Author:Katherine Hill

Cassandra Green has everything - beauty, wealth, a loving husband and a clever daughter. But is it enough?
Cassandra and her husband Abe are on the deck of their boat on a summer afternoon in the San Francisco Bay. There is a terrible row. Cassandra has been unfaithful. Again. In a fit of rage, Abe throws himself off the boat.
So begins The Violet Hour, an unsettling story of a marriage, of rich lives and the American dream, squandered. In this mesmerising novel, Katherine Hill reveals our darkest desires and how we can so easily tear the threads of the perfect life.
A rewarding family saga reminiscent of Anne Tyler's novels . . . Wonderfully witty
—— Washington PostHill handles the intimacy of family ties with care and tenderness . . . Readers who enjoyed Jonathan Franzen's Freedom will relate as Hill's characters similarly and systematically unravel from each other
—— BooklistAn affecting tale about decent but flawed people
—— Publishers WeeklyThe Violet Hour succeeds in nearly every measure . . . the story of this family - at once alien and familiar, pitiable and impressive - is rendered with candor and economy
—— Colorado ReviewA bittersweet tale of breakup and forgiveness
—— O, The Oprah MagazineAn unusual retrospective of a family torn apart . . . A bleak and disturbing story but one that offers a glimmer of hope
—— Kirkus ReviewsAn absorbing read . . . very good on the unspoken nuances of family life and the irrational irritations we often feel for those we love
—— Daily MailSplices humorous set pieces with gently searing revelations . . . a sophisticated saga, offering easy pleasures with no easy truths
—— ObserverA heartwarming and utterly charming debut... This gentle, intelligent Midwestern tale will captivate... An ideal book group selection, it reminds us why we are book lovers and why it's nice to read a few happy endings
—— Library Journal, starred reviewBivald encourages us to look for adventure in both literature and life... Charming
—— LadyAn international bestseller, this quirky, offbeat novel about books, with its wry humour and wonderful characters, is a delicious read
—— Choice MagazineCharmingly original....sweet, quirky
—— Washington PostThis is a charming novel for book lovers from all walks of life… As you journey through the pages, weaving Little Women, Harry Potter, Jodi Picoult, Jane Austen, Steig Larsson and Proust around the storyline, you’ll find yourself rooting for the beautifully drawn characters, smiling at the wry humour and applauding the ending
—— Candis MagazineCharming and relatable
—— Mel Mitchell , NudgeYou’ll love it
—— Catherine Small , Irish NewsA wonderful tale.
—— Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan , Daily ExpressFunny, fashionable, fabulous - my beach read pick for the summer!
—— Jane GreenThis Years The Devil Wears Prada
—— Vanity FairLethally funny with sass to spare
—— Daily Mail[a] brilliant and claustrophobic novel
—— VICEone to watch out for
—— The IndependentA very impressive, must read for fans of STATION ELEVEN, so unsettling but subtle too. I loved FIND ME…
—— Eva Dolana moving, and frequently funny, exploration of character and of trauma
—— Independentso compelling ... an unforgettable debut
—— Irish Independenta wonderful read
—— Nina Allan , InterzoneLike Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale or Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, van den Berg’s debut novel presents a frighteningly plausible near-future dystopia grounded in human elements… heartbreakingly real and compellingly wrought
—— Library JournalFind Me, her transfixing first novel, is in keeping with her short stories thematically, and yet, in its deep soundings, it’s a commanding departure. . . Van den Berg’s enveloping novel of a plague and a seeker in an endangered world reveals what it feels like to grow up unwanted and unknown in a civilization hell-bent on self-destruction. It is also a beautifully strange, sad, and provocative inquiry into our failure to love, cherish, and protect. But ultimately, Find Me is a delving story of courage, persistence, and hope
—— BooklistIn Find Me, van den Berg depicts a life slowly coming into focus—it’s blurry and impressionistic at times, sometimes deliriously scattered. But out of the fog of memory and the haze of drugs emerges a sense of clarity that’s deep and moving and real
—— The Boston GlobeFrom this memorable novel's eerie first paragraph to its enigmatic ending, Laura van den Berg has invented something beautiful indeed
—— LA TimesThis is one of my favorite novels of 2015, and we’re not even IN 2015 yet . . .The language is beautiful, spare, and carefully crafted, and the characters are fully realized and unforgettable. There is tension and redemption and insight and even humor in these pages, and they make for a really incredible read
—— BookriotSurreal adventures blend with a reflective and sad sensibility in van den Berg’s lyrical debut novel
—— Library JournalBoth novels offer precision of language and metaphor and scene even as what is being constructed feels messy, chaotic, sad, hopeless... Both orphaned and alone in the world, both so completely real, both telling a story that feels important and exciting to read. I feel lucky to have stumbled upon these books this year, and challenged by them to be better
—— The MillionsThis debut novel by acclaimed short story writer van den Berg tends to lean much closer to the realms of literary fiction with its complex psychology. . . Van den Berg's writing is curiously beautiful
—— Kirkusa strange beauty in this apocalyptic tale
—— Psychologies






