The flames

Haydock's stunning debut captures the ecstatic shock of erotic art during the bohemian period of the Vienna Secession, dialing in on the brief life of Egon Schiele (1890--1918) and the four women who influenced the painter. They are his voyeuristic neighbors, sisters Adele and Edith Harms; his possessive younger sister, Gertrude; and the model Vally Neuzil, who was his lover and muse. Sections devoted to each woman explore the jealousy, guilt, and grief that swirl around their relationships with the artist. Adele takes to spying on Egon from across the street, deluded by the belief that they'll marry, and survives a bout of the flu; Gertrude recounts the Schieles' difficult childhoods with their abusive, syphilitic stationmaster father; Edith vies for Egon's attention, which leads to a tumultuous romance; and Vally remains independent. After Vally and Egon shelter a girl who's being abused by her father, the father presses charges of kidnapping and corrupting a minor (Egon is also charged with pornography). By the end, not all of the characters escape WWI or the Spanish flu pandemic, and Haydock's superb research captures the era's rich atmosphere. This assured effort will leave readers eager to see more from Haydock. Agent: Juliet Mushens, Mushens Entertainment. (Mar.)

DEBUT Haydock's first novel is beautiful and haunting, breathing life into the stories of painter Egon Schiele and the women who supported him. In Vienna in the early 20th century, Egon Schiele is an artist both renowned and reviled for his controversial portrayals of the human form. Having grown up in an impoverished family, Egon and his sister Gertrude share a special bond, and she loves his art. With Gertrude's encouragement, Egon continues his passion in secret, until the day he is finally able to leave home (and Gertrude) to find inspiration from his hero, Gustav Klimt. Klimt's current model is an intriguing young woman named Vally, who quickly becomes one of Egon's growing list of muses. Two sisters from a higher-class family, Adele and Edith, also find their way into the artist's circle, and a dangerous infatuation soon forms. VERDICT Haydock builds her story on the real women who surrounded Schiele. Told from various points of view, it is a love story dedicated to Gertrude, Adele, Edith, and Vally. Recommended for general and historical fiction readers, as well as those interested in how life in Schiele's inner circle might have looked.--Jen Funk