Workhorse A Novel
Workhorse A Novel by Caroline Palmer, published by Flatiron Books on October 14, 2025, is a 560-page exploration of ambition and envy set against the backdrop of New York City’s high society. The story follows Clodagh “Clo” Harmon, an editorial assistant at a prestigious fashion magazine, who grapples with her desire to rise in a world dominated by privilege and connections. As Clo navigates her career, she faces the challenges of being a “workhorse” in a realm filled with “show horses,” including her alluring cubicle-mate, Davis Lawrence, and the ambitious reporter Harry Wood.
Readers will find a richly drawn narrative that delves into the absurdities and complexities of ambition, particularly within the context of women’s experiences in the media industry. The novel examines the lengths to which Clo will go to secure her place in a competitive environment, highlighting themes of female ambition and societal expectations. With its blend of humor and insight, Workhorse presents a thought-provoking look at the sacrifices women make in pursuit of success and the identities they forge along the way.
Official synopsis Publisher
“Fierce, funny and unflinching.”—Coco Mellors, New York Times bestselling author of Blue Sisters
A richly drawn, unsettling, and wickedly funny story of envy and ambition set against the glamor and privilege of media and high society in New York City at its height.
At the turn of the millennium, Editorial Assistant Clodagh “Clo” Harmon wants nothing more than to rise through the ranks at the world’s most prestigious fashion magazine. There’s just one problem: she doesn’t have the right pedigree. Instead, Clo is a “workhorse” surrounded by beautiful, wealthy, impossibly well-connected “show horses” who get ahead without effort, including her beguiling cubicle-mate, Davis Lawrence, the daughter of a beloved but fading Broadway actress. Harry Wood, Davis’s boarding school classmate and a reporter with visions of his own media empire, might be Clo’s ally in gaming the system—or he might be the only thing standing between Clo and her rightful place at the top.
In a career punctuated by moments of high absurdity, sudden windfalls, and devastating reversals of fortune, Clo wades across boundaries, taking ever greater and more dangerous risks to become the important person she wants to be within the confines of a world where female ambition remains cloaked. But who really is Clo underneath all the borrowed designer clothes and studied manners—and who are we if we share her desires?
Hilariously observant and insightful, Workhorse is a brilliant page-turner about what it means to be in thrall to wealth, beauty, and influence, and the outrageous sacrifices women must make for the sake of success.
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