An immersive tale of muses, betrayal, sex and bad behaviour

Daily Mail

Deliciously immersive . . . Think of [Haydock] as the art world s answer to Philippa Gregory . . . I took Madame Matisse on a wet, grey holiday and it swept me into a world of startling, splashy colour

Spectator

A GUNSHOT. A BETRAYAL. THREE LIVES HANG IN THE BALANCE

Growing up with liberal parents in Paris just before the turn of the century, Amélie is a free spirit. When she meets an enigmatic young artist, she is drawn to the life of colour and passion he seems to promise.

Together, they share struggles and triumphs, heartbreak and joy, until they arrive on France’s sun-soaked Riviera. With them comes Marguerite, Matisse’s headstrong but courageous daughter.

But there too they meet Lydia, a young Russian emigree, who has fled her homeland following the revolution. Lydia also has her dreams. Her passions. And her ambition.

As their lives entangle, each woman must ask herself: what is she willing to sacrifice to follow her heart?

A stunning act of literary, historical and artistic reimagining, woven with incredible skill and so beautifully written. It will stay with me for a long while

Donal Ryan

What readers say:

Well I adored this. Beautiful and resilient female characters that came to life off the page vividly and passionately. A sweeping story spanning the years that was addictive and intriguing. Features lush, evocative prose that draws readers into the emotional depths of its characters. A triumph. This novel is a must-read for fans of historical fiction, art history, and anyone captivated by the voices of women long silenced by history.

This epic tale takes us from the narrow, dirty streets of Paris to the days of the Russian Revolution, with some time in China, to the hot French Riviera of the 1930s and the French Resistance of World War II. It is rich, it is beautiful and on more than one occasion it made me cry. The scope of this book is terrific. The writing is superb. The characters are totally, utterly believable, with all their biases and peccadilloes. An extraordinary story, about Henri Matisse and his work of course, but more-so these three remarkable, resilient women. Once again, Sophie Haydock claims the lead in my Book of the Year listing. I loved it.