The Palace Dressmaker

A missing husband and a dress once owned by Princess Diana set two very different women on paths of discovery that will change both their lives forever in this dazzling new novel from the author of The Last Dress from Paris.

England, 2018: Jayne is quiet. She keeps to herself and has no grand expectations for her days. But after a chance encounter with her elderly neighbour, Meredith, Jayne is forced to reevaluate her determination to keep the world at a distance. Meredith's dust-covered home is chaotic and neglected. And slowly, Jayne starts to grasp that Meredith herself is quite lost. She can't seem to remember anything: what she last ate, when she last went out or saw her daughter, or even Jayne's name, despite what are becoming frequent visits.

But most alarmingly, Meredith can't remember where her husband is.

Unable to sit by and watch Meredith hurting, Jayne promises she'll find William. But how can she when the biggest clue Jayne has is a mystery itself: a stunning couture gown with a note declaring it a personal gift to Meredith...from Princess Diana.

England, 1988: Meredith is always calm. You have to be when working for one of the most iconic women in the world. Just as the stitches she uses to create Princess Diana's wardrobe are steady and stable, so is Meredith. Until she finds herself feeling off-kilter and untethered by an unexpected connection with someone in the workshop. As Meredith finds herself swept up in life and love for the first time, everything she's ever dreamed about seems in reach...if only she can be brave enough to take it.

'Beer's emotionally rich narrative highlights the devastation of dementia and the solidarity found among those working to lessen its impact. This will move readers' Publishers Weekly
'Beer sensitively explores the challenges of mental illness, the gifts (and the limits) of community, and the power of emotional bonds to change a person's life . . . A tribute to unlikely friendships, enduring love, and the history contained in every stitch of an exquisitely crafted garment' Shelf-Awareness

Jade Beer is an award-winning editor, journalist and novelist who has worked across the national press, women's glossies, weeklies and digital channels for more than twenty years.

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