First published 2019
In 1932, Violet Speedwell escapes her dull life by joining a group of women embroidering kneelers for Salisbury Cathedral. As she learns the craft and bonds with her newfound community, the work gives Violet a sense of purpose and dignity amid her grief over losing her fiancé in World War I. But Violet's quiet journey is disrupted when a close friend faces a devastating personal crisis, testing Violet's own strength and forcing her to confront past traumas as she navigates her friend's troubles. Through it all, Violet must imagine a future beyond the cathedral's walls.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, adult-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, grief
Setting: Salisbury Cathedral
Period: 1932
336 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books