A tartly funny and wistful cautionary tale about turning others' lives into art, set against the bright lights of 1930s Manhattan, from master satirist Dawn Powell. <p/>"A gleaming, brittle and slightly brutal New York novel." --The New York Times <p/>Dennis Orphen is a young, clever novelist with a keen eye for a compelling story. This time, however, his inspiration comes not from the world at large but from the romantic misadventures of his closest friend, Effie Callingham. <p/>More than a decade earlier, Effie's husband, the celebrated writer Andrew Callingham, abandoned her for a younger, prettier woman. Despite the years that have passed, Effie has clung stubbornly to the hope that Andrew might one day come to his senses, defending his reputation with a fierce loyalty that masks her private heartbreak. <p/>When Dennis publishes his latest novel, the delicate balance of their friendship is thrown into chaos. In his thinly veiled portrait, Effie's private pain is laid bare before a scandal-hungry literary society, while Andrew is revealed as the self-absorbed womaniser. Meanwhile, Dennis finds himself embroiled in romantic entanglements of his own, navigating a fraught relationship with Corinne, a married woman whose presence sparks longing, jealousy and moral uncertainty. <p/>Set against the seedy glamour of New York society, from brandy-soaked nightclubs to cab-lined curbs, Dennis and Effie are forced to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves. Witty, poignant and unflinchingly observant, this is a satire that blends laughter and insight, exposing the absurdities and heartbreaks of love, friendship and ambition.
