The Coral Thief

A Novel

By: Rebecca Stott

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

From the author of the national best seller Ghostwalk comes another ambitious, suspenseful, elegant novel of ideas, set in France in 1815.

Upon his arrival in Paris, where he has come to study anatomy, Daniel Connor, a young medical student from Edinburgh, finds that his letters of introduction and precious coral specimens have been stolen by the beautiful woman with whom he shared a stagecoach. But when he begins searching for his lost items - and the alluring woman who stole them - Daniel is thrust into a tumultuous, underground world of philosopher thieves obsessed with the emerging theories of evolution. As he is pulled into their plot to steal a precious jewel from the Jardin des Plantes, and as he falls in love with the mysterious coral thief, Daniel is introduced to a radical theory of evolution that irrevocably changes his conception of the world in which he lives.

As riveting and beautifully rendered as Ghostwalk, The Coral Thief is a provocative and tantalizing mix of history, love, and philosophy.

©2009 Rebecca Stott (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A powerful offering from an immensely talented writer...Vividly atmospheric, propulsive, and intricately plotted, this is a surefire page turner with literary heft and wide appeal." (Publishers Weekly)
"Stott again skillfully combines an intriguing love story, complex scientific concepts, and a beautifully realized historical setting...Riveting on all fronts, from its suspenseful plot to its elegant presentation of evolutionary theory." (Booklist)
"Stott once again juxtaposes science with a tale of love, mystery and intrigue, setting this volatile mix against a backdrop of critical events in post-Revolutionary France....Skillfully embeds early 19th-century culture, history, and attitudes into a story that flows like the Seine and floods the senses." (Kirkus Reviews)