A Macclesfield author is celebrating the publication of her latest book.
Elisabeth Hobbes’ novel, The Laudanum Ladies’ Society, was released on Tuesday, July 28.
This Breaking Bad-inspired tale is about women taking control of their own lives in Victorian London.
“I’m thrilled that it’s now out and I hope readers will enjoy meeting my determined women,” Elisabeth said.
“The book is a gender flipped take on Breaking Bad set in Victorian London and came about after a conversation with my kids about whether the series would work in a different time and place.
“It’s dedicated to them and includes a number of queer characters which they asked me to write about as they’re both queer themselves.”
Originally from York, Elisabeth moved to Macclesfield in 1999.
She started writing as a way of filling the evenings when her kids were young.
She entered her first book, Falling for Her Captor, into a worldwide contest run by publisher Harlequin, finishing in third place.
Since then, she has had seven books published by One More Chapter, a division of Harper Collins.
Her books have been set in various times and places, including one fantasy romance between an Edwardian man and a sycamore tree dryad set right here in Macclesfield.
Cover of The Laudanum Ladies’ Society (Credit: Supplied)
Elisabeth’s latest work centres on Gwen, a pharmacist’s wife who accidentally creates a laudanum-based tincture that she decides to market to women as a general cure for all ailments.
When her product is noticed by a hard-nosed businesswoman, Gwen and her friend Jenny find themselves pulled deeper into the London underworld and discover that good intentions can have unintended consequences.
Elisabeth said: “I’m 51 now and one of the key elements about this story is writing about an older woman – a demographic which is often neglected.
“Gwen is turning forty, so in Victorian times very much over the hill!”
The Laudanum Ladies’ Society is available to purchase on Amazon here and can also be ordered at Waterstones on Mill Street.
