Glamorous silent film star Eula Hartwin and her makeup artist Winnie had a devoted partnership through the roaring twenties. So how did Winnie end up on trial for stealing from Eula a decade later? London, 1923. The silent film industry is booming, and the picture houses are packed. Makeup artist Winnie Ferris is thrilled to start working with the starriest face of the day—wide-eyed, luminous Eula Hartwin. But she soon comes to realise that Eula, despite her rising fame, is being taken advantage of by a family who would leave her penniless. Kind-hearted Winnie decides to take the young actress under her wing. With her around, no one will take advantage of Eula’s wealth again. Surely? Everyone knows how this story ends—with the two of them in court, Eula suing Winnie for grand theft, Eula’s new husband at her side. The nation watches on, breathless. But no one has ever heard Winnie’s side of the story. Until now. London, present day. Andie, an academic stuck in a life that no longer fits, is reeling from the discovery that she is descended from Winnie Ferris. As she unravels the threads of Eula and Winnie’s story, she finds their secrets are deeper than she could ever have imagined. And the closer she gets to the truth about what really happened at the picture house, the more she begins to wonder—could it not only rewrite history, but give her the courage to rewrite her own? Perfect for readers of Fiona Valpy, Kristin Hannah and Lucinda Riley, this sweeping historical novel explores the impossible choices women faced in an era when loyalty could be as dangerous as betrayal.
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