The Show Woman is a beautifully written historical novel that takes you right into the heart of Edwardian Scotland’s circus world. Emma Cowing brings the atmosphere to life with rich details, you can almost hear the roar of the crowd and feel the tension before a big performance!
The best part of this book? The women. Lena, Violet, Rosie, and Carmen are all unique, strong, and determined to carve out their own place in a world that wasn’t built for them. Their bond is inspiring, and I loved seeing them challenge expectations. If you enjoy stories about resilience, friendship, and women breaking barriers, this book delivers.
Why not 5 stars? While the writing is immersive and the characters are engaging, the pacing slowed in some spots. A few moments felt a little drawn out, and I found myself wanting to get back to the action faster. That said, it’s a minor issue compared to how much I enjoyed the story overall.
If you love historical fiction with a fresh perspective, The Show Woman is definitely worth the read. It’s empowering, moving, and full of heart!

Set in Edwardian Scotland, the story is centred around the world of circuses and fairs and the traveller community.
After the disappearance of her mother and following the death of her father, Lena decides to start up an all women’s circus.
Joining her on this adventure are Violet, Rosie and Carmen. All four of them are hiding secrets and the book goes back and forth in time, where we learn about their past lives and how they now find themselves on the travelling show circuit together.
The book is about life, love and friendship and their stories are beautifully told.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this debut novel and finding out about the circus community in Scotland just before WW1. It’s hard to believe that a Ladies Circus really existed but one of the main characters is based on the author’s great aunt , so it must have! This is an impressive debut novel which is well written with convincing characters. The ending felt a bit rushed and it would have been nice to have more meat on the bones of some of the supporting cast but all-in-all this is a good read.

Thank you for my copy of this book to read and review.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the front cover and I’m so glad I was.

A great historical fiction story of friendship, survival, determination and secrets.

I thought the storyline was original and full of believable characters that I cared about.

I have already recommended this book to friends.

As soon as I saw the cover and description for this book I couldn't wait to read it - and it didn't disappoint. This is a wonderful novel about friendship, family, and what it was to be a show woman in an Edwardian Circus.

A historical fiction set in Edwardian Scotland, centred around the world of circuses and fairs. The story follows circus-born Lena, whose mother mysteriously disappeared some years earlier, and father sadly dies at the book’s outset. Lena decides to sell her father’s carousel and, encouraged by Violet (aka 'the greatest trapeze artist that ever lived’), decides to set up an all-female circus act. Lena and Violet recruit performers Rosie and Carmen to complete their act, and so their journey begins….

The story that follows is enthralling, with beautifully immersive and captivating writing, that really draws the reader in to the circus era. There are some sensitive and dark themes throughout the book, including those of sexual abuse, murder and suicide, but above all else this book is one that celebrates female strength, resilience, friendship and love. A very enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.

#NetGalley #TheShowWoman

Thank you to the publisher, author and netgalley for letting me read this book.

The story is set in Edwardian Scotland, and follows Lena, who faces personal losses with her parents' disappearance and death, leading her to join forces with Violet, a fiery trapeze artist, to create their own all-female circus act. They recruit other performers, forming a bond amidst challenges, including prejudice and violence, while striving for freedom, love, and stability. The novel captures the struggles and triumphs of women in the world of traveling fairs in the early 20th century.

This book is a fascinating mix of historical fiction, women's empowerment, and heartfelt drama. Highly recommend!

Long before the women's movement there were strong women trying to make a living without relying on men. Many had been hurt or let fown by men who were close to them, and some just long for independence.
Meet, Lena, Violet, Carmen and Rose. They all have secrets but find themselves thrown together and form The Ladies Circus. Life is tough and many they meet can't be relied upon, but united they stand against their enemies. Each one comes out of their shell and they bond together through the ups and downs of circus and fairground life. Eventually the secrets are exposed, and there is a happy ending for some.
The smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd comes to life in this debut novel from Emma Cowing. Thanks to H & S and NetGalley for a captivating read.

Female-led historical fiction
All-female circus setting
Themes of freedom, identity & ambition
Atmospheric writing
Celebration of creativity and resilience

I was completely drawn to the idea of a historical setting where women take centre stage (literally), and Emma Cowing does such a beautiful job of bringing that world to life. The atmosphere is vivid, the details transportive, and there’s something deeply romantic—not necessarily in a love story kind of way, but in the way it romanticises resilience, artistry, and the hunger to create something larger than life.

The female characters felt real and layered, especially when navigating the fine line between performance and reality. I loved how the story leaned into themes like identity, freedom, and the weight of expectations—things I think a lot of us feel in different ways today.

That said, the pacing felt a little slow at times, and I found myself wanting slightly more emotional intimacy between the characters. I wanted to feel their relationships as much as I could see them. But still, I closed the book feeling inspired, and just a little in awe of what these women created—on the page and in history.

If you love historical fiction that centres women, art, and quiet power, I think you’ll find this just as enchanting as I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Lena’s Dad, carousel owner and bare knuckle boxing champion dies, she sells the carousel and sets up her own Ladies Circus and for a golden summer travels the Showgrounds of Edwardian Scotland to growing acclaim. But will the malicious owner of Lindens Circus destroy Lena’s livelihood? And will Lena ever find her mother? Will Rosie, the runaway brilliant bareback rider and acrobat escape a violent father? Can Violet, the finest trapeze artist of her time outrun her past and find real love? And will the mysterious musical Carmen, or Rainbow Lady, ever forgive herself ? Together these four Show Women dazzle. Based on the author’s own family, this atmospheric, richly descriptive book revealed a world of the Showman families that was new to me. And championed the Show Woman.

