ABOUT THE BOOK
New York, 1924. Twenty‑four‑year‑old Jenny Bell is one of a dozen burgeoning artists invited to Louis Comfort Tiffany’s prestigious artists’ colony. Gifted and determined, Jenny vows to avoid distractions and romantic entanglements and take full advantage of the many wonders to be found at Laurelton Hall.
But Jenny’s past has followed her to Long Island. Images of her beloved mother, her hard-hearted stepfather, waterfalls, and murder, and the dank hallways of Canada’s notorious Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women overwhelm Jenny’s thoughts, even as she is inextricably drawn to Oliver, Tiffany’s charismatic grandson.
As the summer shimmers on, and the competition between the artists grows fierce as they vie for a spot at Tiffany’s New York gallery, a series of suspicious and disturbing occurrences suggest someone knows enough about Jenny’s childhood trauma to expose her.
Supported by her closest friend Minx Deering, a seemingly carefree socialite yet dedicated sculptor, and Oliver, Jenny pushes her demons aside. Between stolen kisses and stolen jewels, the champagne flows and the jazz plays on until one moonless night when Jenny’s past and present are thrown together in a desperate moment, that will threaten her promising future, her love, her friendships, and her very life.
MY REVIEW
From start to finish, including the glorious cover, this book is smashing. I have long been a fan of M.J. Rose’s books and I haven’t been disappointed yet. She’s so gifted with words, especially when describing places and things. It’s easy to get engrossed in her work and, if this makes sense, it feels as though you’re reading a movie the way everything plays out in your mind’s eye.
If you’re a fan of anything Tiffany, you’ll love this book–even though he’s really just the backdrop for Jenny’s story. Her life is a twisty turny mystery set (mostly) during the 20’s. She’s an interesting character, well written with lots of depth. In fact, the entire cast of characters played off each other beautifully and all added to the plot. Laurelton Hall (See picture below) is a central part of the story and M.J. wrote it so wonderfully it’s as if it lived and breathed just like Louis Comfort Tiffany.
It’s so satisfying to know I can always pick up a book by M.J. Rose and know it’s going to be great. I’ve been fortunate to find a few authors who never disappoint. I look forward to her next book.
I received an e-copy of this book from Atria Books via Netgalley. All views are my own.
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