I always look forward to books from husband and wife duo Ellery Lloyd, each story is so different from the one before. Whilst their previous two books have focussed on the worlds of influencers in 'Someone Like Us' and of exclusive members' only venues in 'The Club', we are taken to somewhere completely different in 'The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby'.

This dramatic story of the re-discovery of the long lost masterpiece by artist Juliette Willoughby is set across three timelines the present day when the painting is about to be auctioned; the 1990s university years when Oxbridge students Caroline and Patrick delve into the forgotten story of the artist and the work; and lastly the 1938 diaries from Juliette herself, where she writes eloquently about her artistic life in Paris with her lover, shunning her wealthy past and immersing herself in her artistic vision whatever the personal cost.

The three timelines are neatly entwined and feed in to one another brilliantly; the discovery of Juliette's diaries means that so much previously hidden information can be brought to the fore and can shed light on what happened to the painting subsequently.

The authors do a fantastic job of capturing the wealth, glamour and obsession of the art world, where paintings swap hands for vast sums of money. The Willoughby family is central to the story; they are hugely influential and connected at each point in time. The shame that Juliette brought on them by abandoning the family for an impoverished artist's life is still felt to the present day.

'The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby' is a much more complex and ambitious book than the previous two, not only in the various time periods but also the number of characters to keep track of. It is confidently written and well plotted. I look forward to seeing what the Ellery Lloyd duo come up with next!

When two art history students are set on the trail of an obscure surrealist painter best known for her tragic death in a fire, and for having no extant work, they are unaware of the enormous impact their actions will have on their own lives, and those of their loved ones.

Moving between three narrative strands - Cambridge in the early 1990s, Paris in the 1930s, and contemporary Dubai - I loved The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby, a book which kept me guessing until the very end but whose twists never felt too far-fetched.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby - By Ellery Lloyd

3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Blurb 💭

Some women can’t be erased from history . . .

A story of love and madness, of obsession and revenge.

Paris, 1938: Runaway heiress Juliette Willoughby perishes, with her married lover, in an accidental studio fire alongside her Surrealist masterpiece, Self-Portrait as Sphinx.

Cambridge, 1991: Two art history students stumble across proof something sinister was at play in Juliette's death, threatening to expose the long-buried secrets of the artist's aristocratic family.

Dubai, now: An art dealer is accused of the brutal murder of his oldest friend – the last surviving member of the Willoughby dynasty.

Three suspicious deaths over the course of a century.

Is the key to unlocking them all hidden in Juliette Willoughby’s lost painting?

I had really high expectations of this book. Judging from the title and the cover I assumed it would be about a glamorous actress named Juliette, similar to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo which I read last year and rated 5 stars. It’s true what they say, you should never judge a book by its cover because this was nothing like that.

Unfortunately this story fell flat for me and I struggled through the first half, nearly DNF’ing it because it just wasn’t holding my attention. It was very much a slow burn and didn’t really pick up any pace until 50% in.

I usually enjoy dual POV and multiple timelines however it felt a little all over the place I struggled to keep up what was happening, when and from whose perspective. I also wasn’t keen on the overuse of compound sentences throughout the dialogues, it felt very unnecessary.

There were far too many characters to try and remember, most of them forgettable which only added to my confusion throughout. A family tree diagram of the Willoughbys at the beginning of the book would have been helpful to refer back to as I wasn’t sure whose cousin was who, whose uncle was who and whose father was who it was very confusing and overwhelming.

Even though there were plenty of twists throughout, I predicted nearly every single one so the storyline didn’t shock or excite me, I was just waiting for what I already knew was going to happen.

Overall, the book was okay and I’d recommend it to people who enjoy art history or historical fiction with a dash of mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan MacMillan and Ellery Lloyd for this free ARC in return for an honest review. I am leaving this review voluntarily

I will also be posting my review on Instagram, Goodreads and Amazon on publication day.

if your dream book is the secret history meets portrait of a thief then you will be as obsessed with this book as i am. with interchanging perspectives that lead you through the many twists & turns, this story entices you from the very beginning with strong themes of betrayal, secrecy & murder. i love how it plays around with the conventions of dark academia, but with an artistic depth that intertwines all the fascinating elements of the story. i read this book so quickly & can honestly say it’s a must read if you’re into books surrounding intellectual ideas with a prominent mysterious tone. i want to say so much about this book but i’m afraid anything can give it all away, it’s a magnetic story that pulls you every which way with a sense of purpose in Lloyd’s writing. if you’re into twists, this is the book for you as the last few pages will have your mouth hanging open as mine did. an absolute must read!!

This book was an absolute delight to read, blending the enchanting elements of dark academia with a gripping mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish.

The narrative spans multiple decades and shifts between various points of view, yet the authors' skillful writing ensured I never once felt lost or confused. Each twist and turn was a surprising revelation, making the journey all the more captivating.

With its masterful storytelling and intricate plot, this book is well worth a read for anyone looking for an engaging and immersive experience.

