The Repentants

The chilling tale of two women, forever bonded in their exile to the world's most desolate prison . . .

Inspired by the real-life, unsuccessful attempt by Scottish landowners to annex Iceland for the British Empire, The Repentants is a sensational work of historical fiction from the Women's Prize longlisted author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.

St Monans, Fife, Scotland 1770. Two women, a sabbath breacher and a flirt, are forced to publicly repent in church for their sins. Wealthy housewife Florrie and salt serf Eliza form a quick and unusual bond over their mutual shame. So when Florrie's husband Jonny decides she must accompany him to Isafjoerdur, Iceland, where he is to open a new salt mine, Florrie insists Eliza comes as her maid.

Isolated and fearful, surrounded by ice and darkness, the two women grow ever closer. And that's when Jonny reveals the sinister truth - he plans to leave Florrie in Iceland, imprisoned and banished in order to restore his own fragile reputation back home.

Now Florrie must try to escape - whatever it takes. But when she turns to Eliza for support, she realizes nothing is as it seems in this strange and hostile land . . .

About the Author

Kate Foster has been a national newspaper journalist for over twenty years. Growing up in Edinburgh, she became fascinated by its history and often uses it as inspiration for her stories. Her previous novels include The Maiden, which won the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year in 2023 and was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2024, The King's Witches, and The Mourning Necklace. The Repentants is her fourth novel. She lives in Edinburgh with her two children.