{"product_id":"9781399742054-the-courtesan-and-the-counterfeits","title":"The Counterfeit Affair","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe spellbinding new historical novel from the author of smash-hit The Fair Botanists\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe spellbinding new historical novel from the author of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eWaterstones Scotland's book of the year, smash-hit \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Fair Botanists\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne manuscript. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eMillions of lives, hanging in the balance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe year is 1824 and the streets of London are awash with scandal, for rumour has it that the late, great Lord Byron has written a memoir. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Byron is well-known to have rampaged across Britain and the continent, leaving a coterie of lovelorn women - and for that matter, men - in his wake. Publication of his memoirs stands to at the very least violate every known social norm. At worst it could rock the most foundational of all social structures - the monarchy itself. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUnder enormous pressure, publisher John Murray decides to toss the only copy of the manuscript into the fire of his London home, believing that to be an end to the matter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It isn't. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Enter libertine, sometimes-courtesan and fearless defender of women's rights, Belle Brodie. The very Belle Brodie who had it on good authority that John Murray's son had made a copy of the manuscript, and promptly taken it upon herself to steal it. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As Belle flees to Paris in possession of the one document that has the ability to blow up the lives of entire aristocratic dynasties, she finds herself pursued by publishers, scorned ex's of Byron and agents of the English crown alike. Thankfully life in post-revolutionary Paris is a hotbed of sexual intrigue, gossip, and people on the make, with plenty of nooks and crannies for Belle to escape into. But the truth can't hide forever. Or can it?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSo much history is lost. But what if it was only spirited away?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57358224523638,"sku":"9781399742054","price":17.87,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/files\/orig_40114737_c1744a14-894d-472e-8b92-ed09c23c20d8.jpg?v=1772087526","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9781399742054-the-courtesan-and-the-counterfeits","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}