In the realm of literary intrigue and mystery, few names shimmer as brightly as the collaborative force of Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos, better known as the Ellery Lloyd. Their latest novel, THE FINAL ACT OF JULIETTE WILLOUGHBY, captivates readers with its enigmatic blend of art history, family secrets, and chilling mysteries spanning generations. Drawing inspiration from their rich academic backgrounds and a shared passion for exploring the darker shades of human emotion, Lyons and Merrick weave tales that mesmerize and thrill in equal measure. In this week’s Jen's Jewels column, we embark on a journey into their creative universe, where love, madness, obsession, and revenge intertwine amidst the haunting strokes of a surrealist masterpiece, promising readers a literary experience like no other.
Jennifer Vido: What inspired THE FINAL ACT OF JULIETTE WILLOUGHBY, an intriguing story that spans multiple generations and locations?
Collette Lyons: We love to explore a darkly glamorous world – or in this case three – in our novels. I studied Art History at Cambridge University, where part of the story is set, and really fell in love with the work of the female Surrealists – artists like Leonora Carrington, Leonor Fini and Dorothea Tanning. We loved the idea of writing a spirited, aristocratic artist who painted her family’s sinister secrets into her Surrealist masterpiece – the rest of the story, and the characters, revolved around this.
Jen: The book deals with themes of love, madness, obsession, and revenge. What drew you to explore these powerful human emotions?
Paul Vlitos: This is the first time we’ve written a love story into a mystery – in fact, three love stories, which all play out in very different ways. We hope this gives a real beating heart to the novel, around which we have woven an intricate plot spanning the course of a hundred years. And we were very interested in the weaponizing of female madness, and how it can be used to silence women.
Jen: The story incorporates mystery, art history, and even a family curse. How did you weave these different threads together?
Collette: With lots of post-It notes on the wall! Because we write together – our method is to take different characters each – we must have a really solid road map before we set off. Of course, things change as we write, but if we have a clear idea of each character’s trajectory, we get in less of a muddle!
Jen: Juliette Willoughby and her enigmatic self-portrait are central to the story. What kind of research went into developing her character and the artistic elements?
Collette: There is a painting in Tate Modern – Little Hermit Sphinx, by Leonor Fini – which I could spend hours in front of. It’s uncanny, unsettling, intimate and atmospheric. We spent a lot of time looking at the work of the female surrealists, but this is the painting I kept returning to when writing – it feels like a painting with a very personal and private mythology only the artist truly understands.
Jen: The book delves into the lives of several fascinating characters. Did you have a favorite character to write or one you felt particularly connected to?
Paul: We only realized that Patrick and Caroline have our initials (Paul and Collette) after we finished writing – so I guess that’s probably your answer!
Jen: As a follow-up to your previous bestseller, did you feel any added pressure or expectations while writing this book?
Collette: Each book is its own unique journey, and this one was research-heavy and intricate, but at least we could visit galleries and other cities while we wrote – we took trips to Cambridge, Dubai, and Paris. We wrote The Club in lockdown, which it probably ultimately benefitted from as it was a locked room murder mystery, but it was much more claustrophobic and stressful to do because we basically couldn’t leave the house!
Jen: Without giving too much away, can you tease any favorite scenes or moments from the book that you're particularly proud of?
Collette: We have been told that there is a reveal in the book, which obviously I won’t give away, that has made a lot of readers gasp out loud. That is always brilliant to hear!
Jen: With this gripping tale now released, what writing projects or ideas are you excited to explore next?
Paul: We are working on our fourth novel, which features time travel.
Jen: What’s the best way for readers to stay up to date on your latest news?
Collette & Paul: We have an Instagram account, which we should tend to more than we do – it can be such a time-eater when you’re trying to write a book!
Jen: What’s on your summer TBR stack?
Collette & Paul: We have All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, Our Holiday by Louise Candlish, and a lot of research books on the history of London since the Blitz.
Jen: It's been a pleasure having you join me to discuss the intriguing details behind your latest novel. I wish you continued success with this exciting new release.
Collette & Paul: Thanks so much!
The gripping follow up to the “smart, stylish, and savage” (People) New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick The Club—a twisty mystery involving a cursed wealthy family and a Surrealist painting which holds the key to three suspicious deaths over the course of a century.
Some women won't be painted out of history . . .
Everybody knows that in 1938, runaway heiress artist Juliette Willoughby perished in an accidental studio fire in Paris, alongside her masterpiece Self Portrait As Sphinx.
Fifty years later, two Cambridge art history students are confounded when they stumble across proof that the fire was no accident but something more sinister. What they uncover threatens the very foundation of Juliette’s aristocratic family and revives rumors of the infamous curse that has haunted the Willoughbys for generations.
But what does their discovery mean? And how is it connected to a brutal murder in present-day Dubai?
A tale of love and madness, obsession and revenge, The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby unravels the riddle posed by a Sphinx who refuses to reveal her secrets . . .
Thriller Historical | Thriller [Harper, On Sale: June 11, 2024, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780063323001 / eISBN: 9780063323025]
Ellery Lloyd is the pseudonym for London-based husband-and-wife writing team Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos. Collette is a journalist and editor, the former content director of Elle (UK) and editorial director at Soho House. She has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and the Sunday Times. Paul is the author of two previous novels, Welcome to the Working Week and Every Day is Like Sunday. He is the program director for English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of Surrey.
Jennifer Vido writes sweet romances set in the Lowcountry filled with southern charm and hospitality. In between chapters, she interviews authors for her bi-weekly Jen’s Jewels column on FreshFiction.com. Most mornings, she teaches an arthritis-friendly water exercise class for seniors before heading to the office to serve as the executive director of a legal non-profit. A New Jersey native, she currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two rescue dogs and is the proud parent of two sons who miss her home-cooked meals. To learn more, please visit her website.
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