The Forgotten Seamstress

By Liz Trenow

A stunning book set in the Edwardian era about a seamstress working at Buckingham Palace. Full of drama, betrayal and compelling historical detail, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley and Tracy Rees.

It is 1914 and Maria, a shy teenager, is appointed to Buckingham Palace as a seamstress for the royal family.

There, she is lucky enough to meet the Prince of Wales and is soon captivated by his glamour and intensity. But theirs is a doomed love affair and before long Maria’s life takes a tragic turn.

Torn between passion and integrity, she makes a choice that has devastating consequences …

Can a beautiful quilt, discovered many years later reveal the truth behind what happened to Maria?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Dec 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9780007480852

Liz Trenow

Liz worked for many years as a journalist for national and regional newspapers, and for BBC radio and television news, and is now a full time writer.

Reviews for The Forgotten Seamstress

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Forgotten Seamstress revolves around a patchwork quilt found by Caroline in her mother's cottage. It was left by her Grandma Jean for her. She takes it home and tries to find out more about it. The story goes back and forth between Caroline and Maria, the girl/woman who made the quilt. Maria's story begins in 1910 when, as an orphan, she is taken to live in the home of a Duchess to sew for the household. The Duchess becomes Queen Mary. Maria meets young Prince Edward and a friendship of sorts springs up. Meanwhile the quilt is stolen from Caroline and while trying to find it and more about it, she meets a reporter that she develops a friendship with. When Maria becomes pregnant, she is committed to a Mental Hospital and her baby dies shortly after birth, or does he. A love story from 2 generations as interesting as the patchwork quilt in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will now look for her debut novel to read.

[lauriebrown54 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In 2008, Caroline is clearing out her mother’s attic when she finds a quilt, which her grandmother left to her. It’s an unusual piece of needlework; the seaming and embroidery are extraordinary, and some of the fabrics are very striking silks. So striking that when Caroline shows it to a friend who is a textile expert, she recognizes them as tiny pieces of fabrics known as the May Silks, specially woven for the wedding of Princess May (Mary) of Teck. How they ended up in a patchwork, and in Caroline’s grandmother’s possession, is unknown, but Caroline intends to find out. Another story goes along as Caroline searches for who made the quilt. In 1970, a graduate student in psychology is interviewing an inmate of a mental hospital. The patient, Maria, tells the story of being an orphan who is taught to sew and is selected to work in palace for the royal family. She talks of the Crown Prince, of a baby that was taken away from her, and her belief that she is in the mental ward to keep her from telling the world of the Prince’s baby. All fantasy, of course, the hallucinations of a schizophrenic. There is no way a lower class girl attracted the attention of the Prince! But how are these two woman connected? I enjoyed the puzzle of figuring out the origins of the quilt, the descriptions of life in the palace, and especially the descriptions of the fabrics and clothing. I was less impressed by the characters, however. Caroline and Maria are both people to whom things happen, but who rarely initiate action of any kind. In Maria’s case, a lot of that is out of her control, but her passivity with the Prince is kind of annoying. But she was a teenager in love, and so that’s a pretty common attitude. Caroline, however, is kind of annoying- she is older, supposedly independent, educated, and in control of her own fate, but she seems to float along. While I liked the two women, it was a lukewarm sort of liking. The other characters didn’t have much depth. It’s an enjoyable book but not a stunning one.

[veesing · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

orphan seamstress worked in Buckingham Palace. Pretty good but a little confusing -- 3 different time periods

[silversreviews · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A quilt with a history. A quilt containing royal cloth. A quilt spanning a number of years. A quilt that told a story.This mysterious quilt, a seamstress, stolen patches of material, royalty, and Caroline tell the tale of the beautiful, lovingly handmade quilt that connects Maria the seamstress to Caroline the present day character through flashbacks and recorded tapes. You will LOVE the connection. Maria's story began in an orphanage where she learned the skills of a seamstress and then moves to her being a seamstress in Buckingham Palace along with her friend, Nora. Both girls did impeccable stitching for the royal family.In her spare time at the castle, Maria made a quilt from royal cloth and told the story of her life in every patch and stitch. Her quilt was handed down through the generations with mysteries and a story of its own.Maria's life was changed for the worst, though, after the Prince summoned her to do some mending for him. This beautifully told story continued from that point and back to the present.If you enjoy reading family history and the history of family heirlooms created by a past generation and found by the present generation, you will definitely enjoy THE FORGOTTEN SEAMSTRESS.The writing is flawless, the characters are lovable and unforgettable, the storyline will definitely hold your interest until the last page. And...the last few pages will have you glued to each word. 5/5This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[raisedbybooks-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

very lovely novel :)

