Grace of the Empire State

In this “thrilling, heartbreaking” (Annie Lyons, author of The Air Raid Club) debut novel set during the Great Depression in 1930s New York, a daring dancer must take her twin brother’s place as a riveter high atop the in-progress Empire State Building to save her family from ruin.

Following the death of their father, Grace O’Connell and her twin brother Patrick battle to keep their family afloat as the Great Depression takes its toll on New York City.

After losing her dancing job and with Patrick injured while working on the construction of the Empire State Building, Grace is forced to take a bold step disguising herself as Patrick to join the riveters on the half-built skyscraper.

She quickly proves herself as capable as any man on the steel, and her affection for the loyal men around her—especially Italian immigrant Joe—grows by the day. But when a terrible accident happens, Grace is the only one capable of saving her stranded colleague and must make a split-second decision to risk everything or live with her guilt forever.

Set against the dynamic backdrop of 1930s New York, this “gorgeous, evocative” (Kerry Barrett, author of The Book of Last Letters) historical fiction novel is full of heart and hope, family and friendship, and the sacrifices we make for those we love.

Gemma Tizzard has a degree in American studies, and a particular interest in untold women’s stories. She has written rom-coms and was longlisted for the 2021 and 2022 Comedy Women in Print (CWIP) Unpublished Novel Prize. Grace of the Empire State is her debut novel.