A Letter from Paris: A True Story of Hidden Art, Lost Romance, and Family Reclaimed

A father¡¯s long-lost letters spark a compelling tale of inheritance and creativity, loss and reunion When Louisa Deasey receives a message from a Frenchwoman called Coralie, who has found a cache of letters in an attic, written about Louisa¡¯s father, neither woman can imagine the events it will set in motion. The letters, dated 1949, detail a passionate affair between Louisa¡¯s father, Denison, and Coralie¡¯s grandmother, Michelle, in post-war London. They spark Louisa to find out more about her father, who died when she was six. From the seemingly simple question ¡°Who was Denison Deasey¡± follows a trail of discovery that leads Louisa to the streets of London, to the cafes and restaurants of Paris and a poet¡¯s villa in the south of France. From her father¡¯s secret service in World War II to his relationships with some of the most famous bohemian artists in post-war Europe, Louisa unearths a portrait of a fascinating man, both at the epicenter and the mercy of the social and political currents of his time. A Letter from Paris is about the stories we tell ourselves, and the secrets the past can uncover, showing the power of the written word to cross the bridges of time.