THE WOMAN BEFORE WALLIS is based on the life of Thelma Morgan Furness, the American woman who lost Edward, Prince of Wales, to Wallis Simpson in 1934 and Thelma’s involvement in The Matter of Vanderbilt, a trial which saw Thelma’s twin sister, Gloria Vanderbilt, sued for custody of her daughter on charges of negligence, unfit parenting and homosexuality. As her sister gains international notoriety, Thelma looks on, knowing that her own fall from grace might not be far behind.

A beautifully written, fascinating new angle on the Wallis Simpson affair and an intimate portrait of twin sisters, Thelma Morgan Furness and Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, THE WOMAN BEFORE WALLIS lifts the veil on the glittering world of these two American socialites, and takes the reader on an emotional journey, revealing the toll wealth and celebrity took on these two very different women.