Cursed Bread A Novel
Cursed Bread A Novel by Sophie Mackintosh is set to be published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on March 19, 2024. This 208-page novel explores the unsettling events surrounding the 1951 mass poisoning of a French village, intertwining historical elements with a narrative focused on obsession and transformation. The story centers on Elodie, the baker’s wife, who becomes entangled with a charismatic couple that disrupts her mundane life, leading to a dangerous interplay of desire and manipulation.
Readers will find a richly woven tale that delves into themes of hysteria and envy, as the small town of Pont-Saint-Esprit grapples with the aftermath of a devastating war. The narrative raises questions about the nature of reality and perception, as Elodie’s yearning for a more vibrant existence collides with the sinister forces at play. Cursed Bread presents a hypnotic exploration of memory and desire, inviting readers into a world where the line between predator and prey blurs.
Official synopsis Publisher
WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION NOMINEE • Best Book of the Month: The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Book Riot, CrimeReads • An elegant and hypnotic new novel of obsession that centers on the real unsolved mystery of the 1951 mass poisoning of a French village, by the Booker Prize–nominated author of The Water Cure
“Intoxicating, sumptuous, and savage.”—Alexandra Kleeman, acclaimed author of Something New Under the Sun
Still reeling in the aftermath of the deadliest war the world had ever seen, the small town of Pont-Saint-Esprit collectively lost its mind. Some historians believe the mysterious illness and violent hallucinations were caused by spoiled bread; others claim it was the result of covert government testing on the local population.
In that town lived a woman named Elodie. She was the baker’s wife: a plain, unremarkable person who yearned to transcend her dull existence. So when a charismatic new couple arrived in town, the forceful ambassador and his sharp-toothed wife, Violet, Elodie was quickly drawn into their orbit. Thus began a dangerous game of cat and mouse–but who was the predator and on whom did they prey?
Audacious and mesmerizing, Cursed Bread is a fevered confession, an entry into memory’s hall of mirrors, and an erotic fable of transformation. Sophie Mackintosh spins a darkly gleaming tale of a town gripped by hysteria, envy like poison in the blood, and desire that burns and consumes.
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