{"product_id":"lucien","title":"Lucien","description":"\u003ch1\u003eLucien\u003c\/h1\u003eJ R Thornton,J R Thornton\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Harper Perennial\u003cbr\u003eMarch 17 2026\u003cbr\u003eEAN: 9780063458437\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 0063458438\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eItems marked as \u003cb\u003eWAREHOUSE\u003c\/b\u003e may take additional time to be delivered to your address or picked up in the store.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSynopsis: \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A crisp, twisting tale in the hands of a writer in the bloom of his abundant talents.\" -- Graydon Carter\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA gifted yet financially disadvantaged artist falls victim to the manipulative control of his wealthy, enigmatic Harvard roommate in this incendiary novel from the author of \u003ci\u003eBeautiful Country--\u003c\/i\u003ea piercing exploration of class, ambition, identity, and the perilous cost of reinvention in the tradition of Patricia Highsmith and Donna Tartt.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe son of working-class Czech immigrants, Christopher \"Atlas\" Novotny is a talented painter who arrives at Harvard on a full scholarship. Raised amid hardship, he is unprepared for the privileged world introduced to him by his freshman roommate, Lucien Orsini-Conti.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBorn to wealthy European diplomats, Lucien plays the part of the confident, sophisticated bon vivant. Where Lucien is bold and brash, Atlas is timid and introverted. Growing up a lonely outsider, Atlas is insecure, impressionable, and in awe of his brilliant roommate. But is Lucien all that he seems?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSensing a willing disciple, Lucien introduces Atlas to a glittering new world of lavish parties and elite social clubs. When Atlas struggles to afford his new lifestyle, Lucien offers a solution, convincing the naïve artist to become a forger, passing off fakes to galleries and dealers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut Lucien's charismatic facade conceals something darker and more sinister. As Lucien's behavior grows increasingly unstable, Atlas is forced into escalating risks with devastating consequences.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing inspiration from the true crime stories of Christian Gerhartsreiter (a.k.a. \"Clark Rockefeller\") and Adam Wheeler, \u003ci\u003eLucien\u003c\/i\u003e is as darkly seductive and addictively readable as \u003ci\u003eThe Secret History, The Incendiaries\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCreation Lake, \u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Talented Mr. Ripley.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"27th Letter Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67391575425069,"sku":"WHS-e01d3ccd59704c6ca04cfa5ddcdc0fa1","price":18.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0673\/3588\/0749\/files\/original_b69db30a-3f7f-4c85-a934-f11f12b7b6ec.jpg?v=1787355490","url":"https:\/\/27thletterbooks.com\/products\/lucien","provider":"27th Letter Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}