The Muse: Jessie Burton - Softcover

Burton, Jessie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1509845232 ISBN 13: 9781509845231

Publisher: Picador, 2017

Synopsis

The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller

A picture hides a thousand words . . .

On a hot July day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the stone steps of the Skelton gallery in London, knowing that her life is about to change forever. Having struggled to find her place in the city since she arrived from Trinidad five years ago, she has been offered a job as a typist under the tutelage of the glamorous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick. But though Quick takes Odelle into her confidence, and unlocks a potential she didn't know she had, she remains a mystery - no more so than when a lost masterpiece with a secret history is delivered to the gallery.

The truth about the painting lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own. Into this fragile paradise come artist and revolutionary Isaac Robles and his half-sister Teresa, who immediately insinuate themselves into the Schloss family, with explosive and devastating consequences . . .

Seductive, exhilarating and suspenseful, The Muse is an unforgettable novel about aspiration and identity, love and obsession, authenticity and deception - a masterpiece from Jessie Burton, the million-copy bestselling author of The Miniaturist.

About this title

Review

Burton's multi-layered story is never less than engaging . . . she has an undoubted gift for seizing the reader's attention and holding it . . . powerful . . . genuinely surprising (Sunday Times)

Deftly plotted, a masterclass in pacing, tension and suspense, and richly characterised . . . exquisitely written, evocative and suspenseful (Sunday Express)

Those who loved The Miniaturist will find here all the cliffhangers, twists and heart-stopping revelations they expected, and in two evocative settings . . . as a study of female creativity, it triumphs (Daily Telegraph)

Burton clearly has a way with words, crafting masterful, complex and atmospheric mysteries that keep the reader hooked right up until the very last page. The Muse is a brilliantly realised story and the parallel narratives are perfectly balanced, propelling the story forward at breakneck speed . . . An exhilarating read, Jessie Burton can expect more awards to soon be coming her way (The Herald)

Tremendous vitality . . . her craftsmanship and surefooted prose ensure a satisfying conclusion (Daily Mail)

Rich and gripping . . . excellently explores the writing process itself . . . Burton breathes life into her words (Independent)

An intricate story of imposture . . . strong on the emotional and sensual . . . who would bet against it selling a million copies like its predecessor? (Guardian)

Readers who enjoyed The Miniaturist won't be disappointed (The Times)

Richly atmospheric and engrossing . . . you'll turn the pages feverishly (Daily Express)

Impressive . . . It takes all the promise of The Miniaturist - the complex female characters, an entrancing mystery, a lush and evocative sense of place - and executes it with wit and style. My book of the summer (Elle)

From the Author

Jessie Burton studied at Oxford University and the Central School of Speech and Drama, where she appeared in productions of The House of Bernarda Alba, Othello, Play and Macbeth. In April 2013 her first novel, The Miniaturist, was sold at an 11-publisher auction at the London Book Fair, and went on to sell in 29 other countries around the world. It was published by Picador in the UK and Holland in July 2014, and the USA in August 2014, with other translations to follow. Radio 4 commissioned it as their Book at Bedtime in July 2014. She is currently writing her second novel.

About this edition

• Publisher: Picador
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1509845232
• ISBN 13: 9781509845231
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256