Tutor

The Tutor is a sumptuous debut from Andrea Chapin set against the historical intrigue of Shakespearean England. 'Since meeting you, dear lady, I have put quill to page every day. I write and write and write.' Headstrong young widow Katherine de L'Isle lives a comfortable but solitary existence in her uncle's Lancashire home of Lufanwal Hall until events conspire to shatter her tranquility. First, the family priest is murdered - for his Catholic sympathies - causing her uncle and protector to flee the country. Abandoned by their father figure, the Lufanwal residents struggle to cope and old rivalries fester beneath the surface. Into this midst of this upheaval, there arrives a new schoolmaster from Stratford by the name of William Shakespeare. Rude, flirtatious and wickedly witty, Will appalls Katherine. Yet the discovery of a mutual love of poetry draws them together and Katherine finds she can never stay away from him for long. First she is seduced by his words, then by his passion. Beneath her excitement, Katherine knows that Will already has a wife - she becomes his muse but will she ever be his true love? Alone, vulnerable and entangled, Katherine is plunged heart and soul into a passion she cannot control. Meanwhile scandal and intrigue are growing around her family: murder, witchcraft, adultery and high treason loom on the horizon. Worst of all, the more she learns of charming young Will Shakespeare, the more it seems that he is not who he claims to be..."The Tutor plunges fearlessly into the uncharted years of history to give us a sumptuous, page-turning account...Katharine De L'Isle, the book's riveting heroine, isn't just young Will Shakespeare's muse, but his teacher in every sense, even as she unwisely loses her head and heart to him. I was completely captivated. Andrea Chapin is a writer to watch." (Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife). "History springs to vivid life in this beautifully written novel about a young William Shakespeare and the passionate, intelligent woman who changed the course of his life forever." (Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan Train). "Sexy and cerebral, Andrea Chapin's romp through one of Shakespeare's lost years will beguile lovers of poetry and romance alike. A literary delight." (Elizabeth Gaffney, author of when the World Was Young). "An elegant entertainment and an impressive debut." (Kirkus). "A delightful literary fantasy. Imagine being Shakespeare's muse, a lively, smart, beautiful being...In Andrea's Chapin's absorbing The Tutor we have a woman to thank for the shape of western literature." (Martha McPhee, author of Gorgeous Lies). "We will always be haunted by the question, 'What inspired Shakespeare's greatest poetry?' In her captivating debut novel, Andrea Chapin offers a brilliant solution. The Tutor is a terrific achievement, one that allows us a glimpse into the workings of Shakespeare's mind and heart.' James Shapiro, author of Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? 'With all the fire and spark of the best romance novels but the detail and weight of finely rendered historical fiction, debut novelist Chapin has crafted a fascinating and masterly background to Shakespeare's first published work, the narrative poem Venus and Adonis..."Fans of historical fiction writers such as Philippa Gregory, Rosalind Miles, and Anne Easter Smith won't want to miss this one." (Library Journal). Andrea Chapin has been an editor at art, movie, theatre and literary magazines, including the Paris Review, Conjunctions, and Lincoln Centre Theatre Review. She has written for various publications including More, Redbook, Town & Country, Self and Martha Stewart Living. Andrea lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.