Episode 1
1967: Odelle Bastien begins her new job as typist and meets her boss Marjorie Quick. Read by Martina Laird and Jessica Raine.
When on a summerβs day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the steps of the Skelton gallery in London to take up a position as typist, she little realises how significantly her life is about to change. For there she meets the glamourous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick, who soon takes Odelle into her confidence and encourages her to pursue her dream of writing. But Odelle senses there is something that Quick is holding back, and when βRufina and the Lionβ, a lost Spanish masterpiece is brought to the gallery, Odelle begins to suspect that the mystery behind the paintingβs origins and her mentorβs secrecy may be somehow connected.
The truth about βRufina and the Lionβ lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of renowned art dealer Harold Schloss and his beautiful but fragile wife Sarah, is harbouring artistic ambitions of her own. When artist and revolutionary Isaac Robles and his half-sister Teresa come into their lives, passion, art, and politics collide, with explosive and devastating consequences for them all.
Weaving between events in 1967 and those of 1936, a powerful story of love, obsession, identity, authenticity and deception unfolds in this highly anticipated new novel from Jessie Burton, author of the best-selling The Miniaturist.
Written by Jessie Burton
Abridged by Doreen Estall
Read by Martina Laird
Produced by Heather Larmour
Last on
More episodes
Previous
You are at the first episode
Next
Broadcasts
- Sun 10 Jul 2016 14:30ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 Extra
- Mon 11 Jul 2016 02:30ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 Extra
- Sun 7 Feb 2021 06:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 Extra