[mishker-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful and captivating dual-time story that takes you back and forth between 1910 and 2008.Maria is an orphan in 1910 who, with her tiny hands has become an excellent seamstress. She and her friend Nora are soon whisked away to Buckingham Palace to work as seamstresses. Maria catches the eye of the young Prince of Wales and finds herself in a delicate situation. Not wanting a royal scandal, Maria is taken away to a mental institution. The staff at the mental institution not only take her baby and her sanity, but Maria still has her story that she preserves in a quilt.In 2008, Caroline has just lost her boyfriend and her job. She is also trying to take care of her mother who has dementia. Caroline is helping her mother clean out her house when she comes across a beautiful and unique quilt. Caroline needs something to fill her time, so she decides to try and figure out the history behind it. Maria and Caroline's story are both enthralling and tragic. I found the book more and more addicting as their stories begin to intersect and Caroline becomes closer to finding the mystery behind the quilt. Artfully woven, Liz Trenow brings us back and forth between Maria's story and Caroline's. Although we really only get to meet Maria through a series of transcribed cassette tape recordings when she is an older woman, her story is enchanting and I wanted nothing more than the truth to be unraveled.This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[hemlokgang · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A nice story with some interesting themes, including women's institutions used to solve men's problems, love and friendship, healing, and the power of family. Frankly, the writing was adequate rather than enhancing to the story line. Nice light read.

[bookofsecrets · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A sweet poem was embroidered into the stunning patchwork quilt that Caroline Meadows inherited from her grandmother. The fine silk for the center piece, woven through with silver thread, was a clue that this quilt was something extraordinary. Each section seems to have a special meaning, a story the seamstress held dear. But who was she? With few leads to go on, Caroline sets out to unravel the mystery of the quilt’s origin, and what she finds is shocking.Entwined with Caroline’s story is an interview with a woman named Maria, taken from cassette tapes recorded in 1970. Maria’s tale was heartbreaking as she recounted her decades in an asylum called Helena Hall. She claims to have been a seamstress for the royal family during the 1910s, but was unjustly diagnosed as crazy and locked away when she caused problems. It was despicable the way Maria was treated, and hers was an eye-opening account of what happened to many “troublesome” women who were committed to mental institutions to be silenced.This is the first book by Liz Trenow I’ve read, and I absolutely loved it! She has an engaging writing style that flowed smoothly and was a joy to read. I enjoyed how the past and present were threaded together until finally the truth behind the quilt is revealed. This book was sad in parts, but at the same time there was hopefulness and humor. Both Caroline and Maria were compelling characters, and Maria especially had a huge personality in spite of everything she went through. THE FORGOTTEN SEAMSTRESS was a wonderful book with memorable characters and brilliant descriptions of quilts and quilt-making. Highly recommended!Source: Review copy from the publisher

[nicx27 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Forgotten Seamstress tells the stories of Maria, a woman who found herself incarcerated in a mental hospital in 1918 to avoid a scandal and Caroline, who in 2008 is given a patchwork quilt with a story woven into it. How the two stories are linked becomes clearer and clearer as the book goes on.I thought this was a charming and very lovely story. Incredibly easy to read but not lacking depth at all. Maria's story is a sad one and Caroline's discovery of the history of the quilt is fascinating. As the reader I loved how the stories came together, heading towards a twist in the tale that I hadn't guessed.This book was an absolute pleasure to read.

[wrbinpa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Maria and Caroline, separated by decades, but their stories are brought together because of a special quilt. This is a story filled with hurt, deception, and regrets as secrets are revealed. You will lose all sense of time, as you become a part of this story.Much of the story takes place in a mental asylum, Helena Hall, a place where madness has no respect for modesty. A life was being wasted because of a few short hours of feeling special, of being young and foolish. Her life was being taken away because she had been naïve and vulnerable, but there was nothing she could do to right those past wrongs.The author creates a lot of character depth and good descriptive writing. Liz Trenow certainly knows the human heart – a masterful storyteller, indeed! This is truly a heartwarming story that I’ll not soon forget. I highly recommend with a 5 star rating.

[rainyafternoon · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Compelling characters at the start of the novel, and a nice compilation of timelines. However, by the end the author seemed rushed to tie up loose ends and reveal secrets. Also, the main character's romance was awkward and uninspiring. A nice historical "mystery", good for a plane ride or a sleepless evening.

