{"title":"Books by Sara Sheridan","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781529336221","title":"The Fair Botanists","description":"\u003cp\u003e'Compelling, fascinating . . . A cracking good read' - Val McDermid\u003cbr\u003e An evocative, enjoyable portrait of 1820s Edinburgh' - \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Lush, seductive' - \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Completely enchanting' - \u003ci\u003eScotsman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'A beautiful tale of scandal and intrigue' - Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of \u003ci\u003ePandora\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCould one rare plant hold the key to a thousand riches?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It's the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumours of King George IV's impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower - an event that only occurs once every few decades.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When newly widowed Elizabeth arrives in Edinburgh to live with her late husband's aunt Clementina, she's determined to put her unhappy past in London behind her. As she settles into her new home, she becomes fascinated by the beautiful Botanic Garden which borders the grand house and offers her services as an artist to record the rare plant's impending bloom. In this pursuit, she meets Belle Brodie, a vivacious young woman with a passion for botany and the lucrative, dark art of perfume creation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Belle is determined to keep both her real identity and the reason for her interest the Garden secret from her new friend. But as Elizabeth and Belle are about to discover, secrets don't last long in this Enlightenment city . . .\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e And when they are revealed, they can carry the greatest of consequences . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Dazzling, original, full of wonderful characters' Katie Fforde\u003cbr\u003e 'An absolute treat for fans of historical fiction and rich storytelling' \u003ci\u003eRed Magzine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003eLively and generous-hearted, with an array of utterly engaging characters, this enchanting novel reads like a warm tonic for the soul' Mary Paulson-Ellis\u003cbr\u003e 'As rare and lush as the Agave flower itself, \u003ci\u003eThe Fair Botanists\u003c\/i\u003e is a richly realised, transportive delight' Rachel Rhys\u003cbr\u003e 'Beautiful . . . Every sentence is a gift. If you love \u003ci\u003eThe Doll Factory\u003c\/i\u003e or \u003ci\u003eThe Binding\u003c\/i\u003e, you'll love this' Miranda Dickinson\u003cbr\u003e 'Delightfully original, sensuous historical fiction, led by a charge of female characters as captivating and complex as the brightest of botanical flowers' Cari Thomas\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43204685824178,"sku":"9781529336221","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781529336221_a4d5b61c-3fec-4d39-8b1d-02fc585a6d46.jpg?v=1786022340"},{"product_id":"9781399701594","title":"The Secrets of Blythswood Square","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLONGLISTED FOR SCTOLAND'S NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS 2024.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTHE ENCHANTING NEW NOVEL BY THE AUTHOR OF THE 2022 WATERSTONES SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE YEAR, \u003ci\u003eTHE FAIR BOTANISTS.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Gripping' \u003ci\u003eGood Housekeeping\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e'S\u003c\/i\u003eecrets discovered, ruinous rumours scotched, happiness regained and friendships founded' \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A novel of feeling and intellect which will surely and deservedly be a great success' Allan Massie, \u003ci\u003eThe Scotsman\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eYou wouldn't suspect it, but scandalous secrets are being kept on Blythswood Square...\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e1846. Glasgow \u003c\/b\u003eis a city on the cusp of great social change, but behind the curtains, neighbours are watching, and rumours of improper behaviour spread like wildfire on the respectable Blythswood Square. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen Charlotte Nicholl discovers that the fortune she has been bequeathed by her father is tied up in a secret collection of erotic art, she is faced with a terrible dilemma: sell it and risk shaming her family's good name or lose her home.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  An encounter with Ellory Mann, a talented working-class photographer newly arrived in Glasgow, leads Charlotte to hope she has found not only someone who might help her, but also a friend. Yet Ellory is hiding secrets of her own - secrets that become harder to conceal as she finds herself drawn into Charlotte's world. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAs the truth begins to catch up with both women, will it destroy everything they've fought to build - or set them both free? \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReaders love Sara Sheridan's storytelling!