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Clara & Olivia

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER
By Lucy Ashe
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Clara & Olivia by Lucy Ashe, the story unfolds in the vibrant yet shadowy world of a 1930s ballet company. The narrative follows the lives of two dancers whose deep connection is tested as mysterious and dangerous events begin to surface, intertwining ambition, rivalry, and dark secrets. Set against the backdrop of a thrilling and suspenseful scene, the plot captures the tension of crime and the enigmatic facets of their dance world.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2499
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this gripping read if you're intrigued by the glamour and shadows of the 1930s English ballet scene, combined with a captivating mystery. The novel offers a deep dive into the world of rival ballerinas whose lives intertwine with danger and deceit, perfect for fans of richly detailed historical settings intertwined with suspenseful crime elements.

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Perfect twins. Perfect victims. 

Perfect twins. Perfect victims.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

“Surely you would like to be immortalised in art, fixed forever in perfection?”

Sadler's Wells, 1933.

I would kill to dance like her.

Disciplined and dedicated, Olivia is the perfect ballerina. But no matter how hard she works, she can never match identical twin Clara's charm.

I would kill to be with her.

As rehearsals intensify for the ballet Coppélia, the girls feel increasingly like they are being watched. And, as infatuation turns to obsession, everything begins to unravel.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Clara & Olivia by Lucy Ashe is praised for its haunting atmosphere and immersive depiction of 1930s London ballet. Critics highlight the novel's gripping plot and skilful writing, applauding Ashe's attention to historical detail and the compelling portrayal of ambition and obsession within the ballet world. This debut is seen as a thrilling, richly crafted narrative that beautifully balances elegance with darker undertones.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780861544103

Publisher: Oneworld Publications

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 September 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Magpie

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 352

Collections

Arts & Culture Crime & Thriller Fiction General Fiction Historical Fiction Lucy Ashe

About the Author

After training at the Royal Ballet School for eight years, Lucy Ashe decided to change career plans and go to university, where she read English Literature before becoming a teacher. Her poetry and short stories have been published in a number of literary journals and she was shortlisted for the 2020 Impress Prize for New Writers.

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  • Clara & Olivia
    “Surely you would like to be immortalised in art, fixed forever in perfection?” Sadler's Wells, 1933. I would kill to dance like her. Disciplined and dedicated, Olivia is the perfect ballerina. But no matter how hard she works, she can never match identical twin Clara's charm. I would kill to be with her. As rehearsals intensify for the ballet Coppélia,...
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    May 1945 and at long last, Rosamund Caradon is feeling optimistic. As she returns the last few evacuees to London from her Devonshire manor, she vows to protect her dance-obsessed daughter Jasmine from further peril. But a chance meeting with a Sadler’s Wells ballet dancer changes everything. When the beautiful, elusive Briar Woods bursts into Rosamund’s train carriage, it’s clear...
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