The River Maid (The River Maid, Book 1)

The first in a stunning new series from Sunday Times bestseller, Dilly Court London, 1854: twenty-year-old Essie Chapman lives with her father in poverty stricken Limehouse, working on the river as a boatman. Her life seems set before her, never to leave this part of London and forever at her father’s beck and call. Then, one night, she must transport a mysterious man from a foreign ship to the banks of the Thames, a man who ends up renting a room in Essie’s house, identifying himself only as ‘Raven’. When curiosity gets the better of her, Essie follows him and unwittingly becomes involved in something far greater than she could ever have guessed. Finding herself on a ship bound for the penal colonies in Australia with Raven and his cousin Alice, this is only the start of a remarkable journey taking her to the other side of the world and back again… Dilly Court's The River Maid is a Sunday Times bestselling book that beautifully captures the essence of historical fiction. The romance and family sagas that unfold as Essie journeys from London to Australia make this a top bestseller that is not to be missed. For fans of Annemarie Brear (The Dock Girl's Shame), Rita Bradshaw (A Woman of Courage), Rosie Goodwin (A Mother's Grace), Anna Jacobs (Lavender Lane), and Katie Flynn (The Winter Runaway).