Dear lovely friends!

I have a proper piece of news for you this week, and one I’ve been dying to share. I’ve written a book! And pre-order is open now!

It’s called Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton, and I still can’t quite believe it’s a real, finished thing. I’ll stop saying that eventually.

In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing:

• The book
• The two chapters on Alberta
• Pre-order gifts — yes, you get gifts!
• Publication day: 24th September 2026

Let’s dive in!

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The book

The basics:

Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton. Published by Quarto. Out on 24th September 2026.

It’s a full year at Mapperton—the house, the family, the collections, the garden, the archive, all of it—and the photographs are absolutely breathtaking. It is by far the biggest project I’ve ever finished, and I am so so pleased with how it’s turned out.

The button below will automatically send you to US retailers if you’re in the States, and UK retailers if you’re in the UK.

Preorder Now!

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The two chapters on Alberta

If you’ve been around for a while, then you already know all about Alberta; she’s the American heiress who became the 9th Countess of Sandwich, and she’s been a huge part of my research for years.

She has two full chapters in the book.

The first is about the research itself: the archive, our wonderful volunteer team, and the Alberta AI Luke built from her own letters.

The second is about the things she left behind: her journals, her clothes, a small devotional book of pressed flowers and prayers, and a House of Worth gown that turned up in a place absolutely no one expected.

Those two chapters are, hands down, the parts of the book I’m most proud of.

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Pre-order gifts (yes, you get gifts!)

I wanted pre-ordering to actually mean something for you. So here is what’s on offer if you order before 23rd September 2026 and then fill in the claim form.

If you’re already a Mapperton Live Patron:

• A live online Patron-only Q&A with me after publication
Each month from May to publication at the end of September, you’ll get a monthly digital gift, including:
• A digital scrapbook full of images that didn’t make the book
• A special signed, downloadable bookplate just for Patrons
• And more surprises that we’re still whipping up

If you’re not yet a Patron:

• Three free months of Mapperton Live at Hogarth level (level 3), starting on publication day
• A place in the draw for one of 100 spots in a live online Q&A with me
• A signed downloadable bookplate the minute you complete the form
• A Christmas card from Luke and me, posted to you in December

Preorder Now

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Publication day: 24th September 2026

Save the date! I’ll be talking about the book quite a lot between now and then…I’m just so excited! But I wanted you to hear about it from me right away.

If you’ve been wanting to pick up a Mapperton book, this is the one. And if you know someone who would love it, please do forward this on.

Preorder Now

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I really do mean this: thank you for being here, for reading, for showing up to the talks and the videos and everything in between. Knowing some of you will be reading this book is a huge part of why I kept writing it.

With love and gratitude,

Julie

American Countess

I wrote a book!