Petite Mort - Softcover

Hitchman, Beatrice

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1846689074 ISBN 13: 9781846689079

Publisher: Serpent's Tail, 2014

Synopsis

"There's a touch of Angela Carter about Beatrice Hitchman's beguiling debut—a sly, erotic thriller concerned with doubleness and duplicity."—The Guardian

"Sumptuous . . . part Moulin Rouge, part Alfred Hitchcock."—Grazia

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 too—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. And as you will see, this plot has a twist we beg you not to disclose . . .

Beatrice Hitchman was born in London in 1980. She read English and French at Edinburgh University and then studied for an MA in comparative literature. She has written and directed short films which have toured festivals worldwide. Petite Mort is her first book.

About this title

About the Author

Beatrice Hitchman was born in London in 1980. She read English and French at Edinburgh University and then studied for an MA in Comparative Literature. After a year living in Paris, she moved back to the UK, trained and worked as a documentary film editor. She has written and directed short films.

Review

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 *

About this edition

• Publisher: Serpent's Tail
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1846689074
• ISBN 13: 9781846689079
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288