When Caroline Meadows discovers a beautiful quilt in her mother’s attic, she sets out on a journey to discover who made it, and the meaning of the mysterious message embroidered into its lining.

Many years earlier, before the first world war has cast its shadow, Maria, a talented seamstress from the East End of London, is employed to work for the royal family. A young and attractive girl, she soon catches the eye of the Prince of Wales and she in turn is captivated by his glamour and intensity.

But careless talk causes trouble and soon Maria’s life takes a far darker turn. Can Caroline piece together a secret history and reveal the truth behind what happened to Maria?

Praise

‘An intriguing patchwork of past and present, upstairs and downstairs, hope and despair.’
Daisy Goodwin, New York Times bestselling author of The American Heiress

‘…compelling historical novel… The two narratives are seamlessly woven together forming a heart-rending tapestry of tragedy and resilience.’
Booklist

‘A complex and poignant novel… Trenow meticulously stitches each piece of this engrossing story into a unified – and heart-warming – whole.’
Kirkus

‘An imaginative, moving and captivating novel from an author with a keen eye and a special sense of history.’
Pam Norfolk, Lancaster Evening Post

‘Liz Trenow sews together the strands of past and present as delicately as the exquisite stitching on the quilt which forms the centrepiece of the story.’
Lucinda Riley, bestselling author of Hothouse Flower and The Light Behind the Window

‘this is a page-turner with eye-opening details about the conditions of mental hospitals in the 20th century, as well as the provenance of royal fabrics, the art of quilting, and the vagaries of modern interior design.’
Publishers Weekly

‘The characters are strong, caring and well developed, and the descriptions of the handmade quilts will appeal to those who also have passion for quilting. Trenow has written a spellbinding story that will keep readers up late to find out what happens next.’
RT Book Reviews