Liberty Silk
This is the story of three generations of women linked by a silk dress. First there’s Jessie, whose artist husband inexplicably deserts her during their honeymoon in France in 1919. Naïve and vulnerable, she meets a man who thrusts her into the heady and dangerous high life of Paris. Then comes Lisa, who wows 1940s Hollywood but finds there’s a price for all the glitz and glamour. Finally, in 60s London we meet Cat, who searches out the secrets in the legacy she inherits and brings the story to a satisfying conclusion.
This is an absorbing read with a pacy plot full of lively characters and authentic detail, all the more so for being inspired by the life of the author’s grandmother, the original wearer of the eponymous dress which the author now owns, along with her grandmother’s letters, the artist husband’s sketchbook, a ring and a charm, all of them skilfully worked into the story. The book also contains an imaginary conversation between the author and her grandmother, a quiz and a link to a Pinterest page with photos of the aforementioned artefacts.
