An adventure for the willingly wicked.
IN PAPERBACK
UK: June 2025
US: March 2026
We were never destined to have anything—so you know what we did?
We took it anyway.
Men will only let you down.
Diamonds are forever.
An adventure for the willingly wicked.
Now available
from Head of Zeus
“Poor Girls is a brave, bold novel, illuminating the present through the past. It shows us how women have so often had to take the rights that society refuses to give them. You’ll fall hard for Nell and the Forty Elephants.”
—Araminta Hall
“The story moves along at a terrific pace with wonderfully roguish characters, and great period detail. Really enjoyable.”
—Ian Moore
About
Clare Whitfield was born in Morden, Surrey, the fourth child to ex-Armed Forces parents. After a long career in buying, she returned to her passion for writing and books, studying an MA in Creative and Critical writing at the University of Winchester. She currently lives in Hampshire.
Her debut, People of Abandoned Character, published in 2020, won the Goldsboro Glass Bell 2021 Award and was shortlisted for the HWA Crime Debut 2021. Her second novel, The Gone and the Forgotten, was published in 2022. Clare’s third novel, Poor Girls, was published in November 2024 and shorted listed for the CWA Historical Crime Dagger 2025. In 2025 Clare was the judge for the W&A Working Class Writers’ Prize.
Contact
You can contact Clare at clare@clarewhitfieldbooks.com or by using the button below.
Representation:
David Headley of DHH Literary Agency
Downloads
Formal Bio
Clare Whitfield is a UK based writer. Her debut, People of Abandoned Character, published in 2020, won the Goldsboro Glass Bell 2021 Award and was shortlisted for the HWA Crime Debut 2021. Her second novel, The Gone and the Forgotten, was published in 2022. Clare’s third novel, Poor Girls, was published in November 2024 and shorted listed for the CWA Historical Crime Dagger 2025. In 2025 Clare was the judge for the W&A Working Class Writers’ Prize.