Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge

By: Lizzie Pook

Narrated by: Genevieve Gaunt

A young woman searches for the truth about her sister, who boarded a ship headed to the frozen Arctic and never returned in this “engrossing historical mystery” (The Washington Post) from the author of The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives and Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter.

Twenty-year-old Constance Horton has run away from her life in Victorian London, disguising herself as a boy to board the Makepeace, an expedition vessel bound for the icy and unexplored Northwest Passage of the Arctic. She struggles to keep her real identity a secret on the ship, a feat that only grows more difficult when facing the constant dangers of the icy North.

Even more dangerous than the cold, the storms, and the hunger, are some of the men aboard—including the ship’s scientist Edison Stowe. He’s watching Constance, and she knows that his attention could be fatal.

In London two years later: Maude Horton is searching for the truth. After being told by the British Admiralty that her sister’s death onboard the Makepeace was nothing more than a tragic accident, she receives a diary revealing that Edison Stowe had more of a hand in Constance’s death than the returning crew acknowledged.

In order to get the answers she needs, Maude shadows Edison. She joins him on a new venture he’s started to capitalize on the murder mania that has all of London in a frenzy—a travel company that takes guests around the country via train to witness public hangings—to extract the truth from him in any way possible.

Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge is a “brilliant” (Publishers Weekly), “addictive” (Emilia Hart, New York Times bestselling author of Weyword), “utterly compulsive” (Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters) novel about the lengths we will go to for justice—and for love.

Critic reviews

Praise for Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge

“A lush murder mystery set in 19th century London. . . The story of one sister’s love and determination to avenge her sister’s death is an unforgettable, atmospheric thrill ride. Lizzie Pook is a master of suspense.”
— ADRIANA TRIGIANI, bestselling author of The Good Left Undone

“Thrilling, heartfelt and utterly compulsive, Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge is a triumphant second novel. It is that rare thing—a gripping adventure story and an intelligent, richly textured portrait of a moment in history. Every page is steeped in atmosphere, from the gallows of Victorian London to the perils of polar exploration aboard the great ship Makepeace, as Pook combines impressive research with fine-tuned characterization, a galloping plot and absolute command of her story. This is a glorious creation indeed—I loved it.”
— EMMA STONEX, bestselling author of The Lamplighters

“Lizzie Pook effortlessly blends a wild Arctic adventure with a riveting tale of a sister’s burning desire for revenge, the tension tightening like a hangman’s noose. Her writing is atmospheric, gripping and beautiful—the execution of this novel is flawless.”
— AMY McCULLOCH, internationally bestselling author of Breathless

“[A] heart-stopping ride through the dark underbelly of Victorian London and the icy plains of the Arctic. Stunningly written and meticulously researched, this is escapist fiction at its best. Grisly, addictive fun—as glorious as the titular character's revenge. I devoured it in twenty-four hours."
— EMILIA HART, New York Times bestselling author of Weyward

“From the boisterous gallows crowd to the ice fields of the Arctic, Pook conjures up a compellingly vivid scene. A rip-roaring and guillotine-sharp critique of Victorian ‘murder mania.’ I couldn’t tear myself away.”
— ELLERY LLOYD, New York Times bestselling author of The Club and People Like Her