She begins to spend more and more time in the White House, slowly developing a bond with Lara-and eventually a deep and surprising friendship with her.Įven more surprising to Sofie is the fact that Lara is entirely candid about her mysterious past.
When Lara asks Sofie to write her official biography, and to finally fill in the gaps of her history, Sofie’s curiosity gets the better of her. Sofie, like the rest of the world, knows little about Lara-only that Lara was born in Soviet Russia, raised in Paris, and worked as a model before moving to America and marrying the notoriously brash future president. But when she gets a call from the office of First Lady Lara Caine, asking Sofie to come in for a private meeting with Lara, her curiosity is piqued. Tired of covering the grating dysfunction of Washington and the increasingly outrageous antics of President Henry Caine, White House correspondent Sofie Morse quits her job and plans to leave politics behind. The intrepid journalist writing her biography.Īnd the secret that could destroy them both. A perfectly paced, romantically charged “story of the sumptuous world of the privileged and the precarious, difficult environs of the immigrant working poor is highlighted by vibrant characters and a well-paced plot, which will pull readers into the tangled tale” ( Publishers Weekly). Forced to choose between loyalty to her brother and loyalty to Charlotte, between society’s respect and true freedom, Mary finally learns that her fate lies in her hands alone.Ī captivating historical fiction of 19th century upstairs/downstairs New York City, The Parting Glass examines sexuality, race, and social class in ways that feel startlingly familiar and timely.
When the truth of both women’s double lives begins to unravel, Mary is left to face the consequences. Meanwhile, Charlotte has a secret of her own-she’s having an affair with a stable groom, unaware that her lover is actually Mary’s own brother.
She finds release from her frustration in New York’s gritty underworld-in the arms of a prostitute and as drinking companion to a decidedly motley crew consisting of members of a dangerous secret society. On her nights off, Mary sheds her persona as prim and proper lady’s maid to reveal her true self-Irish exile Maire O’Farren. But Charlotte would never trust Mary again if she knew the truth about her devoted servant’s past. “ Downton Abbey meets Gangs of New York…a gem of a novel to be inhaled in one gulp” (Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author) about a devoted maid whose secretive world is about to be ripped apart at the seams-a lush and evocative debut set in 19th century New York that’s perfect for fans of Sarah Waters’s Fingersmith and Emma Donoghue’s Slammerkin.īy day, Mary Ballard is dutiful lady’s maid to Charlotte Walden, a wealthy and accomplished belle of New York City high society.
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