[brokenteepee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is really two stories, one from the past and one in the present stitched together like the quilt that forms the centerpiece of the novel. The present tale follows Caroline Meadows who finds the quilt as she is helping her mother sort boxes to make way for some home improvements. When she shows it to her friend who works at Buckingham Palace in the art/conservation department she is shocked to see royal materials in the quilt - what were known as the May Silks, used only for the trousseau of Princess Mary of Teck. This sends her on a journey to discover how royal materials were in a quilt from her grandmother.The second and if you ask me, far more interesting story is that of the quilter. She was an orphan named Maria who along with her friend Nora are plucked from their orphanage at a young age to go work in what turns out to be Buckingham Palace in the sewing room because they are both very talented seamstresses. While there Maria catches the eye of the Prince of Wales and well, he's a Prince and she's a very naive young girl. What happens to her is horrifying and forms the basis of the story of the quilt. I don't want to ruin the tale so I will leave you with just these tidbits.If only Caroline's story was as captivating and as well told as Maria's was. Caroline is completely hapless and hopeless and honestly I just didn't find her interesting or believable as a character. If she had been 20 years younger I might have understood some of the decisions she made but not as a 38 year old woman. I have problems with books when characters don't feel real to me. Maria felt more alive and fully developed to me than Caroline who seemed a bit of a cardboard cutout.Ms. Trenow does have a lovely writing style and that kept me reading until the end despite my not caring what happened to Caroline. I wanted to know very much how Maria's life played out - she carried the book for me.

[bwhitner-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this book. The way she intertwined the two stories together was brilliant. It is about two women one in the early 1900's who is named Maria and is an orphan who gets adopted as a seamstress for the castle an falls in love with the prince. The other is Coleen. Her life is falling apart. I really loved the stories of the two women and how they come together with the investigation of the quilt. I never expected the ending.

[blodeuedd_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was really sad at times, not the oh no that person died sad, but heartbreaking sad of how Maria was treated. The cruelty of the world made me so angry.

Maria was young, happy, and fell in love with a prince. You know that that will not end well and it does not. The book is told through Maria when she becomes a seamstress, Maria when she is interviewed in the 70s and is believed to be crazy and through Caroline in our time, she finds a quilt and wants to know who made it.

The first story leads Maria to her doom. In the 70s flashbacks we see that she was in a mental asylum, but why? And that was the heartbreaking part. I got so angry there that I stopped for a moment. And the thing is, that I did not know if anything Maria said was true either. That was the intriguing part too, did she tell the truth or was she insane?

So it was a mystery to be solved and the ending was a good one. I enjoyed the book.

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is really two stories, one from the past and one in the present stitched together like the quilt that forms the centerpiece of the novel. The present tale follows Caroline Meadows who finds the quilt as she is helping her mother sort boxes to make way for some home improvements. When she shows it to her friend who works at Buckingham Palace in the art/conservation department she is shocked to see royal materials in the quilt - what were known as the May Silks, used only for the trousseau of Princess Mary of Teck. This sends her on a journey to discover how royal materials were in a quilt from her grandmother.The second and if you ask me, far more interesting story is that of the quilter. She was an orphan named Maria who along with her friend Nora are plucked from their orphanage at a young age to go work in what turns out to be Buckingham Palace in the sewing room because they are both very talented seamstresses. While there Maria catches the eye of the Prince of Wales and well, he's a Prince and she's a very naive young girl. What happens to her is horrifying and forms the basis of the story of the quilt. I don't want to ruin the tale so I will leave you with just these tidbits.If only Caroline's story was as captivating and as well told as Maria's was. Caroline is completely hapless and hopeless and honestly I just didn't find her interesting or believable as a character. If she had been 20 years younger I might have understood some of the decisions she made but not as a 38 year old woman. I have problems with books when characters don't feel real to me. Maria felt more alive and fully developed to me than Caroline who seemed a bit of a cardboard cutout.Ms. Trenow does have a lovely writing style and that kept me reading until the end despite my not caring what happened to Caroline. I wanted to know very much how Maria's life played out - she carried the book for me.

[fernemysteryreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Not since reading "A Fall of Marigolds" by Susan Meissner has my heart been so touched as a story of the past dovetails with the present into one very meaningful novel. In "A Fall of Marigolds" the link in both time periods being a beautiful scarf and in "The Forgotten Seamstress" there is an exquisite quilt.I am not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination but over the course of my lifetime I have been blessed to have received lovely hand-sewn quilted pieces from dear and talented friends. One is a quilted patchwork lap throw and one suggested as a centerpiece table covering that I instead use as a wall hanging from Christmas to spring due to the snowman theme. In knowing the seamstresses of the two (2) treasures I have received it was easy for me to imagine the extraordinary giftedness of Maria Romano (Queenie). “I stitched my love into this quilt, sewn it neatly, proud and true. Though you have gone, I must live on, and this will hold me close to you.” At the point in the novel that I as a reader learned of Maria's message hidden in her quilt I knew who she had in her heart when she wrote the words but I never imagined the true poignancy for the character in the novel that would discover the message.An extraordinary read especially after reading "A Conversation with the Author" at the end of the novel and learning Liz Trenow's inspiration for the novel. A breathtaking experience.