I absolutely loved this book. It had me furiously scribbling down theories, some spot on, others wildly speculative. The multiple narratives and shifts through time are handled brilliantly, keeping the reader hooked and guessing. The characters are well-developed and deeply human, adding layers of complexity to the intriguing plot.

The twists and turns are plentiful, ensuring you’re kept on your toes until the gripping conclusion. I can't wait to reread this book and uncover the subtle clues I might have missed the first time around. The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby is a stunning, intricately plotted mystery that will captivate fans of historical fiction and thrillers alike.

This is a complex & vivid triple timeline enthralling narrative. Juliette lived in the 1930s in England & then Paris, before WWII. Caroline & Patrick are Art History students at Cambridge University in 1991. Then we see them in 2023 in Dubai. This time period counts down to a death, so this plot is revealed before it happens. The narrative jumps from each time period, so pay close attention. It’s an intriguing story…Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, Art Theft, Mystery Thriller…murders & missing persons. So, so much going on in all three time periods. Riveting & compelling reading. A fascinating, intricate puzzle of suspense, that the Ellery Lloyd duo weave together to it’s final conclusion. Highly recommend

- Really interesting take on the combination of thrillers and art history. It was a genre blend that I've not read before and I really enjoyed it. There was a clear level of research and understanding without the narrative being too bogged down in the art history side of things.
- Neatly plotted and structured; the different timelines all worked well together and helped fill out the plot as it moved towards its conclusion.
- Juliette's diary entries felt like a separate voice from the rest of the narrative, which was really nice.
- I liked the comments on the place of female artists, particularly in the 20th century. It was interesting to consider how they are so easily reduced to a muse or simply a wife or lover, even when they themselves are an artist. This made Juliette a really special character to me, as many female artists of her time won't have had the opportunity to be able to tell their own stories.
- There were some unanswered questions, particularly about the past of one of the main characters, but this didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
- Despite being set in Oxford, and both the protagonists being English, I did find it strange that there were so many Americanisms, such as the boot of a car being referred to as a trunk.
- I liked how the different elements of the plot came together at the end, particularly with how the missing maid tied in with Juliette's family.
- I think I would have liked the Ancient Egyptian element to have been explored more, particularly in relation to the Osiris Society, but again, this didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Overall, a fresh take on the thriller genre, with well-written characters and a thoroughly enjoyable plot.

This book was right up my street - a complex mystery spanning three timelines. Whilst comparisons to Kate Morton are fair, this novel was not quite as finely tuned as her novels, but an enjoyable read nonetheless. I look forward to seeing that the author does next.

A lost painting entitle d Self-Portrait as Sphinx will be found, but where has it been after it was thought to have been destroyed in a fire that killed Juliette Willoughby and Oskar Erlich in 1838? It is now 1991 and Patrick has just sold another version of this painting when he is accused of murder.

Well paced and well written novel. Great characters whose lives interact over the years. Plenty of plot twists. Will the truth come out before it is too late for Patrick? Enjoy a good read.

Absolutely loved this, the writing was spectactular, i hate to leave too many clues/spoilers in a book but alls i'll say is i would highly recommend you to read this as you certainly will not be disappointed.
The writing style flowed perfectly and the change in timelines was done immaculately, sometimes i personally struggle with a change in timeline but this was done exceptionally.
5 stars all day long

I enjoyed People Like Her, a previous bestseller of the husband-and-wife writing duo Ellery Lloyd. Like that one, The Last Act of Juliette Willoughby is a definite page-turner, with plenty of twists and turns, and smarter than your average thriller.
Thanks in part to a friend’s enthusiasm, I visited Cambridge last year and rued not having done so properly before. I’ve been looking out for books with a college setting since then so this piqued my interest.
I thought it was clever to create totally fictional artists rather than build a story around the fragments known about a real one. I imagine there are parallels here to one or some real artists but if so they went over my head.
The Last Act is a delicious mix of art history, student life, unequal relationships, secrets and lies. It is at once a glimpse of that unknown to me – Cambridge college life – and the known – university in the early 90s. I found it so enjoyable that it was a jolt to come back to the present day. But the pacing is spot-on – halfway through the story there’s a totally unexpected (to me) reveal. And a masterclass in how to flashforward thirty years in just a few sentences.

Superb storytelling using multiple timelines and multiple voices. This novel has everything; feminism, surrealism, university relationships, money, privilege, detective work, missing persons and murder. Absolutely loved it and very different from previous novels.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this eCopy to review

The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby was a fantastic historical mystery. I was completely drawn in with all the characters, the multiple timelines, all the fears and tensions. The final revelations were a great twist.

Runaway heiress Juliette Willoughby dies with her married lover in an accidental studio fire alongside her Surrealist masterpiece, Self-Portrait as Sphinx in Paris, 1938. So how do 2 art students Caroline and Patrick find it in the 1990s whilst doing their dissertations at Cambridge University?

