Wench

THE WORD-OF-MOUTH HIT THAT BECAME A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In 1850s Ohio, a free territory before the Civil War, Tawawa House is an idyllic retreat for Southern white men who vacation there every summer with their enslaved black mistresses. It’s their open secret. Lizzie, Reenie, and Sweet are regulars at the resort, building strong friendships over the years. But when they are joined by Mawu, as fearless as she is assured, the seeds of an escape are planted.

To run away is to leave everything behind, and for some it will be harder to break the emotional and psychological bonds that bind them to their masters. When a fire on the resort sets off a string of tragedies, the women of Tawawa House soon learn that triumph and dehumanization are inseparable and that love exists even in the darkest circumstances – all while they bear witness to the end of an era.

‘Readers entranced by The Help will be equally riveted by Wench . . . deeply moving, beautifully written’ USA Today

‘A fabulously creative and daring historical novel’ Chicago Tribune

‘Brave, honest, beautifully written’ Sigrid Nunez, author of The Friend

‘Through unforgettable characters and luscious prose, Wench stares down the difficult truths while never losing its beautiful beating heart’ Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage

‘A heartbreaker, full of understated tragedy and lyrical prose. . . . Perkins-Valdez has woven a devastatingly beautiful account of a cruel past’ People