‘Vivid and moving … I absolutely loved it!’ Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things
‘Charming, original and beautifully researched’ Rachel Hore, author of A Beautiful Spy

‘When the men leave for the Western Front, Peggy and her friends must shoulder the burden at home.

As she moves between her narrowboat full of memories and the demands of the bookbindery where she works, Peggy’s dreams of escaping for a new life feel ever more remote.

But the war brings people together in unexpected ways. New friends and lovers offer new opportunities but also present difficult choices – and Peggy must write her own story.

‘A fresh, exciting new voice in historical fiction’ Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
‘A compelling homage to the transformational power of books‘ Daisy Wood, author of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris

Dictionary of Lost Words, Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, May 2022

‘A wonderful book, whose vividly-drawn characters tell the story of a pivotal period in women’s history’ Fiona Valpy, author of The Dressmaker’s Gift

‘Your job is to bind the books, not read them.’

When the men of Oxford University Press leave for the Western Front, Peggy, her twin sister Maude and their friends in the bookbindery must shoulder the burden at home. As Peggy moves between her narrowboat full of memories and the demands of the Press, her dreams of studying feel ever more remote. She must know her place, fold her pages and never stop to savour the precious words in front of her.

From volunteer nurses to refugees fleeing the horrors of occupation, the war brings women together from all walks of life, and with them some difficult choices for Peggy. New friends and lovers offer new opportunities, but they also make new demands – and Peggy must write her own story.

‘Vivid and moving … I absolutely loved it!’ Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things

‘Charming, original and beautifully researched’ Rachel Hore, author of A Beautiful Spy

‘A fresh, exciting new voice in historical fiction’ Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife

‘A compelling homage to the transformational power of books‘ Daisy Wood, author of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris

Sometimes you have to start with what’s lost to truly find yourself…

Motherless and irrepressibly curious, Esme spends her childhood at her father’s feet as he and his team gather words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary.

One day, she sees a slip of paper containing a forgotten word flutter to the floor unclaimed.

And so Esme begins to collect words for another dictionary in secret: The Dictionary of Lost Words. But to do so she must journey into a world on the cusp of change as the Great War looms and women fight for the vote. Can the power of lost words from the past finally help her make sense of her future?

‘A brilliant book about women and words – tender, moving and profound’ Jacqueline Wilson

Readers LOVE The Dictionary of Lost Words:

‘If you only read one book this year, let it be this one!’
‘If you’re a fan of The Binding and The Betrayals you will surely love this’
‘A glorious combination of words, growing up, friendship, love, feminism and so much more’
‘The best love letter to words and language’
‘This book broke my heart … I highly recommend it to any historical fiction fans … it’s one I will be reading again’

Dictionary of Lost Words, Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, May 2022

‘If you only read one book this year, let it be this one!’ FIVE STAR NETGALLEY READER REVIEW

‘An extraordinary, charming novel… Williams pins a whole, rich life to the page’ The Times

In 1901, the word ‘bondmaid’ was discovered missing from the Oxford English Dictionary. This is the story of the girl who stole it.

Motherless and irrepressibly curious, Esme spends her childhood in the Scriptorium, a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of lexicographers are gathering words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary.

Esme’s place is beneath the sorting table, unseen and unheard. One day, she sees a slip containing the word ‘bondmaid’ flutter to the floor unclaimed.

Over time, Esme realises that some words are considered more important than others, and that words and meanings relating to women’s experiences often go unrecorded. She begins to collect words for another dictionary: The Dictionary of Lost Words.

PRAISE FOR THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS

‘Set at a time when women’s voices were clamouring more than ever to be heard, it moved me greatly to think how history is skewed by those who hold power — and how important it is that novels like this redress that balance’ Elizabeth Macneal, author or The Doll Factory

‘A brilliant book about women and words – tender, moving and profound’ Jacqueline Wilson

‘I absolutely loved this book! Thought-provoking, touching and subtly romantic; I finished it in tears’ Katie Fforde

MORE FIVE STAR NETGALLEY READER REVIEWS

‘If you’re a fan of The Binding and The Betrayals you will surely love this’

‘A glorious combination of words, growing up, friendship, love, feminism and so much more’

‘The best love letter to words and language’

‘This book broke my heart … I highly recommend it to any historical fiction fans … it’s one I will be reading again’