The Strollers

A romantic, atmospheric novel set in a misty valley where an old inn called the Travelers' Friend serves as a crossroads for souls in transit. Saint-Prosper, a brooding young soldier carrying the weight of his past, arrives seeking refuge and finds himself drawn into the orbit of a troupe of traveling actors led by the enthusiastic manager Barnes. These strollers, performers eking out a living between villages, chase their theatrical dreams while society looks down its nose at entertainers and wanderers. As Saint-Prosper navigates his complicated feelings for the troupe and their world, he must also confront the class divisions and social hierarchies that determine who gets to dream and who gets dismissed. Isham writes with warmth and wit about the ambitions, jealousies, and fragile hopes of people who live their lives on the road, building intimate dramas against the rustic backdrop of inns and valleys. The novel captures a vanished era when traveling performers carried culture from town to town, often unwelcome, always resilient. For readers who love historical fiction with atmosphere to spare and characters who linger in memory.