The Twisted Heart by Rebecca Gowers

The Twisted Heart

Rebecca Gowers

Kit, an Oxford Doctorate student, is absorbed in her thesis; on the verge of a major discovery, her once isolated life becomes full of people complicating things, not least Joe, who seems surprisingly interested in her. A tender romance, an intriguing real-life literary mystery, and lovely writing touched with Dickensian elements makes this an easy and engaging read.

Extract
Kit lay in bed looking at her clock radio, 8:37-8:38-8:39-8:40 - whereupon she put out a hand to turn it off; except, as she confusedly then understood, she hadn't been listening to the radio, she'd been watching the time. And the time you don't turn off.
Another Friday, not enough sleep.
Parallels
  • Possession by A S Byatt
  • The Last Dickens: A Novel by Matthew Pearl