As Suzanne struggles to keep her double life a secret fromher husband, from her best friend, and from the classical music world, she isconsumed by memories of a rich love affair saturated with syncopating rhythms. Increasinglymanipulated by her lover's widow and tormented by the concerto's many layers,Suzanne realizes she may lose everything she's spent her life working for.

A story of love, loss, sex, vengeance and betrayal, thispsychologically compelling novel explores the relationships among women asfriends and rivals, the ways that artists' lives and work interact, and what itmeans to make a life of art.

Elise Blackwell is the author of three previous novels: Hunger, The Unnatural Historyof Cypress Parish, and Grub. Herbooks have been chosen for numerous "best of the year" lists, including The Los Angeles Times, Sydney Morning Herald, and Kirkus. Her short stories and cultural criticismhave appeared in Witness, Topic, Seed, Global City Review,Quick Fiction, and elsewhere. Originallyfrom southern Louisiana, she has lived in manyothers places and is currently Associate Professor of English at the University of South Carolina.