Modern day sees an incredible auction in Dubai, was Patrick right to risk everything?

the characters were well developed, the mystery was well executed, the use of different times and voices to tell the story was PHENOMENAL, and it was about art history so what’s not to love? absolutely adored this book, i could not put it DOWN. fast paced and incredibly engaging, will definitely be recommending this

thanks net galley & publishers for this ARC <3

Having read The Club by Ellery Lloyd and really enjoying it, I was very happy to receive an ARC from Netgalley for The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby. It is very different in tone and atmosphere to The Club. Set across different timelines which include 1930s France, 1990s Cambridge and modern day Dubai, the novel is concerned with a surrealist painting by Juliette Willoughby that was thought to have been destroyed in a fire in Paris. This is a complex, layered novel - part social commentary with a Saltburn-esque atmosphere, part mystery and part thriller - with a heavy dose of art history. It is very readable and I raced through the final third.

Thanks to #NetGalley and publishers for an #ARC of #TheFinalActofJulietteWilloughby.
4.5 stars.
This book had a little bit of everything, whodunit, romance, history and good storytelling. I really enjoyed reading about Juliette and her painting.

Highly recommend.

it was a strong five star read for me!! laced in mystery and a kind of dark academia feel. art, it’s creation and distribution, takes a central role and the central and recurring object of the self portrait as sphinx reminded me very much of the alcestis from silent patient and how secrets are concealed by each stroke of an artists brush. this story really came full circle, in the most intricate and unexpected ways.

First of all, I'd like to congratulate whomever wrote this book description on a job well done. This is exactly how you hook a reader like me. A nice dose of intrigue without giving anything away, and I knew from the minute I saw this that I wanted to read this book and find out more about Juliette and her family.

'The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby' is somewhat of a slow burner, but it's most definitely worth sticking with it. Most of the story initially takes place in the nineties when two art students, Patrick and Caroline, are working on a project featuring Juliette and her lover, Oscar. In doing so, Caroline discovers Juliette's diary, a pendant, and proof that a painting - that should have burnt to ash along with Juliette in the thirties - was still around many years later.

The Willoughby family are no strangers to Patrick. Their son Harry is one of his best friends. Their fathers are connected as well. But just like so many other wealthy families, the Willoughby clan hides a multitude of dark secrets and dirty scandals that they'd protect with all their might. What was it that Juliette knew and wanted the world to know as well? Her surrealist painting Self-Portrait as Sphinx seems to be trying to tell a story, or are the answers in her journal? Was her death an accident? Was she killed? And how does all of this link up to Patrick being arrested for murder in present day Dubai? So many questions, such an absolute joy trying to figure out the answers.

There is a variety of things going on in this story. There is a certain level of madness and obsession, and the cruelty of men; there is the way women are erased from history; there is this sense of not quite fitting in, which I'm sure many of us can relate to, and there is also the complicated relationships between parents and children. Juliette wasn't the only one with a dark secrets in her past. Caroline too has been impacted by an event in her past, and it is this that spurs her on to find out the truth about Juliette.

I very much enjoyed 'The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby'. Even with the slower start, which is something I've been struggling with lately, there was more than enough on the pages to captivate me and entice me to keep reading. There are plenty of opportunities for the reader to uncover some truths themselves and, as always, I was delighted to answers some of the questions myself before they were revealed to me. When those reveals start coming, you also realise how brilliantly plotted this story is. It is very much an intricate and intriguing puzzle full of mystery and suspense. I don't think you'll regret adding it to your TBR.

The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby was described to me as The Secret History meets Saltburn, which is a pretty heady mix that sets expectations of interrogating the class system, elitism and a bit of bloodshed. This hits all of those points in a dark peek behind the facade of glamour and privilege.

This was a great historical mystery that peeked into the world of the elite and exposed the darkness hidden within. It really goes to some unexpected and horrifying places, particularly in terms of how privilege can be weaponised to obfuscate the truth. In sharp contrast to this, art is presented as subjective but ultimately a method of which to bring the darkness to light and reveal the truth once and for all. Truth is a fable here that people will die for, but also that they’d kill for. It is inherently bound up in questions of wealth and inheritance - pushing the lengths to which people may go to climb up the ladder and also to hold their status there. It is grubby behind the disguise of glossy beauty and glamorous dresses.

All three timelines pull into this and the sort of non linear format of the narratives makes you the detective as well, piecing together scraps from across the timelines to form the larger picture. In this way, it is somewhat of a love letter to art history and the tireless work done to recognise those otherwise ignored or removed from the narrative. These kind of stories are always such a draw to me and I really enjoyed learning more about this through the narrative. It is playful with the reader, leading you often on a merry dance.

In terms of the mystery, it is well executed. There are three but they all sort of tie into the large central mystery - at the same time, they are messily entangled with all sorts of people and relationships and dynamics. The book thrives in moments of character exploration, digging beneath the surface into the troubled waters of humanity lurking beneath. It pulls apart the subject and wants to get to the truth within. It is fairly meta in that question of artisitic integrity, truth and what makes us tick as people. I also have to mention the explosive and incredible final act, which had me glued to the pages.