Helene Lucas
AUTHOR
For readers who love English country houses, hidden histories and stories
that echo across time. Follow along as I write:
ABOUT
Helene Lucas
I'm a writer based in the English countryside in Devon. German by origin, the lure of English country houses, the lives lived in them, and the stories passed between generations are what drew me to settle in this beautiful part of the world.My debut novel The Soul of the Rose is dual-timeline women's fiction and explores themes of belonging, love, duty and legacy. It is set between London/ Brisbane in 2010 and Devon in the 1950s & 60s.I'm sharing my writing journey on Substack for readers who believe that the past is never quite finished with us.
CURRENT WORK
The Soul of the Rose
A dual-timeline novel — London/Brisbane 2010 & Devon in the 1950s & 60s
When Elsie Dermott attends a garden party at Granbury House she makes the acquaintance of its custodian, Edmund Ashbourne, the ageing owner of the faded country manor.What started as a brief encounter unravels into a story Elsie can't escape. Having followed her partner Jack to Australia to build her dream life, Edmund commissions her to write the memoir of his deceased wife - Rosalind.Elsie finds herself enthralled by a woman's life which resembles her own in a way she can't quite explain, until she is forced to look in the mirror and make an impossible choice.Moving between the postwar 50s & 60s at an English country house and the uncertainty of Elsie's life between Britain and Brisbane in 2010, The Soul of the Rose is a novel about love and legacy, and the truth that lies hidden beneath.
PUBLICATIONS
Books
The Soul of the Rose
Dual-timeline women's fiction · London/ Brisbane 2010 & Devon 1950s & 60s
NEWSLETTER
The Soul of the Rose
A newsletter by Helene Lucas
Once a month — the research, the writing life, and occasional micro-fiction from the world of the novel. Join over 100 readers already following along. Free subscription: