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. '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---1841The trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst is not Mrs Montgomery Hurst – as young Miss Amelia Ashpoint well knows. The real trouble is the polite society of Wickenshire, with its inescapable gossip about the arrival of the new Mrs Hurst and – whisper it – her three children from a previous marriage. In Wickenshire, nobody’s business is their own. And in this strange match, the local families sense scandal – and they will do anything to expose it. Meanwhile, Amelia Ashpoint, though handsome, clever and rich, is avoiding talk of marriage at all costs. For while society expects Amelia to marry well, her heart is drawing her in a very different direction . . . ---‘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'Rich with scandal, romance and social mores . . . a total delight!' ANITA FRANK, author of The Good Liars'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' 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