Overview

FOUR WOMEN. A MILLION DREAMS. Scotland, 1910. Born into the world of the circus, Lena now stands at a crossroads. With the sudden death of her father, she faces a stark choice: get married or get a job. The fairgrounds are no place for a woman to go it alone. Until flame-haired Violet, known to all as 'the greatest trapeze artist that ever lived', suggests they do exactly that. With her outspoken ways and her refusal to marry, Violet is as much an outcast as Lena. What do they have to lose? Recruiting new performers including bareback horse-rider Rosie and acrobat Carmen, the four women take charge of their own show, their own finances and their own destinies. But the fairgrounds are a dangerous place: misogyny is rife, violence a continual threat, and buried secrets are beginning to threaten all they hold dear. Together, they must forge their own path to freedom. FOR THEY ARE THE SHOW WOMEN. AND THE SHOW MUST GO ON.

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9781399737432

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Reviews

Suspenseful, authentic, sexy and uplifting. Beautiful writing plunges the reader into the showgrounds of Edwardian Scotland, sights, sounds, smells and all -- Erin Kelly Sequins and spite collide in this gorgeous novel . . . A tale of dazzle and determination [. . .] Cowing is sure-footed on the tempestuous dynamics of their friendships and the dark secrets that drive their ambition * Daily Mail * This gorgeously written novel about four very different women is compulsive, heartbreaking and like nothing else. Impossible not to get swept up into the fates of Lena, Violet, Rosie and Carmen and to feel yourself there with all the noise and clamour and conniving of the fairground. I loved it -- Clare Leslie Hall An utterly electric debut! I wanted to run away with this all-woman circus. An enthralling, dynamic tale that will stay with me for a very long time -- C.J. Cooke Suspenseful, authentic, sexy and uplifting. Beautiful writing plunges the reader into the showgrounds of Edwardian Scotland, sights, sounds, smells and all -- Erin Kelly Gorgeously written, with twists and turns worthy of a circus trapeze -- Jennie Godfrey Beautifully crafted, fast-paced and compelling ... easily the debut of the year so far! -- Mike Gayle Absolutely loved soaking up the atmosphere of the circus and fairground in The Show Woman. There's hardship and excitement and mystery and joy in this novel, and I couldn't stop turning the pages -- Sarah L. Brooks A very special debut -- Jenny Colgan A fascinating read. Full of twists and turns as unexpected as they are thrilling. I was gripped by the strong female characters, spellbound by the dangers, but moved to tears by the bonds of love. Richly detailed, this story will beguile you and carry you away to a rarely glimpsed world of dark secrets and powerful emotions -- Kate Furnivall An entrancing story of chosen family, sisterhood and freedom. I was so wrapped up in the lives of these women, revealed in prose so visceral and alive I felt immediately transported to its history. Take your seat and get lost in its wonders -- Wiz Wharton Wonderfully heartfelt and compelling -- Joanna Miller What an irresistible and original premise! I loved reading every word . . . The Show Woman is as enthralling as the spectacular circus act that Emma so beautifully describes -- Fiza Saeed McLynn Set in Edwardian Scotland, The Show Woman is a wonderfully told story that mixes adventures, romance, crimes, and feisty women, all against the backdrop of a circus run by women. Gripping, heartbreaking, compelling, I genuinely could not put it down -- Naomi Kelsey Dazzling . . . like all the very best historical fiction it has characters who are alive and real and brings the past to glorious life, with a page-turning plot that meant I could not put it down -- Kate Foster Beautifully written, engaging plot and thoroughly researched * STYLIST * A joy to read, so beautifully written, evoking the rich and often overlooked story of the travelling fairs of Edwardian-era Scotland -- Sean Lusk

A marvellous tale of a gang of brave and brilliant women touring the country in the first all-women circus . . . The Show Woman will both uplift and break your heart - there's romance, real camaraderie and heaps of sawdust atmosphere, while the betrayals, tragedies, and truths uncovered will make your stomach flip. Cowing has given us a cast of characters you will really care about * Scotsman * Suspenseful, authentic, sexy and uplifting. Beautiful writing plunges the reader into the showgrounds of Edwardian Scotland, sights, sounds, smells and all -- Erin Kelly Sequins and spite collide in this gorgeous novel . . . A tale of dazzle and determination [. . .] Cowing is sure-footed on the tempestuous dynamics of their friendships and the dark secrets that drive their ambition * Daily Mail * This gorgeously written novel about four very different women is compulsive, heartbreaking and like nothing else. Impossible not to get swept up into the fates of Lena, Violet, Rosie and Carmen and to feel yourself there with all the noise and clamour and conniving of the fairground. I loved it -- Clare Leslie Hall An utterly electric debut! I wanted to run away with this all-woman circus. An enthralling, dynamic tale that will stay with me for a very long time -- C.J. Cooke Suspenseful, authentic, sexy and uplifting. Beautiful writing plunges the reader into the showgrounds of Edwardian Scotland, sights, sounds, smells and all -- Erin Kelly Gorgeously written, with twists and turns worthy of a circus trapeze -- Jennie Godfrey Beautifully crafted, fast-paced and compelling ... easily the debut of the year so far! -- Mike Gayle Absolutely loved soaking up the atmosphere of the circus and fairground in The Show Woman. There's hardship and excitement and mystery and joy in this novel, and I couldn't stop turning the pages -- Sarah L. Brooks A very special debut -- Jenny Colgan A fascinating read. Full of twists and turns as unexpected as they are thrilling. I was gripped by the strong female characters, spellbound by the dangers, but moved to tears by the bonds of love. Richly detailed, this story will beguile you and carry you away to a rarely glimpsed world of dark secrets and powerful emotions -- Kate Furnivall An entrancing story of chosen family, sisterhood and freedom. I was so wrapped up in the lives of these women, revealed in prose so visceral and alive I felt immediately transported to its history. Take your seat and get lost in its wonders -- Wiz Wharton Wonderfully heartfelt and compelling -- Joanna Miller What an irresistible and original premise! I loved reading every word . . . The Show Woman is as enthralling as the spectacular circus act that Emma so beautifully describes -- Fiza Saeed McLynn Set in Edwardian Scotland, The Show Woman is a wonderfully told story that mixes adventures, romance, crimes, and feisty women, all against the backdrop of a circus run by women. Gripping, heartbreaking, compelling, I genuinely could not put it down -- Naomi Kelsey Dazzling . . . like all the very best historical fiction it has characters who are alive and real and brings the past to glorious life, with a page-turning plot that meant I could not put it down -- Kate Foster Beautifully written, engaging plot and thoroughly researched * STYLIST * A joy to read, so beautifully written, evoking the rich and often overlooked story of the travelling fairs of Edwardian-era Scotland -- Sean Lusk Compulsive, heartbreaking * Clare Leslie Hall, author of million-copy-bestselling Broken Country *