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'I absolutely love Sara Sheridan's books. They're so easy to get into and so hard to put down. \u003ci\u003eThe Secrets of Bythwood Square\u003c\/i\u003e is no exception. It's a great story populated with excellent, believable characters and woven with rich historical detail'  \u003cb\u003e5* reader review, NetGalley\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A fascinating, atmospheric story which I greatly enjoyed' \u003cb\u003e5* reader review, NetGalley\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'I absolutely loved it, finished it within 2 days' \u003cb\u003e5* reader review, NetGalley\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Wonderful characters and a beautifully interwoven story.' \u003cb\u003e4* reader review, NetGalley \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePRAISE FOR \u003ci\u003eTHE FAIR BOTANISTS\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Sheridan creates an evocative, enjoyable portrait of two women determined to lead independent lives' \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSUNDAY TIMES\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Completely enchanting and fascinating . . . a rollicking and immensely readable tale' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSCOTSMAN\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Lush, seductive and scandalous, this is a gorgeous read' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDAILY MAIL\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A cracking good read' \u003cb\u003eVAL MCDERMID\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Dazzling, original, full of wonderful characters' \u003cb\u003eKATIE FFORDE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'What a beautiful, immersive gem of historical fiction' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGOOD HOUSEKEEPING\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'An absolute treat for fans of historical fiction and rich storytelling' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRED\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44582805143730,"sku":"9781399701594","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781399701594_4d53dac9-c25d-4edc-a7c7-0774dd716551.jpg?v=1786020046"},{"product_id":"9781399741958","title":"On Starlit Seas","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReaders love Sara Sheridan's evocative historical novels . . .\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'I loved this book from start to finish. So interesting to read about women back in the 1800s being independent and finding their own way in what was mostly a man's domain!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e'Did not want to put this down but did not want it to end. Another fabulous read transporting you back in time, bring on the next one quickly please!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e'I was totally floored by this! SO interesting at every point!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCelebrated writer and historian Maria Graham must make the treacherous voyage from Brazil to London to deliver her latest book to her publisher. Having come to terms with the loss of her beloved husband, Maria is now determined to live her life as she pleases, free from the smothering constraints of Georgian society.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor a woman travelling alone it's a journey fraught with danger, and as civil war rages around her, the only ship prepared to take Maria belongs to roguish smuggler Captain James Henderson. Onboard, all is well until Maria makes two shocking discoveries - the first a deadly secret, the second an irresistible attraction to the enigmatic captain.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith Henderson on a journey of his own and determined to finally put his life of crime behind him, he and Maria grow ever closer. But can Henderson escape his illicit past or will the scandalous secret he's hiding ruin them both?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54926357856629,"sku":"9781399741958","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781399741958_de72747a-5b2e-479c-8581-29c7ad79213f.jpg?v=1786019932"},{"product_id":"9781849173087","title":"Where are the Women?","description":"For most of recorded history, women have been sidelined, if not silenced, by men who named the built environment after themselves. Now is the time to look unflinchingly at Scotland's heritage and bring those women who have been ignored to light.Can you imagine a different Scotland, a Scotland where women are commemorated in statues and streets and buildings - even in the hills and valleys? This is a guidebook to that alternative nation, where the cave on Staffa is named after Malvina rather than Fingal, and Arthur's Seat isn't Arthur's, it belongs to St Triduana. You arrive into Dundee at Slessor Station and the Victorian monument on Stirling's Abbey Hill interprets national identity through the women who ran hospitals during the First World War. The West Highland Way ends at Fort Mary. The Old Lady of Hoy is a prominent Orkney landmark. And the plinths in central Glasgow proudly display statues of the suffragettes who fought until they won.In this guide, streets, buildings, statues and monuments are dedicated to real women, telling their often unknown stories.