Petite Mort

Beatrice Hitchman author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Profile Books Ltd

Published:24th Oct '13

Should be back in stock very soon

Petite Mort cover

Scandal, intoxication and lies flourish in the silent film studios of Paris

'Part Moulin Rouge, part Alfred Hitchcock' Grazia 'A sly, erotic thriller concerned with doubleness and duplicity' Guardian Mesdames et Messieurs, presenting La Petite Mort, or, A Little Death ... A silent film, destroyed in a fire in 1914 at the Pathé studio, before it was seen even by its director. A lowly seamstress, who makes the costumes she should be wearing, but believes her talent - and the secret she keeps - will soon get her a dressing room of her own. A famous and dashing creator of spectacular cinematic illusions - husband to a beautiful, volatile actress, the most adored icon of the Parisian studios. All fit together, like scenes in a movie. One with a twist that will leave you breathless ...

Sumptuous ... part Moulin Rouge, part Alfred Hitchcock * Grazia *
There's a touch of Angela Carter about Beatrice Hitchman's beguiling debut - a sly, erotic thriller concerned with doubleness and duplicity * Guardian *
Movie junkies will love this surprising and original novel ... the story winds itself in knots, then unravels deftly, providing a satisfactory judgment day for the sexy yet heartless central characters in a wholly unexpected ending * Daily Mail *
An impressive and enjoyable debut: nimble, deft and wrapped luxuriously in the velveteen glamour of the movies. -- David Evans * FT *
Like the silver screen world Hitchman portrays, her writing shimmers, drawing you in with glamour and trickery. A fascinating, beguiling and wily debut -- Katie Ward, author of Girl Reading
Compelling ... Hitchman's confident debut is a story about relationships and the risks we take to get what we want. Universal themes, beautifully explored. -- Eden Carter Wood * Diva *
Gorgeously written ... with a fantastic twist at the very end ... fascinating. -- Rachel Glover * Image *
Sumptuously set, elegantly written, evocative and quietly subversive -- Stella Duffy
Fans of silent films and historical fiction will delight in this chocolate box of a novel which mixes love, lust and scandal with the stardust of 1900s Paris. * The Simple Things *
An accomplished and assured debut ... a gently compelling tale -- Lesley McDowell * Sunday Herald *
The atmosphere is rich with sumptuous details ... striking ... This clever debut indicates a bright future for its author. -- Max Liu * Independent *
An astonishingly assured debut novel ... an expertly crafted story. -- Anna Carey * Irish Times *

  • Short-listed for HWA Debut Crown 2014 (UK)
  • Long-listed for Desmond Elliott Prize 2013 (UK)
  • Long-listed for Authors' Club Best First Novel Award 2014 (UK)
  • Long-listed for Polari First Book Prize 2014 (UK)

ISBN: 9781846689079

Dimensions: 196mm x 130mm x 26mm

Weight: 240g

288 pages

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