Rules of Civility

Katey, possessed with wit, charm, and relentless determination, blossoms within this urban playground. By revelling in the bustling streets and historic landmarks of Manhattan, she forges a path defined by ambition and resilience, making the journey from secretarial work to the higher echelons of society.

In a jazz bar on the last night of 1937, watching a quartet because she couldn't afford to see the whole ensemble, there were certain things Katey Kontent knew:

• The location of every old church in Manhattan
• How to sneak into the cinema
• How to type eighty words a minute, five thousand an hour, and nine million a year
• That if you can still lose yourself in the first chapter of a Dickens novel then everything is probably going to be fine.

By the end of the year she'd learned:

• How to launch a paper airplane high over Park Avenue
• How to live like a redhead
• How to insist upon the very best
• That the word 'yes' can be a poison
• And the Rules of Civility.

In essence, Rules of Civility is a meditation on the fleeting nature of opportunity and the quest for fulfilment against the odds. It's a narrative rich with sleek prose and vivid imagery, evoking the glamour and grit of an era characterised by lavish parties, societal manoeuvrings, and the undying hope for a better tomorrow.

This novel is an exquisite exploration of how swiftly New York City can transform one's destiny – like a weathervane or the head of a cobra. Time tells which.

Immerse yourself in the world of Rules of Civility, a critically acclaimed novel that combines elegance, wit, and an unflinching look at the intricacies of relationships and self-discovery.