An exquisitely sensual novel of art, absence, loss and passion, from one of Britain's most exciting contemporary writers.

Moving between Italy and England, the lives of four people intertwine across half a century: a dying painter considers the sacrifices and losses that have made him an enigma;

An exquisitely sensual novel of art, absence, loss and passion, from one of Britain's most exciting contemporary writers.

Moving between Italy and England, the lives of four people intertwine across half a century: a dying painter considers the sacrifices and losses that have made him an enigma; a blind girl tries to make sense of a world she can no longer see; a landscape artist finds himself trapped in dangerous terrain, and a young woman embarks on a dangerous affair of darkness and sexual abandon.

'Affords the deepest pleasures fiction has to offer.' Nadeem Aslam
'This deeply sensual novel is what you rarely find -- an intelligent page-turner.' Sunday Telegraph
'Elegant and poetic . . . Captivating.' Marie Claire
'A brililantly written study of small and large artistic triumphs.' Tatler