Miss Marley: The Untold Story of Jacob Marley's Sister — Vanessa Lafaye

‘Exquisite' Veronica Henry

Before A Christmas Carol there was… Miss Marley

A seasonal tale of kindness and goodwill

Orphans 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 â€" 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' Stylist

A ‘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

About the author

Vanessa Lafaye was born in Florida and studied in North Carolina. She moved to the UK in 1999 (having been deported once). She is the author of two previous novels, her first book Summertime, was chosen for Richard and Judy in 2015 and was shortlisted for the Historical Writers Award. Vanessa passed away in February 2018.