I have read both of Ellery Lloyd's previous released books The Club and People Like Me and absolutely loved it, putting them as one of my favourite author's and this book was no different as it had me gripped like the two previous novels.

‘The Final Act Of Juliette Willoughby’ by Ellery Lloyd is an exhilarating, mysterious and layered tale about a lost painting, long buried secrets and obsession. Set across three distinct time periods and locations, we are whisked between Paris 1938, Cambridge 1991 and Dubai in the present day and visit glamorous locations including artists’ lodgings, surrealist exhibitions, academic libraries, country houses, sophisticated galleries and renowned auction halls.

In 1991, students Caroline and Patrick meet with their dissertation supervisor and their interest in surrealism leads to a discussion of the mythic ‘Self Portrait as a Sphinx’ by Juliet Willoughby, which was exhibited for one night only in 1938 and presumed to have perished in a tragic fire along with its painter and her famous artist beau. In the present, Caroline and Patrick are brokering a multi-million pound art deal until a suspicious death and a murder arrest. However, it’s in Juliette’s journal entries from 1938 that the real seeds of mystery are planted… While the world may have viewed her as an English MP’s mad daughter who absconded to Paris and fell in love, she was actually an artist with a terrible secret whose star shone brightly before blazing out and who refused to be erased from history.

This book has so many mysteries to unravel, multiple deaths to explain and an abundance of connections woven throughout. It was supremely satisfying and empowering when everything came together. The final discovery was gruesome and sad, but believable in its simplicity.

I adored Ellery Lloyd’s ‘People Like Her’ but didn’t really connect to the characters in ‘The Club’… I am thrilled to say that the stars of this novel are smart, interesting and motivated, with captivating pasts and hidden depths. I cared about Juliette’s truth and Patrick’s ordeal. I enjoyed the feminist message also.

Five stars and highly recommended!

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Pan MacMillan via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.