From the mythical to the ground-breaking. Amanda Adams's first book, A Mermaid's Tale, focussed on the lore of this captivating sea creature, which holds a special place in Mandy's heart. Using her anthropology background, she delved into the magical world of mermaids. Now, armed with that same knowledge, she looks to the very real women of the Victorian age who were breaking every convention to set out on archaeological expeditions in exotic locales. Ladies of the Field looks at seven pioneering women who all strove to be independent, but who mostly followed their curiosity and their intellect without listening to what society thought was proper. Read this pre-publication excerpt for a feel of Mandy's lovely writing and check out her Q&A here.