New York Times bestselling author Madeline Martin’s new novel, THE SECRET BOOK SOCIETY (Hanover Square Press; August 26, 2025) centers a forbidden book club in Victorian London – and the women that join in order to escape society’s restraints.
London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.
Author Madeline Martin talks to Authorlink’s Doris Booth about forbidden books and Victorian insane asylyms portrayed in her latest novel.
And now, you are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband.
Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife.
Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret.
All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.
As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything.
Described as a literary fusion of Bridgerton and The Chicks’ Earl (Fiona Davis) the novel delivers a “compelling blend of historical detail, female friendship, and shared connections…reminding us of the surprising power of literature in our search for connection, independence, and autonomy” (Booklist).
“Martin delivers a compelling tale of four Victorian women finding strength and friendship through forbidden literature, using evocative prose that captures the restrictions of their society and the liberation found in the written word.”—Booklist
AUTHOR BIO: Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty different languages.
