LONGLISTED FOR THE 2024 ARA HISTORICAL NOVEL PRIZE

'Vogue meets Daisy Jones & The Six . . . with incisive observations about women's roles as muse and inspiration - and what price they pay when they dare to create for themselves' KATE QUINN

'Immersive and rich' Woman's Day

'An intricate story about three generations of women striving to make their mark in the high fashion industry' Who Weekly

Paris, 1917: Parentless sixteen-year-old Mizza Bricard makes a vow: to be remembered on her own terms. This promise drives her through couture houses until, finally, a fashion legend is created - one that will endure for generations.

New York, 1970: Designer Astrid Bricard arrives in Chelsea ready to change the fashion world. And she does - but cast in the role of muse to her lover. Just as Astrid's star is finally poised to ascend in its own right, she vanishes, leaving behind only a white silk gown.

French Countryside, Present Day: Blythe Bricard is the daughter of fashion's most infamous 70s power couple, but she turned her back on that world years ago. Fate, however, has other plans, as Blythe discovers there is more to her iconic family - and herself - than she ever knew.

'Lester is an author at the top of her game here - this is her best yet. Existing fans will adore this novel. New readers will be looking for Lester's backlist' Better Reading

'Mystery, secrets, thwarted desire, romance and intrigue. I was hooked' BELINDA ALEXANDRA

'Fabulous settings, fashion, glamour and strong women . . . I couldn't put it down' TANIA BLANCHARD

'A powerhouse novel . . . With more dazzle than a 70s disco ball and a great deal of heart, Lester explores and champions female power in the modern world' CHRISTINE WELLS

'A book of richness and depth and impeccable research . . . brimming with intrigue and mystery' Books+Publishing

'Lester writes with heartbreaking tenderness' Kirkus Reviews