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308394131829,"sku":"9781849173087","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781849173087_d1e02d10-4c07-44c8-8cd0-254b61ff1afb.jpg?v=1786034135"},{"product_id":"9781849176668","title":"Bloody Scotland","description":"WINNER OF THE CWA SHORT STORY DAGGERIn Bloody Scotland a selection of Scotland's best crime writers use the sinister side of the country's built heritage in stories that are by turns gripping, chilling and redemptive.Stellar contributors Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre, Denise Mina, Ann Cleeves, Louise Welsh, Lin Anderson, Doug Johnstone, Gordon Brown, Craig Robertson, E S Thomson, Sara Sheridan and Stuart MacBride explore the thrilling potential of Scotland's iconic sites and structures. From murder in an ancient broch and a macabre tale of revenge among the furious clamour of an eighteenth century mill, to a dark psychological thriller set within the tourist throng of Edinburgh Castle and a rivalry turning fatal in the concrete galleries of an abandoned modernist ruin, this collection uncovers the intimate - and deadly - connections between people and places.Prepare for a dangerous journey into the dark shadows of our nation's buildings - where passion, fury, desire and death collide.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308396097909,"sku":"9781849176668","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781849176668_ed37da78-d92b-4be5-9cb6-b65cc30be14b.jpg?v=1786034138"},{"product_id":"9781846976018","title":"The People's City","description":"'Five engrossing, resonant stories here, with no weak links' ― The HeraldThe world’s first UNESCO city of literature, Edinburgh is steeped in literary history. It is the birthplace of a beloved cast of fictional characters from Sherlock Holmes to Harry Potter. It is the home of the Writer’s Museum, where quotes from writers of the past pave the steps leading up to it. A city whose beauty is matched only by the intrigue of its past, and where Robert Louis Stevenson said, ‘there are no stars so lovely as Edinburgh’s street-lamps’.  And to celebrate the city, its literature, and more importantly, its people, Polygon and the One City Trust have brought together writers – established and emerging – to write about the place they call home.Based around landmarks or significant links to Edinburgh each story transports the reader to a different decade in the city’s recent past. Through these stories each author reflects on the changes, both generational and physical, in the city in which we live.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308482769269,"sku":"9781846976018","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781846976018_a71a48db-3a80-48c3-af5e-cc8fcf5fcbf8.jpg?v=1786029518"},{"product_id":"the-jewel-keepers","title":"The Jewel Keepers","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMen would kill for this treasure.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe McKenzie women will guard it with their lives. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLondon, 1837\u003c\/b\u003e. When 25-year-old Araminta McKenzie-Moore is summoned from Richmond to her great aunt's deathbed in Edinburgh, it's the first time she's met her extended family. The McKenzie women, however, have been keeping a close eye on her. For they have a long, secret and dangerous history as Jewel Keepers to the Scottish Crown and they need Araminta to play her part to solve a puzzle which stretches back generations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the McKenzies are not alone in this high-stakes treasure hunt though history. They're being pursued. The last of her line, if Araminta succeeds, she will uncover something more valuable than mere jewels - a secret that will change the lives of all women living on this, the cusp of the Queen Victoria's rule.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFeaturing real historical events and places amid its fiction, \u003ci\u003eThe Jewel Keepers\u003c\/i\u003e is an immersive, evocative story tinged with romance and brimming with intrigue.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":57483527324021,"sku":"9781399741989","price":22.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57682889015669,"sku":"9781399741996","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781399741989.jpg?v=1792511714"},{"product_id":"the-counterfeit-affair","title":"The Counterfeit Affair","description":"One manuscript. Millions of lives, hanging in the balance.   The year is 1824 and the streets of London are awash with scandal, for rumour has it that the late, great Lord Byron has written a memoir.  Byron is well-known to have rampaged across Britain and the continent, leaving a coterie of lovelorn women - and for that matter, men - in his wake. Publication of his memoirs stands to at the very least violate every known social norm. At worst it could rock the most foundational of all social structures - the monarchy itself. Under enormous pressure, publisher John Murray decides to toss the only copy of the manuscript into the fire of his London home, believing that to be an end to the matter.    It isn't.  Enter libertine, sometimes-courtesan and fearless defender of women's rights, Belle Brodie. The very Belle Brodie who had it on good authority that John Murray's son had made a copy of the manuscript, and promptly taken it upon herself to steal it.  As Belle flees to Paris in possession of the one document that has the ability to blow up the lives of entire aristocratic dynasties, she finds herself pursued by publishers, scorned ex's of Byron and agents of the English crown alike. Thankfully life in post-revolutionary Paris is a hotbed of sexual intrigue, gossip, and people on the make, with plenty of nooks and crannies for Belle to escape into. But the truth can't hide forever. Or can it?So much history is lost. But what if it was only spirited away?","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57680231203189,"sku":"9781399742054","price":22.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781399742054.jpg?v=1792423501"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-sara-sheridan.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}