Her scandal. His revenge. The unforgettable new historical novel from award-winning author, Kate Foster.

St Monans, Fife, Scotland 1790. Two women are forced to publicly repent in church, one for adultery the other for breaching the sabbath. Wealthy housewife, Florrie, and salt serf, Eliza, form a quick and unusual bond over their mutual humiliation. So when Florrie’s husband decides she must accompany him on a trade venture to Iceland, she insists Eliza comes as her maid.

Far from home, isolated and fearful, the two women grow ever closer. Then Florrie’s husband reveals his sinister plan: he will leave her in Iceland, banished for the shame she has cast upon him. Florrie must escape, but when she turns to Eliza for help she realizes nothing is quite as it seems . . .

Inspired by an attempt by Scottish merchants to annex Iceland as a remote prison for the British Empire, The Repentants is a chilling tale of betrayal, exile and survival from the Women’s Prize long-listed author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.

My Review

I’m a huge fan of Victorian Gothic mysteries so The Repentants is a little early for me, but I absolutely loved it. Set initially in Fife, Scotland in 1790, and then Iceland (with a short sojourn in Denmark), we follow the lives of three very different women.

Florrie is married to the owner of a salt factory. She is only 20 and has a fortune of her own which she will inherit when she turns 21. It is held in trust and not even her husband can have any claim on it.

Eliza is a salt serf, bonded to the salt factory. Both she and Florrie must publicly repent in church – Eliza for breaching the Sabbath, Florrie for adultery. Then Florrie’s husband decides to travel to Iceland, and insists Florrie go with him. She reluctantly agrees but wants Eliza to come too as her maid.

In Iceland we meet Hallgerd, whose husband is travelling for work. Her brother Marcus has been arrested for murder, and Hallgerd has been thrown out of her own house. You would think the three women would bond, but there is far too much animosity between them for that to happen.

I’ve never read (well listened on Audible) to anything like this before, but I have already downloaded my next Kate Foster book and I can’t wait.

About the Author

Kate Foster worked as a national newspaper journalist for more than twenty years before becoming an author. Growing up in Edinburgh, she became fascinated by its history and often uses it as inspiration for her stories. Her debut novel, The Maiden, won the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year in 2023 and was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2024.  She lives in Edinburgh with her two children.