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The Low Road

By Katharine Quarmby
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Brief Description
The Low Road was shortlisted for the New Angle Prize. It has been praised for its storytelling in the following reviews: "Soft, swelling story-telling" – Australian Women's Weekly "A well-crafted and intensely dramatic novel, with characters you care about facing circumstances so dire a contemporary audience... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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A literary novel about two poverty-stricken young female lovers in early nineteenth-century England who commit petty crime to stay alive and are transported to Australia. A gripping, atmospheric tale, based on a true story, that brings to life the forgotten voices of the past in the face of prejudice and ill-fortune.

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The Low Road was shortlisted for the New Angle Prize. It has been praised for its storytelling in the following reviews:

"Soft, swelling story-telling" – Australian Women's Weekly

"A well-crafted and intensely dramatic novel, with characters you care about facing circumstances so dire a contemporary audience might strain to fully imagine them" – Sydney Morning Herald

"The Low Road is a beautifully written novel ... testament to Quarmby’s dedication to her craft and her commitment to delivering an immersive and captivating story" – The Tasmanian Times

"A darkly gripping picaresque tale of cruelty, courage and kindness as an orphaned girl survives poverty and injustice to seek love on the other side of the world" – Maggie Gee

"An engrossing and beautifully written novel. All sorts of horrors are to be found here, but also love and bravery and hope. A must for lovers of historical fiction” – Adele Geras

Set in Norfolk, 1813, the story begins in the quiet Waveney Valley, where the body of a woman, Mary Tyrell, is staked through the heart after her death by suicide. Accused of murdering her newborn child, Mary leaves behind her young daughter, Hannah. Hannah is sent to the Refuge for the Destitute in London, destined for a life of domestic service.

At the refuge, Hannah's fate intertwines with Annie Simpkins, another resident. Their friendship grows into a deep, passionate love. However, their bond is tested when they are caught stealing from the refuge’s laundry and sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay, setting them on separate paths that may never cross again.

Drawing on real events, The Low Road is a gripping, atmospheric tale that breathes life into the forgotten voices of the past – convicts, servants, and the rural poor. It is also a powerful evocation of love blossoming amidst prejudice and ill-fortune.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781785634628

Publisher: Eye Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 November 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Lightning

Edition: Paperback original

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 19.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 262g

Pages: 320

Collections

Fiction Forbidden Romance General Fiction Historical Fiction Katharine Quarmby Literary Fiction

About the Author

Katharine Quarmby has had a long career as an investigative journalist in the print and broadcast media. Her reporting on Rwanda (alongside Fergal Keane) won the One World Trust Award for Best News Film of 1999, and in 2011 she was shortlisted for the Paul Foot Award for her work on disability hate crime. Her non-fiction books include No Place to Call Home, about the lives of Travellers, and Scapegoat, based on her work on disability hate crime. She has also written several books for children. The Low Road is her first novel. She lives in London.

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  • The Low Road
    In 1828, two young women were torn apart as they were sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay. Will they ever meet again? Norfolk, 1813. In the quiet Waveney Valley, the body of a woman, Mary Tyrell, is staked through the heart after her death by suicide. She had been under arrest for the suspected murder of her newborn child. Mary...
    By Katharine Quarmby
    Hardback
    $4499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

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