Blog Tour: Mr Magenta – Christopher Bowden

Stephen Marling thought he knew his aunt Flora. But when he inherits her house in a quiet south London square a series of discoveries among her papers brings to light another person entirely. 

Who, for example, is ‘Mr Magenta’ and what part did he play in her life?

In the process of uncovering the secrets of one life, Stephen is forced to re-evaluate his own and decide what he really wants. 

Was he right to turn his back on Nancy Steiner, the young actress he met in New York, when he came home to take up his inheritance?

Interweaving past and present, the story takes him from a Brooklyn bookshop to a theatre in Marseille to a cottage on the east coast of England where the truth about Mr Magenta is finally revealed. Buy Links

Christopher Bowden lives in south London.  He is the author of six novels, each with a colour theme.  His books have been praised variously by Andrew Marr, Julian Fellowes, Sir Derek Jacobi, and Shena Mackay. Of his third novel, The Red House, Sir Derek said, “Very entertaining, cleverly constructed and expertly paced.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

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My thoughts: this is a rather gentle and sweet mystery – having inherited his aunt Flora’s house on her death, returning from his New York life, Stephen wishes he’d known more about his book loving aunt. Through her belongings, he builds up an image of who she was and decides to look deeper into her mysterious Mr Magenta. Clearly a pseudonym but for whom and why?

Following the clues of old photos, letters and playscripts, Stephen travels to France and the Suffolk coast. But his own more recent past lingers – should he have quit his job and left the lovely Nancy behind? Or should he take a risk and follow his heart?

This was rather lovely, a mystery with no grisly murders, a search for understanding and a friend who might be able to answer some of his questions.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.