Whistler

The new novel from the bestselling author of Tom Lake and The Dutch House

Ann Patchett author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:2nd Jun '26

Should be back in stock very soon

This hardback is available in other editions too:

Whistler cover

A warm, intimate tale about family, memory and connection, from the bestselling author of Tom Lake and The Dutch House

FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING, PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE DUTCH HOUSE AND TOM LAKE

'Few writers are more adept than Patchett at delineating the collisions between present and past'Observer

'Whistler is top-shelf comfort food, the literary equivalent of pricey ice-cream' Guardian, Book of the Day
--

When Daphne notices an older gentleman following her around the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, she doesn’t expect it to be Eddie – her former stepfather.

Married to her mother for a short time when Daphne was nine, she hasn’t seen Eddie for many years; not since the fateful event that changed the direction of both their lives.

Meeting again now, Daphne and Eddie feel that time has fallen away. Their earlier relationship was brief but had a profound impact on both of them. Together, they consider not only their past, but the joys of the present and their commitment to face the future together.

A moving, luminous story about how family, memory and love endures, Whistler paints an intimate portrait of how the feeling of being known by one other person, even for a short period of time, can change everything.
--

'This generous-hearted, clever and poignantly revealing tale feels another sure-fire hit. Spend a day on the couch in its warm, riveting company and you won’t regret it' Times

'A quietly compelling story about the power of familial love to transcend time and blood' Harper's Bazaar, Best Books of 2026

One of the most beloved authors of her generation * Sunday Times *
Ann Patchett leads us with the intelligence, detail, wit and nuance of the greatest chroniclers of human nature and relationships. Nothing escapes her -- Rachel Joyce
Legions of her fans have been waiting for author Ann Patchett’s new novel Whistler which unlocks memories and a lifetime of secrets … One of the most critically acclaimed novelists in America today -- Kirsty Wark
An icon of American letters …Nobody’s sitting around going, ‘Wow, what we really need is another Patchett novel’, she modestly told The Guardian three years ago. In our dark and twisted times, however, some readers might feel that’s exactly what they need * Financial Times *
Whistler is top-shelf comfort food, the literary equivalent of pricey ice-cream -- Guardian, Book of the Day
Reflective and luminous, thismasterpiece is an unmissable celebration of love -- Woman & Home, Book of the Month
No-one does effortless storytelling quite like this Women’s Prize-winning author * i Paper *
This generous-hearted, clever and poignantly revealing tale feels another sure-fire hit. Spend a day on the couch in its warm, riveting company and you won’t regret it * Times *
A tale of secrets and lasting love, enriched by sharply drawn characters * The Economist, Best Books of 2026 *
Patchett is the rare and fortunate writer whose words resonate among friends and strangers alike… A story of improbable meetings and deepening bonds * Independent *
Few writers are more adept than Patchett at delineating the collisions between present and past * Observer *
Warm, wise and wryly entertaining * The Nerve *
A quietly compelling story about the power of familial love to transcend time and blood * Harper’s Bazaar, Best Books of the Summer *
Stunning * Good Housekeeping *
A story warm with the power of connection * Sainsbury's Magazine *
It’s stayed in my mind more vividly than any other Patchett novel I’ve read * Writers’ Reviews *
One of my favourite ‘reading-as-a-balm-for-whatever-ails-you’ kind of authors... This is a deeply moving story about enduring affection * Crib Notes *

ISBN: 9781037205316

Dimensions: 236mm x 160mm x 32mm

Weight: 500g

304 pages