Set in contemporary Venice, Tel Aviv, Munich, London and rural Wales, Adrian Mourby's new novel is a compelling examination of paternity, genius and the potency of the written word.
The chance discovery of a letter sets journalist Bill Wheeler off on an investigation into the dark world of Richard Wagner, opera's greatest composer and the man whom Nietszche described as a 'sickness'. As he delves deeper into meanings lying hidden within this random letter, Bill is forced to re-examine his relationship with his beloved daughter Reah, his ex-wife Tamsin, and Libby Zeigler, the American academic who hastened the disintegration of his marriage seven years before.
Despite the darkness and violence that Wishdaughter uncovers, this is, finally, a redemptive novel about the need in all of us to come to terms with the past before we can move on.
Adrian Mourby is an international opera correspondent and opera producer. For twelve years he produced BBC radio and television programmes, winning numerous national and international awards. His previous novels include We Think the World of Him and The Four of Us.