STORYHOUSE WORKS IS PROUD TO PRESENT…
‘FOLLOWING VAN GOGH’ BY TEA GUDEK ŠNAJDAR
THE HEIST IS ON — BUT WHERE WILL IT TAKE HER?
Restless Lizzy has been running from her past for years — but a welcome escape is about to turn into a perilous race against time…
“She’d been looking for excitement… Now she certainly had it”
When museum guide Elisabeth Bernard is entrusted with a mysterious painting, she leaps at the chance to research it. But passionate Lizzy’s quest for the truth soon leads her into danger as she crosses Europe on a route once travelled by her favourite artist.
Meanwhile, back in 1880s Scheveningen, aspiring painter Vincent van Gogh is searching for inspiration, companionship and his own distinctive style. As Lizzy’s plight escalates, so Vincent’s anguish intensifies, with famously tragic consequences.
A BRUSH WITH HISTORY
An art-heist adventure told through the eyes of an art historian, Following Van Gogh is a parallel journey of self-discovery; a tale of passion, and what we are prepared to risk in pursuit of it.
Blurring the boundaries between fact and fiction, the narrative features evocative biographical passages which frame the fast-paced modern-day narrative, painting a vivid portrait of one of the world’s best-loved artists. The book is also full of insights into Van Gogh’s process as a painter, from his resourceful habit of using both sides of a canvas to his frequent feat of completing pictures in a single sitting — a custom he honed in Provence, where the mistral winds rapidly change the light and colour of the landscape.
Praise for Following Van Gogh:
“A perfect story for lovers of both art and crime novels… You’ll explore one of the most exciting periods in art history, while gaining insight into the black market… A captivating tale you can read in one sitting” — Lena Puhar O’Grady, Art Historian and Archaeologist
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tea Gudek Šnajdaris an art historian, travel writer and editor of the Culture Tourist blog. She also works as a guest guide at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, where the idea for her novel first took shape: “Exploring Van Gogh’s artwork in detail always made me wonder how much the locations in which he lived and worked influenced the themes, colours and brushstrokes in his paintings,” Tea explains. “In 2019, I embarked on my dream trip: a fortnight’s exploration of locations linked to Vincent van Gogh in the Netherlands, Belgium and France. That trip was so inspiring, it sparked the idea of writing a novel.”
Whether recreating the remote beauty of Glanum archaeological park or an increasingly industrialised Paris on the cusp of art revolution, Tea’s talent as a travel writer shines through the narrative, sparking curiosity for the places and paintings we encounter along the way, and fostering a rich understanding of their context.
Price €24.99 from followingvangogh.com. Also available as an eBook, price €8.99. For press queries, call 06-43620268 or email tea@culturetourist.com.
Follow Tea’s blog at culturetourist.com and facebook.com/culturetourist or check out her Instagram (@culturetourist).
The American Book Center in Amsterdam is hosting a book presentation and signing on Friday, June 27 from 16:00-17:30. RSVP (free) here.