Objects of Desire

Neil Blackmore

$45

Hardback

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QTY:

English

Hutchinson Heinemann
15 May 2025

Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945); Historical fiction

Hugo Hunter is the most important gay writer of the 20th century, but he has a secret- he didn't write either of his novels. So, when he accepts a million dollars to produce another masterpiece, how far will Hugo go to come up with a third?

'An absolute gem. Dark, funny and iconoclastic' THE TIMES

'Razor-sharp and deeply unsettling while being endlessly entertaining. A triumph.' JENNIE GODFREY, author of THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS

'A delicious, literary feast. A wickedly funny and sharply relevant novel of duplicity and betrayal with a glittering cast of literary greats.' ANNA MAZZOLA, author of THE BOOK OF SECRETS

'A masterful novel, OBJECTS OF DESIRE is utterly irresistible; it's dark and wickedly fun. One of my favourite books of the year so far.' FLORA CARR, author of THE TOWER

'A biting, unflinching study of art and deceit . . . Neil Blackmore has achieved his best work yet.' ANNIE GARTHWAITE, author of CECILY
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Hugo Hunter was the most celebrated gay novelist of the 20th century. He published two masterpieces, securing his place alongside the dazzling literary greats of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and rubbing shoulders with everyone from Truman Capote to James Baldwin, Gore Vidal and George Orwell.

But after decades of fame and excess, just as New York City enters the 1980s and awakes to the coming horror of AIDS, Hugo finds himself running out of money. Out of nowhere, he receives an extraordinary lifeline- an offer from his longtime publisher. Two million dollars, for a memoir and a new novel.

The money will solve all his problems - except for one thing. Hugo Hunter is an imposter. He stole both of his novels. Now, how far will he go to produce a third?

At once dark, moving and deliciously vicious, OBJECTS OF DESIRE traverses the 20th century, featuring an astonishing cast of characters. It is both a colourful glimpse into the lives of the cultural elite, and a tense, gripping story of betrayal, deceit, and literary fraud.
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Praise for Neil Blackmore

'An astounding story . . . I relished every page.' SIR IAN McKELLAN

'One of the most original voices in historical fiction today.' THE TIMES

'Compellingly real.' DAILY MAIL

By: Neil Blackmore
Imprint: Hutchinson Heinemann
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 225mm, Width: 142mm, Spine: 33mm
Weight: 468g
ISBN: 9781529153910
ISBN 10: 1529153913
Pages: 368
Publication Date: 15 May 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Neil Blackmore is the author of five novels. His work has been acclaimed for its radical redrawing of the historical fiction form and the parameters of queer historical fiction. His third novel, The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle, was shortlisted for the Polari Prize for LGBTQ+ Fiction, and he has been celebrated as 'one of the most original voices in historical fiction today' (The Times). He lives in London.

Reviews for Objects of Desire

A delicious, literary feast. A wickedly funny and sharply relevant novel of duplicity and betrayal with a glittering cast of literary greats. -- Anna Mazzola A masterful novel, Objects of Desire is utterly irresistible; it’s dark and wickedly fun. One of my favourite books of the year so far. -- Flora Carr Blackmore writes with rich intensity, he never fails to excite the senses. -- AJ West This masterful novel is a biting, unflinching study of art and deceit – and of what it means to create, to love and, indeed, to live. In this story, which recreates with vicious wit the 20th-century literary scene, Neil Blackmore has achieved his best work yet. -- Annie Garthwaite