The Manual for Good Wives

by Lola Jaye

Overview

'The Manual For Good Wives, a fast-paced tale of courage and resilience is beautifully written and remarkably moving. An absolute masterpiece' - Mike Gayle, author of All the Lonely People

Everything about Adeline Copplefield is a lie . . .

To the world Mrs Copplefield is the epitome of Victorian propriety: an exemplary society lady who writes a weekly column advising young ladies on how to be better wives.

Only Adeline has never been a good wife or mother; she has no claim to the Copplefield name, nor is she an English lady . . .

Now a black woman, born in Africa, who dared to pretend to be something she was not, is on trial in the English courts with all of London society baying for her blood. And she is ready to tell her story . . .

From the author of The Attic Child, Lola Jaye, comes a powerful dual narrative historical novel. The Manual for Good Wives is about love, generational trauma, second chances and hope.

'An unforgettable voice within a breathtaking story about love, lineage, and the intergenerational effect of bravery in the face of misfortune' - Jessica George, author of Diverse Book Awards winning My Name is Maame

'Poignant, captivating and thoroughly enjoyable' - The Yorkshire Times

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781529064629
Publisher:	Pan Macmillan
Publication date:	05/06/2025
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.50(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Lola Jaye is an author and psychotherapist who has penned seven novels and a self-help book. She was born and raised in London, England and has lived in Nigeria and the United States.

The Attic Child, released in 2022, was her first epic historical novel and has since been nominated for the Jhalak Prize and shortlisted for The Diverse Book Awards.

Editorial Reviews

Lola has effortlessly embedded an unforgettable voice within a breathtaking story about love, lineage, and the intergenerational effect of bravery in the face of misfortune. I loved it!” —Jessica George, author of author of Divers Book Award winning My Name Is Maame

“I was definitely in tears by the end! There is so much to say about this story. Lola Jaye has given us such a creative way of examining privilege, identity, trauma and whiteness in both eras” —Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish) on The Attic Child

“[This] could be Lola’s best book yet. Her writing is on another level, with characters and a story that grab you from the first page and don't let go until the very end. Just brilliant” —Dorothy Koomson, author of My Other Husband on The Attic Child

“An incredibly important book giving breath to voices we sadly seldom hear . . . beautifully crafted, [a] compelling story crossing continents and time, which will undoubtedly break your heart but also make it sing” —Mike Gayle, author of Dinner for Two on The Attic Child

“Bruising yet hopeful epic novel . . . Emotional and evocative. A powerful tale of trauma, identity and survival” —Daily Mail on The Attic Child

From the Publisher