The Shoe Queen - Tapa dura

English society beauty Genevieve Shelby King parties to the utmost with the Anglo-American artists and writers of Montparnasse. She has a rich husband, a glamorous apartment and an enormous shoe collection. But there is something hollow at the centre of Genevieve's charmed life. When she spots a pair of unique and exquisite shoes on the feet of an arch rival one night, her whole collection - indeed everything she has - seems suddenly worthless. The exclusive designer Paolo Zachari, renowned for his fabulous shoes and eccentric behaviour, hand-picks his clients according to whim. And he has determined to say no to Genevieve. As her desire for the pair of unobtainable shoes develops into an obsession with their creator, Genevieve's elaborately designed life comes under threat, and she is forced to confront the emptiness at its heart.

Anna Davis is the author of three previous novels: Cheet, Melting and The Dinner (all of which have been translated into many languages), as well as short stories and journalistic articles. She is a former Guardian columnist and was awarded the first Arts Council of England Clarissa Luard award. Anna is in her early thirties, lives in London with her husband and two children, and works part-time for a leading literary agency.