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Synopsis
‘Think The Secret History meets Saltburn’ – Holly Watt, author of The Dead Line
'Intoxicating, enthralling, compelling' – Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange
‘Bold and ambitious and consuming from start to finish’ – Louise Candlish, author of The Swimming Pool
'A stunning, intricately plotted and clever mystery’ – Claire Douglas, author of The Wrong Sister
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Some women can’t be erased from history . . .
A story of love and madness, of obsession and revenge.
Paris, 1938: Runaway heiress Juliette Willoughby perishes, with her married lover, in an accidental studio fire alongside her Surrealist masterpiece, Self-Portrait as Sphinx.
Cambridge, 1991: Two art history students stumble across proof something sinister was at play in Juliette's death, threatening to expose the long-buried secrets of the artist's aristocratic family.
Dubai, now: An art dealer is accused of the brutal murder of his oldest friend – the last surviving member of the Willoughby dynasty.
Three suspicious deaths over the course of a century.
Is the key to unlocking them all hidden in Juliette Willoughby’s lost painting?
From the author of The Club, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby is Ellery Lloyd's compulsive multiple-timeline mystery – a story of love and madness, of obsession and revenge.
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‘A clever, richly imagined, first-class mystery. A story both thrilling and deeply layered, touching and fun. I loved it.’ – Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colours of the Dark
‘A whip smart page turner with twists and turns that'll keep a hold on you right up until the final, gripping denouement. A terrific, hands down, five star read.’ – John Marrs, author of The Family Experiment
‘A big complex thriller about art, family secrets and dark academia and is hugely entertaining and fun. Fans of The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair will love it.’ – Mark Edwards, author of The House Guest
Details
Reviews
Intoxicating, enthralling, compelling . . . the reclaiming of an artist's story wrapped up in a mystery with a great love story to boot. I loved it!Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange
A richly ingenious puzzle novel, adroitly juggling disparate timelines and addressing such issues as the underrepresentation of women in fine art.Financial Times
Read this in about two sittings - absolutely loved it. Dazzlingly clever and beautifully twisty. Don't miss it!Emilia Hart, author of Weyward
An original, compulsive and brilliantly told mystery set within a world of secrets and privilege spanning decades and continents. Like a reversal of the painting at its centre, the layers of the story are carefully peeled back until the picture is revealed. From the first page to the last, I loved it.Charlotte Philby, author of A Double Life