Tess Woods for Bathurst Library

Western Australian author Tess Woods is visiting Bathurst for a conversation about her new contemporary fiction novel, The Cairo Bridal Shop.

Tess’s first novel - The Venice Hotel - was an Australian best-seller and was shortlisted for an Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA). The Cairo Bridal Shop is her highly anticipated new book that we are excited to hear more about!

About the book

In the vibrant city of modern Cairo, three sisters are as trapped as the pharaoh mummies in their tombs…

Find the dress of your dreams, then run for your life.

Nestled at the bustling foot of the pyramids lies the iconic Albi Bridal Boutique, where three sisters are about to break the shackles of tradition to fight for their futures.

When Mariam Albi was tragically killed, the responsibility of running the business was thrust upon eldest daughter, Sarah. Bound to the dress shop and to the demands of her husband and his spiteful mother, Sarah finds herself trapped with nowhere to turn.

Political journalist Aya is writing the story of her career while on the cusp of a thrilling new relationship with Australian-raised journalist, Gamal. When Gamal is arrested on suspicion of treason, Aya risks her life to follow her heart.

University student Lola, the youngest of the Albi girls, is finding her place in the world while masking her true identity. But her secret is exposed, putting her life in grave danger as she faces losing everything and everyone she loves.

Inspired by the stories of the ancient pharaoh queens before them, the Albi sisters must harness their inner strength to survive – for in Egypt, history runs deep but blood runs deeper.

About the author

Tess works as a physiotherapist in WA and is the director of Perth’s Festival of Fiction. Her novel The Venice Hotel became an instant Top 10 Australian best-seller in its debut week in September 2024. It was shortlisted in the 2025 ABIAs for General Fiction Book of the Year and was voted #9 in the 2025 Better Reading Top 100 books.