THE WHIP is set in Tyneside, a region in northern England where the rugged country and rough weather once made life little more than a battle for survival.

But Emma Molinero, orphan daughter of an itinerant carnival performer, is beyond that kind of struggle. She is a woman whose fiery independence and skill at performing with the whips -- her father's only legacy -- make her a figure of mysterious but commanding fascination to the villagers among whom she lives.

"THE WHIP is Miss Cookson's finest novel to date...a richly detailed, totally absorbing story that will surely add many new readers to the millions who are already devoted Catherine Cookson fans." (Publisher's Source)