Get our latest book recommendations, author news, and competitions right to your inbox.
The Golden Hour
'An exquisite story of love and the enduring power of friendship' Ruth Hogan
Table of Contents
About The Book
The Golden Hour is an epic dual timeline story which interweaves glory-seeking desert archaeologists, priceless treasures, Nefertiti’s tomb and the decadent cabarets of WW2 Cairo with restless expat lives in bohemian Beirut.
Archaeologist Lucie Fitzgerald's mother is dying – she's also been lying. As her home, the 'Paris of the East', Beirut, teeters on the brink of war in the ‘70s, Polly Fitzgerald has one last story to tell from her deathbed. It’s the story of her childhood best friend Juno and their life in 30s Cairo. Lucie travels home to be with her dying mother and discovers the truth about her family, Juno's work and their shared search for the greatest undiscovered tomb of all - Nefertiti's.
From the cities to the deserts, this transporting and moving story of a lost generation transformed by war is a study of great love and sacrifice in all its forms, the perfect novel for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop.
‘Wonderfully escapist with beautifully drawn characters, stunning locations and an unashamedly romantic heart, The Golden Hour is a captivating story’ Hannah Richell
‘A Kate Lord Brown novel is always a treat, and I think THE GOLDEN HOUR is her best yet, with its sumptuous combination of love, war and intrigue and its gorgeously exotic setting’ Jane Johnson
‘An exquisite story of love and the enduring power of friendship. Kate Lord Brown’s writing is so evocative and immersive that I felt transported to faraway shores and stood beside her characters sharing their experiences rather than simply reading about them. The Golden Hour is pure gold’ Ruth Hogan
'Epic, sweeping and gloriously romantic, this is the kind of book we have all been longing for, with all the ingredients of a classic page-turner - exotic locations, intrepid women and thrilling adventure. An absolute delight' Veronica Henry
‘Headily romantic, richly detailed, with marvellous characters and a vividly stirring landscape both geographical and historical, The Golden Hour offers escapism of the most elegantly seductive sort’ Christobel Kent
Archaeologist Lucie Fitzgerald's mother is dying – she's also been lying. As her home, the 'Paris of the East', Beirut, teeters on the brink of war in the ‘70s, Polly Fitzgerald has one last story to tell from her deathbed. It’s the story of her childhood best friend Juno and their life in 30s Cairo. Lucie travels home to be with her dying mother and discovers the truth about her family, Juno's work and their shared search for the greatest undiscovered tomb of all - Nefertiti's.
From the cities to the deserts, this transporting and moving story of a lost generation transformed by war is a study of great love and sacrifice in all its forms, the perfect novel for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop.
‘Wonderfully escapist with beautifully drawn characters, stunning locations and an unashamedly romantic heart, The Golden Hour is a captivating story’ Hannah Richell
‘A Kate Lord Brown novel is always a treat, and I think THE GOLDEN HOUR is her best yet, with its sumptuous combination of love, war and intrigue and its gorgeously exotic setting’ Jane Johnson
‘An exquisite story of love and the enduring power of friendship. Kate Lord Brown’s writing is so evocative and immersive that I felt transported to faraway shores and stood beside her characters sharing their experiences rather than simply reading about them. The Golden Hour is pure gold’ Ruth Hogan
'Epic, sweeping and gloriously romantic, this is the kind of book we have all been longing for, with all the ingredients of a classic page-turner - exotic locations, intrepid women and thrilling adventure. An absolute delight' Veronica Henry
‘Headily romantic, richly detailed, with marvellous characters and a vividly stirring landscape both geographical and historical, The Golden Hour offers escapism of the most elegantly seductive sort’ Christobel Kent
About The Author
Lucy Williams Photography
KATE LORD BROWN was a finalist in ITV’s The People’s Author contest, and her novel The Perfume Garden, which has been published in nine languages, was shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year 2014. Her books have been top ten bestsellers in the UK, Canada, and several European countries. In 2020 she was highly commended in the RNA Elizabeth Goudge Trophy. Kate has also written editorial, reviews and regular columns for Traveller, Conde Nast, Good Housekeeping, the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Express and others. She wrote the first book club column in the Middle East, introducing a host of writers to the region through the pages of Ahlan! After many years living overseas, she has returned to the wild and beautiful south-west of England, where she grew up. Find out more: https://www.katelordbrown. com and connect with Kate on Instagram and Facebook @KateLordBrown
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK (April 10, 2025)
- Length: 432 pages
- ISBN13: 9781398534810
Raves and Reviews
‘Wonderfully escapist with beautifully drawn characters, stunning locations and an unashamedly romantic heart, The Golden Hour is a captivating story of female friendship, devastating tragedy and a long-buried secret coming into the light. If you love books by Dinah Jefferies or Santa Montefiore, you’ll adore Kate Lord Brown’s The Golden Hour’ Hannah Richell
‘A Kate Lord Brown novel is always a treat, and I think THE GOLDEN HOUR is her best yet, with its sumptuous combination of love, war and intrigue and its gorgeously exotic setting. Kate’s knowledge and understanding of North African and Middle Eastern life and culture shines out of every sentence, and Polly and Juno make a pair of fictional friends for the ages’ Jane Johnson
‘An exquisite story of love and the enduring power of friendship. Kate Lord Brown’s writing is so evocative and immersive that I felt transported to faraway shores and stood beside her characters sharing their experiences rather than simply reading about them. The Golden Hour is pure gold’ Ruth Hogan
'Kate paints such beautiful pictures with her words, you feel as if you are right there, in the heat and the dust. Epic, sweeping and gloriously romantic, this is the kind of book we have all been longing for, with all the ingredients of a classic page-turner - exotic locations, intrepid women and thrilling adventure. An absolute delight' Veronica Henry
‘Headily romantic, richly detailed, with marvellous characters and a vividly stirring landscape both geographical and historical, The Golden Hour offers escapism of the most elegantly seductive sort’ Christobel Kent
‘I particularly loved the evocative sections that flash back to1930s Egypt’ Good Housekeeping
‘This is a tale of love, sacrifice and a lost generation’ My Weekly
‘At its heart is a study of female friendship; the carefully drawn characters and sumptuous settings lead to an evocative and immersive romantic epic’ Platinum
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Golden Hour eBook 9781398534810
- Author Photo (jpg): Kate Lord Brown Lucy Williams Photography(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
