Theft of Life

Description

London, 1785. When the body of a former West Indies planter is found outside St Paul's Cathedral, suspicion abounds. But talk is not only of the man's death. His past brings a tide of fear directly to Harriet Westerman's door where William Geddings, senior footman, knows more than he is prepared to confess. In search of answers, Harriet and her friend, anatomist Gabriel Crowther, reluctantly explore the dark and destructive world of Britain's slave trade. And as Harriet must confront an ugly truth close to home, London's hidden network of slave traders are forced to face the light. Francis Glass, a former slave, holds the key to their anonymity and no one can be sure what he plans to do with it. When some people will risk everything for their reputation, some acts can never be forgiven.

Imogen Robertson grew up in Darlington, studied Russian and German at Cambridge, and now lives in London. She directed for TV, film and radio before becoming a full-time author, and also writes and reviews poetry. Imogen won the Telegraph's 'First thousand words of a novel competition' in 2007 with the opening of Instruments of Darkness, her first novel.

Matchless storytelling, gripping and moving in equal measure. Addictive - Nicci French A true force in historical fiction - Daily Mail [A] gripping blend of the Georgian gothic and the forensic thriller - Independent A masterpiece of modern literature... Delicately woven, passionate and utterly engaging, [The Paris Winter] has to rank as one of the best novels of 2013 - Manda Scott The Paris Winter is in another class altogether... The vivid description of life in the Belle Epoque - whether of the rich upper classes and their servants; or students, artists and members of the Parisian underworld - the plausible plot, and a sensitive understanding of art and artists make this a fascinating novel that I read in a single sitting and admired greatly - Literary Review