Tom Lake

In the spring of 2020, Lara's three daughters find themselves returning to their family's orchard in Northern Michigan as the world grapples with the onset of the pandemic. Amidst the cherry trees, they eagerly implore their mother to recount her romantic entanglement with Peter Duke, a renowned actor with whom she shared the stage and a significant chapter of her past during their time at a theatre company named Tom Lake. As Lara delves into her reminiscences, her daughters reflect on their own lives and their relationship with their mother, prompting a profound reassessment of their understanding of the world and their family history.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett is a poignant exploration of youthful passion, enduring love, and the hidden lives of parents before their children were born. Through a narrative that is both hopeful and elegiac, the novel contemplates what it means to find happiness, even as the world around us seems to be unraveling. Patchett's masterful storytelling is evident as she weaves together compelling narrative artistry with deep insights into familial dynamics. This rich and luminous tale is rendered with profound intelligence and emotional subtlety, affirming Patchett's status as one of the most revered and acclaimed literary talents of our time.

Praise for The Dutch House:

'Patchett leads us to a truth that feels like life rather than literature' Guardian

'The best book I've read in years' Rosamund Lupton

'Her finest novel yet' Sunday Times

'The buzz around The Dutch House is totally justified. Her best yet, which is saying something' John Boyne

'A masterpiece' Cathy Rentzenbrink

'Bliss' Nigella Lawson