Lucien
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Lucien
The Secret History meets Saltburn in this gripping dark academia thriller about a scholarship student who falls under the spell of his charismatic roommate and is thrust into the shadowy underworld of art forgery.
The Secret History meets Saltburn in this gripping dark academia thriller about a scholarship student who falls under the spell of his charismatic roommate and is thrust into the shadowy underworld of art forgery.
The son of working-class Czech immigrants, Christopher “Atlas” Novotny is a talented painter who arrives at Harvard on a full scholarship. Raised amid hardship, he is unprepared for the privileged world introduced to him by his freshman roommate, Lucien Orsini-Conti.
Born to wealthy European diplomats, Lucien plays the part of the confident, sophisticated bon vivant. Where Lucien is bold and brash, Atlas is timid and introverted. Growing up a lonely outsider, Atlas is insecure, impressionable, and in awe of his brilliant roommate. But is Lucien all that he seems?
Sensing a willing disciple, Lucien introduces Atlas to a glittering new world of lavish parties and elite social clubs. When Atlas struggles to afford his new lifestyle, Lucien offers a solution, convincing the naïve artist to become a
forger, passing off fakes to galleries and dealers. But Lucien’s charismatic facade conceals something darker and more sinister. As Lucien’s behavior grows increasingly unstable, Atlas is forced into escalating risks with devastating consequences.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781836432579
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 19 March 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Oneworld Publications
DIMENSIONS
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 320
Collections
About the Author
Born in London, J. R. Thornton graduated from Harvard College in 2014 where he studied history, English, and Chinese. An internationally ranked junior tennis player, he competed for Harvard and on the professional circuit.
He was a member of the inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars, obtaining an M.A. from Tsinghua University in Beijing. He now lives in Italy, working for AC Milan. Lucien is his second novel.
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