Discover the internationally bestselling debut, SHORTLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION 'If you only read one book this year, let it be this one!' FIVE STAR NETGALLEY READER REVIEW'An extraordinary, charming novel... Williams pins a whole, rich life to the page' The TimesIn 1901, the word 'bondmaid' was discovered missing from the Oxford English Dictionary. This is the story of the girl who stole it.

Motherless and irrepressibly curious, Esme spends her childhood in the Scriptorium, a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of lexicographers are gathering words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Esme's place is beneath the sorting table, unseen and unheard. One day, she sees a slip containing the word 'bondmaid' flutter to the floor unclaimed.

Over time, Esme realises that some words are considered more important than others, and that words and meanings relating to women's experiences often go unrecorded. She begins to collect words for another dictionary: The Dictionary of Lost Words. PRAISE FOR THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS'Set at a time when women's voices were clamouring more than ever to be heard, it moved me greatly to think how history is skewed by those who hold power -- and how important it is that novels like this redress that balance' Elizabeth Macneal, author or The Doll Factory'A brilliant book about women and words - tender, moving and profound' Jacqueline Wilson'I absolutely loved this book! Thought-provoking, touching and subtly romantic; I finished it in tears' Katie Fforde MORE FIVE STAR NETGALLEY READER REVIEWS 'If you're a fan of The Binding and The Betrayals you will surely love this''A glorious combination of words, growing up, friendship, love, feminism and so much more''The best love letter to words and language' 'This book broke my heart ...