In her place as maid to Madame Patin in the cafe next to the sea, orphan Genevieve becomes the breathless audience for her mistress's alarming folk stories, beginning with the one about the mermaid - the beauty who is also a monster - who must be killed. Genevieve happily falls into the patterns and ways of Madame Patin and contentedly cooks, cleans, gardens and serves the customers alongside her. Until, that is, Genevieve ripens to siren beauty. To avoid the mermaid's fate she must take flight. And she does, to a poet who has the hearts of all his women: his mother, his mistress, his niece, his niece's governess - and before long, his new maid's.

* * Free day at a Living Well Health Club - over 70 locations to choose from * London Underground escalator campaign highlighting above offer * Author PR activity to include media interviews and appearances at literary festivals * Review and feature coverage in national press and women's magazines * Reading copies available

About the Author
Half-English and half-French, Michele Roberts was born in 1949. DAUGHTERS OF THE HOUSE (1992) was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the WH Smith Literary Award.

Reviews
Bitter, balanced and sophisticated...Powerful tale of female need, desire and projection ... highly compelling * LITERARY REVIEW *
A gift to treasure * The TIMES *



Book Information
ISBN 9781860499012
Author Michele Roberts
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Virago Press Ltd
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 346g
Dimensions(mm) 200mm * 126mm * 15mm