
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Menrva Books earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more
‘Exquisite’ Veronica HenryBefore A Christmas Carol there was… Miss MarleyA seasonal tale of kindness and goodwillOrphans Clara and Jacob Marley live by their wits, scavenging for scraps in the poorest alleyways of London, in the shadow of the workhouse. Every night, Jake promises his little sister ‘tomorrow will be better’ and when the chance to escape poverty comes their way, he seizes it despite the terrible price.And so Jacob Marley is set on a path that leads to his infamous partnership with Ebenezer Scrooge. As Jacob builds a fortress of wealth to keep the world out, only Clara can warn him of the hideous fate that awaits him if he refuses to let love and kindness into his heart…In Miss Marley, Vanessa Lafaye weaves a spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope – a perfect prequel to A Christmas Carol.Praise for Miss Marley:‘A spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope’ Mail on Sunday‘Redemptive… a fitting legacy for a writer who is so sadly missed’ Red‘Evocative’ Heat‘Delightful’ Sunday Mirror‘A reminder of the power of kindness and love’ StylistA ‘gem of a tale’ Sunday Express‘A beautifully written Dickensian tale’ Candis‘Captivating … A beautiful and tender fable’ Daily Express‘Fantastic’ Good Housekeeping‘Ghosts, goodwill and hope on every page’ My Weekly‘Lafaye masterfully brings the setting of 19th-Century London to life’ Woman‘Love, disappointment, kindness and greed all play their parts in this delightful companion piece to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol’ Woman & Home‘A seasonal tale of kindness and goodwill that captures the atmosphere of Dickens’ Yours‘Exquisite’ Veronica Henry‘A beautiful, warm, rich hug of a story and bittersweet reminder to embrace life and enrich others as you go’ Liz Fenwick
Orphaned siblings Clara and Jacob Marley struggle for survival in impoverished 19th-century London, facing a desperate choice that will set Jacob on a path toward a life of avarice and isolation. Driven by a promise to his sister, Jacob seizes an opportunity to escape their destitution, a decision that ultimately leads him to a notorious business partnership with Ebenezer Scrooge. As Jacob amasses wealth, building a fortress against the world, only Clara can attempt to reach him with warnings of the grim fate that awaits him if he continues to deny love and kindness.
The book has been praised as a 'spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope' by the Mail on Sunday, with Red calling it 'redemptive' and a 'fitting legacy'. Heat described it as 'evocative', while the Sunday Mirror found it 'delightful'. Stylist noted it as a 'reminder of the power of kindness and love', and the Sunday Express hailed it as a 'gem of a tale'. Overall, reception highlights its beautiful writing, tender fable-like quality, and its success in capturing the spirit of Dickens' work while offering a compelling origin story for a beloved character.
Page Count:
112
Publication Date:
2021-10-19
Publisher:
HQ
ISBN-10:
0008329133
ISBN-13:
9780008329136
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!