About the book: 2023 / ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED NOVELS OF 2022. NOMINATE FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION. What really happened to Lucrezia Medici?.. Florence, 16th century. Lucrezia Medici is 10 years old. She meets Alfonso, the fiancé of her older sister Maria. Unnoticed by the others, he runs his finger along her cheek. Lucretia is 15 years old. She marries Alfonso instead of Maria. His sister whispers to her: “You don’t know what he’s capable of...” Lucretia is 16 years old. She and her husband are alone in the hunting house. He feeds her dinner; he did not take any servants with him. This night he will kill her. A historical novel filled with beauty and grace about the fate of Lucretia de Medici. Renaissance Italy comes to life in the pages of international bestselling author Maggie O'Farrell. "A mesmerizing portrait of a Renaissance woman whose life is shrouded in mystery... O'Farrell brilliantly brings emotion to the scenes... A poetic, layered novel." — Booklist “The novel is provocative and touching. The lines of Browning's poem are conveyed here very sensitively." - The Spectator "Maggie O'Farrell is one of the most amazing writers." — Washington Post “An intriguing portrait of a young girl, unfortunately, out of step with the times.” — Kirkus Reviews "Beautifully written, this novel is far from simple, and yet it has a captivating simplicity." —Guardian Book of the Day