The Disappearance of Lydia Harvey: A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE WEEK: A true story of sex, crime and the meaning of justice

In The Woman Who Disappeared, historian Julia Laite explores the life and legacy of Lydia Harvey, a young woman who disappeared in 1910 and was later found to be a key player in a global sex trafficking ring. The book delves into the choices that shaped the next century and the forces of history that shaped Lydia's life.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 432 pages
Publication date: 07 April 2022
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Winner of the CWA ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction, this captivating book vividly brings to life the experiences of one young girl, her dreams, and the hardships she endured. It showcases the brilliance of historical writing, captivating readers with its ingenious portrayal of history.

The Mail on Sunday hailed it as a gripping, unputdownable masterpiece, while Hallie Rubenhold, the author of The Five Extraordinary, praised it as a gripping, unputdownable masterpiece. Matt Houlbrook, the author of The Prince of Tricksters, also expressed his admiration, stating that historical writing does not get any better than this.

Set in 1910, the story revolves around Lydia Harvey, a sixteen-year-old girl who is working long hours for low pay when she is invited to Buenos Aires by a glamorous couple. Accepting the invitation, she disappears without a trace.

In 1910, London, England, amidst a global panic about sex trafficking, detectives are tracking a ring of international criminals when they encounter a young woman on the streets of Soho who holds the key to cracking the entire case. As more people become entangled in Lydia's life and the trial at the Old Bailey, the world is transformed into a new, global era. Choices are being made that will shape the course of the next century, determining who gets to cross borders, whose stories matter, and what justice truly means.

Historian Julia Laite takes readers on an immersive journey as she traces Lydia Harvey through the fragments she left behind. Through this, she constructs an extraordinary story of aspiration, exploitation, and survival, as well as one woman's attempt to navigate and build a life amidst the powerful forces of history.

This book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of storytelling to shed light on the complexities of the past. It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates historical fiction and is interested in understanding the shaping of our world.

Weight: 336g
Dimension: 130 x 197 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788164436
Edition number: Main