A man searches for the truth about his uncle's love affair, only to find love himself

Pierre thought he knew his Uncle Charles well. He had worked with him on a daily basis for fifteen years, assisting the austere art historian in his studies. Yet after Charles' death, Pierre finds a diary in which his uncle confessed to a secret, heartbreaking love affair. Pierre's search for the truth leads him to Judith, the woman his uncle so passionately loved, and when he meets her daughter Sarah, he finds that his own life will be changed forever. Beaussant's superbly crafted narrative effortlessly conveys the author's passion for art to the reader.

'Philippe Beaussant's novella is as elegantly old-fashioned in the structure as in the telling' Isabel Montgomery, Guardian

'You have to read this book, extraordinary in its simplicity, its geometric lines, its tenderness. The author doesn't disappoint ... what he writes is perfect. And perfection without boredom is a feat.' Jean-Jacques Borchier, Magazine Litteraire

'Reflections on Italian painting, a love story discovered in a small black notebook after the death of its owner... One doesn't know what seduces most in this subtle and elegant novel.' Mensuel

Philippe Beaussant is a novelist and musicologist. He has written several works of fiction besides Rendezvous in Venice, and is the author of numerous books on the history and art of the baroque era. He was awarded the Brive French Language Prize in 2001 and the Literary Prize of the Prince Pierre of Monaco Foundation in 2004.

Translated by: Catherine Petit, Paul Buck