An Evening with Jessie Elland | 28th May, 7PM at Linghams, Heswall
An Evening with Jessie Elland | 28th May, 7PM at Linghams, Heswall

We are extremely excited to be hosting an event with debut author, Jessie Elland!
Jessie's outstanding debut is set in an undefined historical period: imagine Bridgerton on a bad acid trip! With its uncanny atmosphere and grotesque and provocative themes it will appeal to fans of Mariana Enriquez, Bora Chung, Mona Awad and Ottessa Moshfegh.
It brings to mind the fairytale darkness of Angela Carter and the air of pervading madness in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, as well as the discordant tone of recent films Poor Things and The Substance.
Scullery drudge Ann longs to become a lady's maid. Ann can't quite remember how or when she arrived at the grand Ropner Hall, but she loathes spending her days toiling in the dank kitchen.
When a chance meeting with Ropner's Lady Charlotte leads to the opportunity to become her personal maid, Ann is convinced she has finally escaped her own version of hell. But has she? As Ann's new life above stairs takes a sinister twist, will it turn out that the terrors lurking up there are worse than the devils she knows below?Jessie Elland's deeply visceral debut is a dark and twisted tale of ambition and desire. Are you brave enough to enter Ropner Hall?
This book started life as a one woman play Jessie intended to write, but she soon realised it was more suited to book form. She was inspired by the North East countryside, the art of Auguste Toulmouche and the gothic literature she read growing up.
Praise for The Ladie Upstairs:
‘The Ladie Upstairs is a fever dream of a novel. Fuelled by sapphic femgore, it's sick and sultry, and a deeply beguiling masterclass in the perverse; I couldn't put it down!’ - Lucy Rose, author of THE LAMB
‘Elland's voice is established and enchanting, leading you unarmed into the unexpected. Her prose is disgustingly beautiful and sharp with shame. The Ladie Upstairs is an addictive, feverish and strangling read.’ - Charlotte Paradise, author of OVERSPILL
‘Beautiful prose, unforgettable characters, and a strange, twisty, dreamlike plot.’ Lauren Wilson, author of THE GOLDENS
Ticket options:
- £16.99. This includes a copy of The Ladie Upstairs.
- £10.00. Admission only. You can redeem the cost of this ticket against a copy of the book on the night.
