The Trouble With Mrs Montgomery Hurst

Author Katie Lumsden
Narrator Olivia Vinall
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Publish Date 18 July 2024
Run Time 12 hours and 41 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Historical fiction, Historical romance, Modern and contemporary fiction, Romance: the rich / famous / powerful.

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

A single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife...
But why would he choose her?

Summer 1841. It is marriage season in the county of Wickenshire, and Miss Amelia Ashpoint isn’t sure she can face yet another ball. But now that she has reached the grand age of three-and-twenty, time is (apparently) running out. Her father is anxious to secure her a husband and has set his sights on Mr Montgomery Hurst of Radcliffe Park.

Only, Mr Hurst has just announced his engagement to somebody else.

To the great consternation of Wickenshire, a community that thrives on gossip, the county’s most eligible bachelor is about to marry not only an unknown stranger – but a widow with three children, odd manners and no ancestry to speak of. Society is appalled and intrigued.

Meanwhile, Amelia Ashpoint has no interest in marriage at all. But in this town, it is clear that nobody’s business is their own. And while society has high expectations for Amelia, her heart is drawing her in a very different direction . . .

A love letter to Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst is a witty novel of manners and gossip, class and family, scandal and romance.

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'Romance and scandal abound in this compelling period drama . . . Recommended for all lovers of Regency historical fiction' LAURA SHEPPERSON, author of The Heroines

'Warm and witty, with a wonderful cast of quirky characters whose company I found irresistible' JESSICA BULL, author of Miss Austen Investigates

‘A glittering comedy with spiky wit, an eye for social critique, and (of course) a terrific sense of irony’ TOM MEAD, author of Death and the Conjuror and The Murder Wheel

'Rich with scandal, romance and social mores . . . a total delight!' ANITA FRANK, author of The Lost Ones and The Good Liars

'Enter the county of Wickenshire at your peril, because you will never want to leave' HANNAH DOLBY, author of NO LIFE FOR A LADY

'A feast of clever wit and lovingly drawn characters, this is an absolute treat for fans of Jane Austen - or anyone looking for for top-rate storytelling' HESTER MUSSON

'An absolute dream of a book. A compelling storyline that kept me gripped to the last page, and beyond. I think this book will establish her - deservedly - as one of our best historical fiction writers' ANNE CORLETT

©2024 Katie Lumsden (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critics Review

An insightful and compassionate tale of a Victorian county town and the people who live there. Romance and scandal abound in this compelling period drama, and Lumsden is not afraid to explore the issues Jane Austen could only hint at

LAURA SHEPPERSON

Warm and witty, with a wonderful cast of quirky characters whose company I found irresistible

JESSICA BULL

A feast of clever wit and lovingly drawn characters, this is an absolute treat for fans of Jane Austen - or anyone looking for top-rate storytelling. I haven't felt such unadulterated pleasure in a book for ages

HESTER MUSSON

Rich with scandal, romance and social mores, The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst is a total delight! Threaded with a biting humour reminiscent of Austen, it proves both poignant and thought-provoking as it exposes the bitter realities hidden within many nineteenth-century classics.

ANITA FRANK

An intriguing delight, with scandal, gossip and romance, and a cast of characters Jane Austen would be proud of.

ESSIE FOX

I loved this exquisitely crafted, sweeping Viennese Waltz of a book by Katie Lumsden. It propels you beautifully into a 19th century world of vivid characters and intricately interwoven storylines, echoing the best of Thomas Hardy, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Anne Brontu00eb and Jane Austen, but singing with modern heart and empathy. By the end of the book, I was deeply enmeshed in the lives of its characters and heartily sorry to see it end. Enter the county of Wickenshire at your peril, because you will never want to leave.

HANNAH DOLBY

Sheer delight! A glittering comedy of manners told with spiky wit, an eye for social critique, and (of course) a terrific sense of irony. It is impossible not to be swept off oneu2019s feet by the elegance and rich music of Katie Lumsdenu2019s prose

TOM MEAD

With its witty writing, memorable characters, and meticulous plot, this is definitely a future classic. I absolutely loved it

EMMA MEDRANO

An absolute dream of a book. The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst has a compelling storyline that kept me gripped to the last page, and beyond. Itu2019s one of those books that plays on your mind, making you wish there was more left to read. It covers what could be familiar ground for historical fiction u2013 wealth or the lack of it, social class, marriage prospects u2013 but in fresh and surprising ways. The prose is flawless, and the author handles her large, diverse cast of characters with a deftness of touch that is evocative of Jane Austen. I think this book will establish her - deservedly - as one of our best historical fiction writers.

ANNE CORLETT

Run donu2019t walk to get your copy... Katie has created a vivid community and deftly surfaced the undercurrents bubbling beneath classic novels. Pitch-perfect Cranford vibes - I read every page with a smile on my face.

Lianne Dillsworth

User Reviews

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CharlieBrook 29/09/2024

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