Rowan Beaird

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The Divorcees

'LOVED it. Tightly-plotted elegance, 50s glamour and suspense. Put it on your lists' Jessie Burton

'Excellent . . . riveting to the last page' The Times

'Filled with evocative period detail and populated with an intriguing tapestry of beautifully drawn characters' Observer

'As stylish as it's cover, with razor sharp prose and an atmosphere simmering with tension, I have savoured every word' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

'Refreshing . . . Heartbreaking' New York Times

'A stunning debut. Tense, dark, and richly layered' Katy Hays

'Dark and compelling. Fans of Lessons In Chemistry will adore it' Red

Lois Saunders thought that marrying the right man would finally cure her loneliness. But as picture-perfect as her husband is, she is suffocating in their loveless marriage. In 1951, though, unhappiness is hardly grounds for divorce - except in Reno, Nevada.

At the Golden Yarrow, the most respectable of Reno's 'divorce ranches' Lois finds herself living with half a dozen other would-be divorcees, all in Reno for the six weeks' residency that is the state's only divorce requirement. They spend their days riding horses and their nights flirting with cowboys, and it's as wild and fun as Lake Forest, Illinois, was prim and stifling. But it isn't until Greer Lange arrives that Lois's world truly cracks open . . .

Gorgeous, beguiling, and completely indifferent to societal convention, Greer is unlike anyone Lois has ever met - and she sees something in Lois that no one else ever has. Under her influence, Lois begins to push against the limits that have always restrained her. But how much can she really trust her mysterious new friend? And how far will she go to forge her independence, on her own terms?

Set in the glamorous, dizzying world of 1950s Reno, THE DIVORCEES is a deliciously slow-burn, atmospheric page-turner and a dazzling exploration of female friendship, desire and freedom.

'I straight up loved it. It's so stylish, so elegant, each sentence a delectable little treat . . . and the nods towards darkness and things unravelling are so thrilling and chicly done'

Elizabeth Macneal, bestselling author of The Doll Factory

'Excellent, deeply compelling'

Lauren Groff, bestselling author of Matrix and Fates and Furies

'A delicious literary page-turner from a fierce new voice'

Rebecca Makkai, bestselling author of The Great Believers

'I adored The Divorcees - such an atmospheric and layered story of female independence, solidarity and deception'

Julie Mae Cohen

'A sultry fever dream of a novel . . . This book shimmers and startles on every page'

Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light

'The women of The Divorcees captivated me . . . an unforgettable, lushly assured novel'

Clare Beams, author of The Illness Lesson

'Stunning. Compelling, rich and with a dark undercurrent, I couldn't put it down. An outstanding debut'

Marianne Cronin

'Exquisite . . . Threaded with a tension that grips you. A sultry page turner. I highly recommend'

Julie Owen Moylan