The Knowledge of Water

An enigmatic man haunted by guilt and a dark secret from the past … A beautiful young woman consumed by a desire that could destroy her lifelong dream … A madman who stalks them both in retribution for a murder they know nothing about … They all play a part in Sarah Smith’s captivating, critically acclaimed novel of suspense …
“Lushly erotic … The centrepiece of Sarah Smith’s elegant period novel is the torrential flood that nearly swept Paris away in 1910…. An exquisite stylist, she observes her characters in the most intimate detail, defining them with witty precision and placing them in a rain-drenched portrait of Edwardian Paris that could hang in the Louvre.” — The New York Times Book Review
“A haunting tale … An accessible mix of historical speculation, literary allusion, and suspense, [this novel] could become this year’s Name of the Rose.” — Entertainment Weekly
“As satisfying a mystery as the Mona Lisa’s smile.” — USA Today