Ravenglass by Carolyn Kirby

 

Ravenglass by Carolyn Kirby.

Published 25th September 2025 by Northodox Press.

From the cover of the book:

In 18th century Whitehaven, Kit Ravenglass grows up in a house of secrets. A shameful mystery surrounds his mother’s death, and his formidable, newly rich father is gambling everything on shipping ventures. Kit takes solace in his beloved sister Fliss, and her sumptuous silks, although he knows better than to reveal his delight in feminine fashion. As the family’s debts mount, Kit’s father turns to the transatlantic slave trade – a ruthless and bloody traffic to which more than a fortune might be lost.

Adventures will see Kit turn fugitive and begin living as ‘Stella,’ before being swept into the heady violence of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebellion. Driven by love, revenge and a desire to live truly and freely, Kit must find a way to survive these turbulent times - and to unravel the tragic secrets of the Ravenglass family.

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Kit Ravenglass is brought up in 18th century Whitehaven, in a shipping family with dark secrets no one seems willing to share with him. Unsettled by how little he knows about the circumstances surrounding his mother's disappearance from his life at a young age, Kit has grown close to his older sister, Fliss. Kit's solace does not only come from Fliss' company, for he also loves to be dressed up in her silks and satins, taking on the persona of Stella as part of their games.

As Kit grows, he is torn away from the comfort of his hours with Fliss and forced to face the harsh realities of a family with mounting debts. His father turns to the transatlantic slave trade in an effort to regain his wealth, and as tragedy continues to take its toll on the family, Kit becomes a pawn in his father's ambitions. But Kit has other plans. Taking on the guise of Stella, Kit leaves to pursue his own destiny, which unknowingly drags him into Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion.

This sweeping adventure immerses you Kit's life, as he makes an emotional coming of age journey that takes him from Whitehaven to Edinburgh and back again, against a backdrop rife with significant moments in 18th century history. 

Kit's personal quest to live the life he wants drives the heart-rending narrative, particularly when it comes to exploring sex and gender in Georgian Britain. With beautiful prose, emotionally-rich characters, and settings that ooze an atmosphere of time and place so tangible you can almost taste it, Kirby conjures tragedies, trials, and tribulations for Kit as he negotiates the legacy of family secrets, the tug of war between his own desires and expectation, and the fallout of war.

I am so impressed with how much history and social history Kirby packs into this story, and her level of research really tells. She touches on merchant adventurers, sea-faring voyages, the slave trade, the dressmaking and millinery sectors, justice, class, and so many aspects of Georgian society - not to mention getting to grips with the Jacobite Rebellion in such an engaging way. She does not shy away from confronting poverty, violence, callous depravity, and discontent through her characters - but this story has many moments of love, tenderness, and the kindness of strangers too.

Utterly spellbinding, this is one of those books that will linger with you for a long time. I loved it.

Ravenglass is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Northodox Press for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Following careers in social housing and as a teacher, Carolyn Kirby has been a full-time writer for the past ten years. As well as being listed for prizes from the Historical Writers’ Association and the Crimefest/Specsavers Crime Fiction Award, her books have appeared on the Times and Sunday Times lists of Best Novels of the Year. Born in Sunderland, Carolyn studied history at St Hilda’s College, Oxford and she now helps to run Hilda’s Crime Fiction Weekend, a world-renowned literary festival held in the college every August.