The Crimson Petal And The White

'Watch your step. Keep your wits about you; you will need them . . .'So begins this irresistible voyage into the dark side of Victorian London. Amongst an unforgettable cast of low-lifes, physicians, businessmen and prostitutes, meet our heroine Sugar, a young woman trying to drag herself up from the gutter any way she can.Be prepared for a mesmerising tale of passion, intrigue, ambition and revenge. 'This is an unputdownable book; there is no choice but to give in to this most unbelievably pleasurable of narrative rides. From Pointillism to broad brushstroke bravura, the prose seems to be on some benign, timed-release speed: its pace in unflagging, its onward rush irresistible. . . Faber's take on the 19th Century English novel is a heady and intoxicating mixture of affection, respect and scabrous resistance' The Times'A sexy, bravura novel... wildly entertaining'  New York Times'Owes as much to John Fowles as it does to Charlotte Bronte. Which is to say that the book is both mind-bogglingly clever and page-turningly tempting. Don't miss it'  Daily Telegraph'An astonishing narrative sweep that encompasses Victorian society in all its colourful variety, it peels away the surface gentility and brings its world to vivid life. It's a feast for all five senses and in spite of its weight, it's impossible to put down.'  Val McDermid