The Shoe Queen
by Anna Davis
1920s Paris. The ‘Crazy Years’. English society beauty Genevieve Shelby King parties till dawn with the artists and writers of bohemian Montparnasse. She has a rich husband, a glamorous apartment and an enormous shoe collection. But there is something hollow at the centre of Genevieve’s charmed life.
When she spots a pair of unique and exquisite shoes on the feet of her arch rival one night, her whole collection – indeed, everything she has – seems suddenly worthless. The exclusive designer Paolo Zachari, renowned for his fabulous shoes and his secretive life, hand-picks his clients according to whim. And Zachari has determined to say no to Genevieve.
As her desire for the pair of unobtainable shoes develops into an obsession with their elusive creator, Genevieve’s elaborately designed life comes under threat, and she is forced to confront the emptiness at its heart.
"…a sensual and decadent novel, with one of the most refreshingly evocative backdrops I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time." - Barbara Samuel, Novelist
"This is girlie fiction at its best: fast-paced and dramatic with characters whose motives are rewardingly complex…the strength of this novel lies not in the faithful reconstruction of an era, but in the creation of a fantastical version of bohemian reality in which it is a joy to lose yourself." - Daily Telegraph
"If you yearn for latter-day soirees and have a shoe fetish to rival Carrie Bradshaw’s, you’ll love this book about an English society beauty." - Heat
"A poignant, compulsive tale, much enjoyed." - Sarah Broadhurst, The Bookseller
"My, what a book. Prepare to be plunged into the obscenely rich, scandal-spiked, intrigue-laced world of ‘20s Paris.... Luxurious and perilous; like slipping on a pair of unwalkably high Manolos." - Cosmopolitan
"A gripping slow burn … the historical setting and details are captivating." - Library Journal Review
"A brilliant, gutsy, ultra-feminist book – brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed it!" - Tracey Cox
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