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* A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK *

‘A rip-roaring adventure that’s rich with drama’ – DAILY MAIL
‘A riveting read. Pure gold’ – SUNDAY POST
‘Transports the reader to a lawless wilderness’ – DAILY EXPRESS

Gold fever has taken him. I believe he means to kill me…

Canada, 1898. The gold rush is on in the frozen wilderness of the Yukon. Fortunes are made as quickly as they’re lost, and Dawson City has become a lawless settlement.

In its midst, three women are trying to survive on the edge of civilisation. Journalist Kate has travelled hundreds of miles after receiving a letter from her sister, who fears that her husband will kill her. Martha’s hotel and livelihood are under threat from the local strongman, who is set on buying up the town. And down by the river, where gold shimmers from between the rocks, Ellen feels her future slip away as her husband fails to find the fortune they risked so much to seek.

When a woman is murdered, Kate, Martha and Ellen find their lives, fates and fortunes intertwined. But to unmask her killer they must navigate a desperate land run by dangerous men who will do anything for a glimpse of gold…

Rich in its setting and characters, The Rush is a gripping historical crime novel perfect for readers of Stef Penney by way of Kristin Hannah and C Pam Zhang.

Publisher Review

Women are the focus for Beth Lewis’s absorbing novel… Conjures up the brutal realities of the 1898 gold rush in a compelling narrative * Sunday Times * A rip-roaring adventure peopled with engaging, vividly drawn characters and vibrant with emotional drama and gutsy plotlines * Daily Mail * Transports the reader to a lawless wilderness. Escapism is provided in spades as Lewis expertly spins a historical tale of adventure and intrigue * Daily Express * Plunges the reader into a lawless wilderness… It pulsates with intrigue, and Lewis holds us rapt from page one in a riveting read for armchair adventurers. Pure gold * Sunday Post * A real rootin’ tootin’ treat; a heady brew of moonshine noir replete with dialogue and descriptors that are as hard as flint * Crack * An extraordinary, compelling novel that gives voice to the women who created a landscape, we devoured this in one day * Heat * Lewis captures the harshness of Yukon, as greed for land and gold runs amok… A beautifully written, suspense-filled piece of historical fiction to rival The Revenant or The Tenderness Of Wolves * Buzz * A fierce and haunting tale of women who refuse to be forgotten. The Rush shimmers with danger and heart, and had me in its thrall — Lesley Kara, author of THE RUMOUR Powerful and beautifully told. The paths of three women intertwine as they battle for survival at the frontier of Canada’s gold rush. Beth Lewis captures the savage beauty of this natural landscape, as well as the men’s feverish race to strike it rich or die trying – but most importantly, she gives a voice to the women, whose near-forgotten life stories glisten with hidden gold. Brilliant writing: essential reading — Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEAL Lewis flawlessly recreates the savage beauty of the wilds – and the lives of those beholden to the exhilarating lawlessness of gold fever. A bold and brilliant novel — Vaseem Khan, author of THE UNEXPECTED INHERITANCE OF INSPECTOR CHOPRA Perfectly captures that dangerous combination of chaos and desperation, and the three women’s interlocking stories and their resilience and vulnerability were so well written — Emma Curtis, author of ONE LITTLE MISTAKE A wicked combination of spellbinding storytelling and a captivating plot that will capture the heart of any reader. The Rush is my top read of this year — Lisa Hall, author of BETWEEN YOU AND ME Compelling and clever. Beth Lewis strikes gold in her murderous tale of three women involved in the Canadian gold rush — Claire Seeber, author of BAD FRIENDS Stirring, evocative, spellbinding. The Rush is storytelling at its solid gold best — Tammy Cohen, author of WHEN SHE WAS BAD An expansive and gloriously thrilling book told with such authenticity. Beth Lewis employs a rich palette to immerse the reader in the lives of the Klondike women. Masterful storytelling — Marion Todd, author of OLD BONES LIE Three strong and intriguing female characters, a fascinating and beautifully drawn setting in the brutality of the Gold Rush, and a murder mystery that kept me guessing till the end — Frances Quinn, author of THE SMALLEST MAN Compelling, moving and highly immersive… In this little-tapped seam of historical fiction, Beth Lewis offers up pure gold. I loved it — Philippa East, author of LITTLE WHITE LIES A gut-punching mystery that vibrantly captures the savagery of the Alaskan frontier, with its women and wildernesses that refuse to be tamed — Anna Bailey, author of TALL BONES Beth Lewis brilliantly captures the perilous allure of the Yukon Gold Rush in The Rush, weaving a tale of three women’s intertwined destinies with rich authenticity and suspense. A compelling journey into the heart of human resilience — Joanna Wallace, author of YOU’D LOOK BETTER AS A GHOST Pure gold. A rich, brilliantly atmospheric mystery inspired by real stories from the Gold Rush women of Canada. A remarkable novel about three remarkable women — Anna Mazzola, author of THE CLOCKWORK GIRL I absolutely loved this one! I seriously did not want it to end and it’ll take a long time for me to let go of Kate, Martha and Ellen. Just superb — Louise Swanson, author of END OF STORY Evocative, emotional and full of heart, The Rush is an adventure into the world of the gold rush, where the women living in a man’s world take centre stage. A wonderfully rich and moving read, I highly recommend — Alison Stockham, author of THE CUCKOO SISTER An absolute treasure. Immersive, bold, and full of wonder, I was completely captured by these unforgettable characters and immersive setting — Victoria Hawthorne, author of THE HOUSE AT HELYGEN Gritty, vivid and completely addictive, The Rush effortlessly brings to life the brutal realities of gold fever, with three determined women embroiled in an intriguing mystery that will keep you hooked to the final page — Anita Frank, author of THE LOST ONES Bold, bruising, and authentic. Women forging fresh versions of themselves, and of womanhood, on the frontier. New women for a New World – like Thomas Hardy writes Deadwood — Dominic Nolan, author of VINE STREET My top book of 2025… Think Deadwood meets Red Dead Redemption with three fantastic female leads. Absolutely brilliant — Tariq Ashkanani, author of THE MIDNIGHT KING A rich, authentic and vivid account of three women whose stories are entwined by gold. This is an astonishing and beautifully written tale that I didn’t want to end — Carly Reagon, author of THE TOLL HOUSE Plunges you into a world of humanity overcome by gold fever: the Yukon 1898. Avalanches, fire, typhoid, mud, gold, murder, and a loveable dog. A brilliantly immersive story — Guy Morpuss, author of FIVE MINDS Part adventure, part historical, part murder mystery, and weaves together the lives of three women in a brilliantly evocative tale. Tense, dangerous and breathtaking — Jamie West, author of DEATH ON THE PIER A hugely compelling insight into the savagery of the Klondike gold rush seen through the eyes of three often brave, sometimes vulnerable and always resilient women — Simon Van Der Velde, author of THE SILENT BROTHER