THE SILK WEAVER – LIZ TRENOW

*Published in the US as The Hidden Thread* Inspired by real historical events and characters, Liz Trenow s The Silk Weaver is a captivating, unforgettable story of illicit romance in a time of enlightenment and social upheaval. 1760, Spitalfields. Anna Butterfield’s life is about to change forever, as she moves from her idyllic Suffolk home to be introduced into London society. A chance encounter with a French silk weaver, Henri, draws her in to the volatile world of the city’s burgeoning silk trade. Henri is working on his ‘master piece’, to become a master weaver and freeman; Anna longs to become an artist while struggling against pressure from her uncle’s family to marry a wealthy young lawyer. As their lives become ever more intertwined, Henri realizes that Anna’s designs could give them both an opportunity for freedom. But his world becomes more dangerous by the day, as riots threaten to tear them apart forever . . .