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The offbeat heroine in Laura Rider’s Masterpiece is the kind of woman who imagines herself in a satin gown and sitting on the dais at a romance writer’s conference, when she’s neither published, nor even done with her novel. With that masterpiece in her sights, she endlessly meddles in her own marriage and others’ lives to produce dramatic episodes to mine for her book. Yes, it’s a bit pathetic and a little twisted, but for the reader it’s a lot funny and very entertaining.

Author Jane Hamilton told us that her inspiration for this story emerged from the depression that rolled in after being trapped on a surreal cruise where she was hired to teach a gaggle of would-be writers, more focused on finding a publisher than honing their craft. Looks like she found her silver lining.

This is actually the most comedic effort to date from Hamilton, whose previous books The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World were Oprah’s Book Club selections, and we think the darkly funny tone makes this the perfect beach read. Can’t wait to hear what you think!

— Emily L.

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  • A full-blown comedy about a Midwestern couple who share a passion for gardening, but no longer share a bed.

  • Jane Hamilton is the author of The Book of Ruth, winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award for first fiction, and A Map of the World, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year; both are Oprah’s Book Club selections. Her last novel, When Madeline Was Young, was a Washington Post Best Book of the Year.

  • Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, April 9, 2009

  • 214 pages

  • Hardcover

  • “Oprah-anointed Hamilton once again takes her readers to the Midwest, this time lacing her narrative with winning humor….the female characters are sharply observed and delineated, and the humorous tone will be an appealing surprise to Hamilton’s readers.” – Publishers Weekly
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