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. "Page-turning debut...Tizzard evocatively depicts the workers’ camaraderie and the breathtaking dangers they face. Readers will love this tale of derring-do." ― P ublishers Weekly “An inspiring story… With engaging characters and a vibrant depiction of Manhattan--its glittering possibility and its stark heartbreak--Tizzard's novel soars like its namesake building, and moves along as elegantly as its nimble, determined heroine.” ― Shelf Awareness “Themes of love, responsibility, and duty enhance the reader’s emotional investment… Populated by a cast of delightful supporting characters and set in a working class milieu we don’t always see in historical fiction, this is a good choice for fans of Marie Benedict, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, and Fiona Davis.” ― Booklist “Tizzard does a marvelous job bringing Depression-era New York City to the page… Grace is a believably complex and good-hearted heroine, and Tizzard’s construction scenes are dizzyingly clear… A vibrant and heart-stopping novel.” ― Kirkus Reviews "Set to the desperate backdrop of the Great Depression, GRACE OF THE EMPIRE STATE is a thoroughly enjoyable story of family, sacrifice and first love that reminds us that true strength comes from within--and that women have been quietly saving the day since the dawn of time." -- Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names "Set in 1930s New York during the construction of the Empire State Building, this is a thrilling, heartbreaking, original story about the power of family, friendship and women struggling to survive in a man’s world. I love novels featuring strong female characters and was consequently swept away by Grace’s strength, determination and sheer resilience from the very first page. A must-read for historical fiction fans." -- Annie Lyons, author of The Air Raid Book Club "This is a gorgeous, evocative story about the struggles of building a city from the ground up - literally! Grace is a bold, brave heroine and her adventures on the steels of the Empire State Building are so vividly described that they made me feel dizzy! I loved the 1930s New York setting, the brilliantly drawn cast of characters and their gritty resilience, and the romance. And the theme of immigrants working hard and making their mark on their new home really resonates in today’s society. I thoroughly enjoyed this thought-provoking, entertaining read." -- Kerry Barrett, author of The Book of Last Letters 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. Prologue PROLOGUE The crane derricks had all stopped moving, which was more disconcerting than anything else, as she stood poised, higher than she or almost anyone else had ever been before, her toes pointed, ready to take her first step. She breathed out through her mouth, clearing her mind, blocking out the hum of noise behind her, below her, where men’s voices scrambled over one another to be heard. They couldn’t help her now. The wind whipped around her face, stealing her exhaled breath and ruffling her hair, chilling the back of her exposed neck. She flicked her eyes down. So far down. The street was hundreds of feet below her, a dizzying distance that made her stomach lurch and swoop, and the moment she stepped out along the crane arm, there would be nothing at all between her and it if she fell. The cars looked like tiny toys, the people no more than moving specks. The buildings around them, set out in their neat grid