As a child some of my favourite books were Enid Blton's Circus series - and this was reminiscent of those, IF you took off your rose tinted glasses and peered at the gritty underbelly of the beast! My level of fascination remained as high as when I was a child with the addition of secrets and intrigue and the detail of what travellers lives actually entailed.

First impressions, wow! I am brand new to this authors work and I am in love with the writing. This is a inspiring story of family and ancestry. The world building is fantastic, the way this is written really keeps you interested, I absorbed this novel in 3 hours! If you havent read this then definitely do!

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Emma Cowing and Hodder & Stoughton📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

The Show Woman by Emma Cowing is a beautifully written and deeply moving story of resilience, female friendship and the fight for independence. Set in Scotland in the early 1900s, it follows Lena, who has known nothing but life in the circus. When she loses both her parents, she is left with little choice but to sell the carousel her father adored and find work elsewhere. But then Violet appears – bold, fearless and determined to carve out a future on her terms. Together, they set out to create an all-female travelling show, defying society’s expectations.

I loved the dynamic between the women, each with their struggles and past traumas, yet united by their shared determination. Lena’s journey from grief and uncertainty to strength was particularly moving, and Violet’s larger-than-life presence added energy to every scene. Rosie and Carmen’s stories were equally compelling, making this a book filled with complex, well-drawn characters.

The historical setting is immersive, and the challenges the women face feel painfully real. The prejudice, danger and hardships they encounter make their triumphs all the more powerful. There are moments of joy and love, but also heartbreak, making this a truly emotional read.

This book is thought-provoking, inspiring and, at times, deeply upsetting. It is a story of survival, sisterhood and the courage to forge your path, even when the world is against you. I was completely drawn in and highly recommend it.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

The Show Woman is an accomplished historical novel, that took me back to a little known area of history - the Edwardian circus. An all-female Edwardian circus, which was even more unique. I loved the four main characters - Lena, Rosie, Violet and Carmen, all with their individual journeys and challenges. Emma Cowing's research really showed, and I learned so much about how fairs were run in the early 20th Century, and how women in particular navigated a very male-run world.

A tale of endurance, of four women carving out their own place in the world. It is the women who make this story, for better and for worse. Women who drive it, who have agency and push against the barriers that time and sex have forced upon them. This story of a ladies circus, of something new in Scotland, 1910, before the world is ripped apart.

This is a tale of love in so many of its forms. Love of friends, of family, of found family, of romantic love, of sexual love, love of a place, a feeling, a memory, a thought. Love runs throughout the whole story, a core thread that splits and unravels before forming anew. It is also the story of the reverse of that coin. Of love turned to hate, of the cruelty that only those nearest and dearest (or those who *should* be our nearest and dearest) can inflict.

There are mature themes running throughout this book, child sexual abuse, loosing children, murder, vengeance, but while the book never shies away from exploring these topics, it is always done gracefully. These moments are important for the story, and not just placed to shock or titillate.

It did feel as if the ending came very suddenly, and there was so much story left to explore, so many questions still unanswered, but I suppose its the sign of a good author, leaving you wanting more. And that I did - some questions were left with vague answers, like a watercolour and you have to fill in the blanks.

Also, Tommy, best boy in the whole book, if not the whole world.

5⭐️ A fast-paced and thought provoking debut novel, set in Edwardian times, The Show Woman follows the path of multiple strong female characters as they cross paths and decide to form an all-female act in the circus.

𝑻𝒘’𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌: 𝑺𝑨, 𝑪𝑺𝑨, 𝒅𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓, 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆

Packed with plot twists and family secrets, I absolutely flew through this as I was just captivated by the story and by each of our characters. Character development is well-rounded, we learn about their pasts and how it has shaped them, and how the circus in turn changes them.

The Show Woman follows Lena's life the year following her fathers death, as a show woman in early 20th century Scotland. As a Scot the premise really intrigued me. Show people are very much part of British cultural history , but are often overlooked. As I know part of the story is inspired by the authors own family, I was trying to work out how much (if any) of the story was true and there is very little information available. Cowing does have a very vivid writing style, it was so easy to picture Lena and her friends travelling around Scotland with their act. If I wanted to be critical some of the plot twists were quite predictable but the book was so well researched it is easy to forgive. I read about 15% of this book and listened to the rest and I didn't enjoy listening as much as reading. The authors words jump off the page at you , whereas the narrator was slow and deliberate. She was however talented and had a wide range of voices . I just felt that this is very much a book to be read rather than listened to. A lot of books set in Scotland tend to have a dark, gritty feel like our winters; however despite mostly dealing with personal tragedy this book always felt like there was hope and love underneath and I really hope that someone with a nice big budget wants to turn this into a tv series and focus on our bright long Spring /Summer days

First of all, I loved this book!! So unusual and such an insight into a time and way of life that most of us have no experience of or know much about. The characters are wonderful and this is one of those books where the pictures of what is happening are so vivid in my mind, even now. To me it’s almost as if I’ve watched a film version. Indeed, I really think a film company should make a movie of the book. It would certainly be colourful in more ways than one! As for the plot, I will not be retelling that aspect as I believe that the ‘blurb’ writers do a much better job and know how to not give anything away. Recommended!

The character and world-building in this very special debut novel make for an immersive and magical reading experience. Following four women in the Edwardian Era as they form their own circus - the result is a story that is as charming as it is tender, with a captivating mystery at the centre.

I cannot believe that this story of the first female circus is a debut novel, it is so beautifully written and is genuinely one of the best books I have ever read. The characters are believable and interesting, and I could not put this book down.