in its 560 pages. A big, satisfying and clever read to keep you guessing on the beach this summer.