The Show Woman

Emma Cowing
2025

NEW

With her mother vanished and her father’s sudden death, Lena’s world shatters—but when society urges her to sell her beloved carousel and marry or work in a factory, an unconventional plan takes hold. Inspired by flame‑haired trapeze legend Violet, Lena forms Scotland’s first all‑female circus act, recruiting the defiant bareback rider Rosie and the secretive Carmen as they tour Edwardian fairgrounds together. Against a backdrop of suspicion, societal scorn, and even violence, the four women bond through hardship and performance, determined to seize freedom and belonging on their own terms. But as they chase success under the big top, buried family secrets and unexpected threats lurk just beyond the circus lights. This evocative debut weaves sisterhood, resilience, and love into a thrilling, immersive historical tale that mesmerizes like any trapeze flight.