From the smoky music halls of 1860s Paris to the tumbling skyscrapers of twenty-first century New York, Matthew Gallaway’s debut novel gives voice to the sweeping tale of an unlikely quartet, bound together by the strange and spectacular history of Richard Wagner’s masterpiece opera, Tristan and Isolde. Martin is a lawyer who, at age 40, feels disconnected from his life, but if he comes to terms with the missteps of his past, will he have time to create a more authentic future for himself? Maria is a tall, awkward, ostracized teenager who attempts to break free from the doldrums of Pittsburgh and to harness the power of her extraordinary operatic voice. Anna is destined to be a grande dame of the international stage, to emerge from her cocoon and step into the spotlight–yet once the harsh glare is upon her, she realizes it was more than she bargained for. Lucien is a young singer present at the birth of the modern age, who races through the streets of Europe in an exuberant bid to make the most of every breath. A tragedy leads Lucien to a magical discovery and takes him on a journey that will help him, Martin, Maria, and Anna learn that it’s not how many breaths you take, it’s what you do with those you’re given. Together theirs is a story of music and magic, love, death, secrets and betrayal, grandly operatic in scale, that will keep readers spellbound through the last page.
MATTHEW GALLAWAY got his B.A. from Cornell University, where he majored in government, and after working for several environmental groups in Washington DC attended law school at New York University. (He is fairly certain that he is the only graduate of NYU Law to work as a record-store clerk.) After passing the bar, he played in a rock band (Saturnine) for several years before turning his attention to The Metropolis Case. He currently lives in Washington Heights with his partner Stephen (a stage director at the Metropolitan Opera) and three cats.
Publishing in September, 2010. [Update: Actually publishing in Jan/Feb 2011, exact date TBD.] DON’T WORRY I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED! (So excited!!! — ZOMG I <3 the cover, don’t u?)
