The Improbability of Love: SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016 Paperback – 20 April 2016 by Hannah Rothschild
Hannah Rothschild . Bloomsbury Publishing PLC . English
WINNER OF THE BOLLINGER EVERYMAN WODEHOUSE PRIZE FOR COMIC FICTION 2016 SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016 A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK When lovelorn Annie McDee stumbles across a dirty painting in a junk shop while looking for a present for an unsuitable man, she has no idea what she has discovered. Soon she finds herself drawn unwillingly into the tumultuous London art world, populated by exiled Russian oligarchs, avaricious Sheikas, desperate auctioneers and unscrupulous dealers, all scheming to get their hands on her painting - a lost eighteenth-century masterpiece called ‘The Improbability of Love’. Delving into the painting’s past, Annie will uncover not just an illustrious list of former owners, but some of the darkest secrets of European history – and in doing so she might just learn to open up to the possibility of falling in love again.
Categories: Literature & Fiction
About the Author
Hannah is an author who lives in London. She can’t walk past a bookshop or museum (or bakery) without going in. Most of the time, she tries to act normally most of the time. Her first book, ‘The Baroness’ was about her great aunt, Nica who supported a generation of jazz musicians and loved one above all others: the late great Thelonious Monk. Her first novel ‘The Improbability of Love’, a caper set in the art world featuring a talking painting and won the Everyman Bollinger PG Wodehouse prize for best comic novel in 2015 and was runner up to the Bailley’s Women Prize. She followed this with ‘House of Trelawney’ the story of an aristocratic Cornish family fallen on hard times who get embroiled in the 2008 crash with disastrous consequences. Her most recent book (published in June 2023 in the UK and July in the US is called ‘HIgh Time’ and follows a beautiful young woman who has lost everything- how low will she go to get even? Her writing style has been compared to Evelyn Waugh, Nancy Mitford and Joanna Trollope. Preview for High Time include: “High Time - high style, high jinx. My kind of novel - intelligent escapism at its most satisfying” - Gyles Brandreth A manically and magical wonderful romp, fast and furious in pace, style and extravagance.’ Geordie Greig, Editor of the Independent. ‘Funny, emotionally insightful, a cracking paced thriller.’ Julia Samuel, author. Reviews of other books include: 'Sheer escapist bliss.' - Nigella Lawson ‘A witty, knowledgeable, sprawling satire…pure joy from start to finish. ' - India Knight ‘Deliciously dark and wickedly funny..’ The Lady ‘….the British haven’t lost their sense of humour and Ms Rothschild provides a large dose of it in this quirky satire, Wall street Journal
