This is Julian Leatherdale’s first novel, and he acknowledges the debt he owes to the real history of the Hydro Majestic in Medlow Bath, built by department-store magnate Mark Foy. Leatherdale has researched and written for television series, and has a keen instinct for the novelistic potential of historical events. This story brings together the sophistication of global modernity and the Australian bush, and combines the glitter and glamour of consumer culture with the homeliness of a small regional community.