In 1847, in a quiet house in the countryside outside London, the finishing touches are being made to welcome a group of young women.
The house and its location are top secret, its residents unknown to one another, but the girls have one thing in common: they are fallen.
Offering refuge for prostitutes, petty thieves and the destitute, Urania Cottage is a second chance at life — but how badly do they want it?
Meanwhile, a few miles away in a Piccadilly mansion, millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts, one of the benefactors of Urania Cottage, makes a discovery that leaves her cold.
Her stalker of 10 years has been released from prison, and she knows it’s only a matter of time before their nightmarish game resumes once more.
As the women’s worlds collide in ways they could never have expected, they will discover that freedom always comes at a price.
The Household by Stacey Halls is published in paperback on 27 February, 2025.
Stacey has written a number of features for Historia about the history behind her novels, including Nanny state: why the golden era of Edwardian childhood is ripe for fiction.
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