A marvellous tale of a gang of brave and brilliant women touring the country in the first all-women circus . . . The Show Woman will both uplift and break your heart - there's romance, real camaraderie and heaps of sawdust atmosphere, while the betrayals, tragedies, and truths uncovered will make your stomach flip. Cowing has given us a cast of characters you will really care about * Scotsman * Suspenseful, authentic, sexy and uplifting. Beautiful writing plunges the reader into the showgrounds of Edwardian Scotland, sights, sounds, smells and all -- Erin Kelly Sequins and spite collide in this gorgeous novel . . . A tale of dazzle and determination [. . .] Cowing is sure-footed on the tempestuous dynamics of their friendships and the dark secrets that drive their ambition * Daily Mail * This gorgeously written novel about four very different women is compulsive, heartbreaking and like nothing else. Impossible not to get swept up into the fates of Lena, Violet, Rosie and Carmen and to feel yourself there with all the noise and clamour and conniving of the fairground. I loved it -- Clare Leslie Hall An utterly electric debut! I wanted to run away with this all-woman circus. An enthralling, dynamic tale that will stay with me for a very long time -- C.J. Cooke Suspenseful, authentic, sexy and uplifting. Beautiful writing plunges the reader into the showgrounds of Edwardian Scotland, sights, sounds, smells and all -- Erin Kelly Gorgeously written, with twists and turns worthy of a circus trapeze -- Jennie Godfrey Beautifully crafted, fast-paced and compelling ... easily the debut of the year so far! -- Mike Gayle Absolutely loved soaking up the atmosphere of the circus and fairground in The Show Woman. There's hardship and excitement and mystery and joy in this novel, and I couldn't stop turning the pages -- Sarah L. Brooks A very special debut -- Jenny Colgan A fascinating read. Full of twists and turns as unexpected as they are thrilling. I was gripped by the strong female characters, spellbound by the dangers, but moved to tears by the bonds of love. Richly detailed, this story will beguile you and carry you away to a rarely glimpsed world of dark secrets and powerful emotions -- Kate Furnivall An entrancing story of chosen family, sisterhood and freedom. I was so wrapped up in the lives of these women, revealed in prose so visceral and alive I felt immediately transported to its history. Take your seat and get lost in its wonders -- Wiz Wharton Wonderfully heartfelt and compelling -- Joanna Miller What an irresistible and original premise! I loved reading every word . . . The Show Woman is as enthralling as the spectacular circus act that Emma so beautifully describes -- Fiza Saeed McLynn Set in Edwardian Scotland, The Show Woman is a wonderfully told story that mixes adventures, romance, crimes, and feisty women, all against the backdrop of a circus run by women. Gripping, heartbreaking, compelling, I genuinely could not put it down -- Naomi Kelsey Dazzling . . . like all the very best historical fiction it has characters who are alive and real and brings the past to glorious life, with a page-turning plot that meant I could not put it down -- Kate Foster Beautifully written, engaging plot and thoroughly researched * STYLIST * A joy to read, so beautifully written, evoking the rich and often overlooked story of the travelling fairs of Edwardian-era Scotland -- Sean Lusk

Author Information

Emma Cowing is an award-winning journalist and writer. She has written for a wide number of publications including The Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, Guardian Weekend Magazine, Spectator and Scotsman. Emma is a former Feature Writer of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards, and two-time Interviewer of the Year. She holds an Ochberg Fellowship in Journalism and Trauma at Columbia Journalism School in New York, for her work covering the war in Afghanistan, and its aftermath. Emma was shortlisted for the 2023 Cheshire Novel Prize, and longlisted for the 2023 Bath Novel Award and Blue Pencil First Novel Award. The Show Woman is her first novel.

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