LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016

1000 BC. The Second Iron Age. The time of King David.

Anointed as the chosen one when just a young shepherd boy, David will rise to be king, grasping the throne and establishing his empire. But his journey is a tumultuous one and the consequences of his choices will resound for generations. In a life that takes him from obscurity to fame, he is by turns hero and traitor, glamorous young tyrant and beloved king, murderous despot and remorseful, diminished patriarch. His wives love and fear him, his sons will betray him. It falls to Natan, the courtier and prophet who both counsels and castigates David, to tell the truth about the path he must take.

Brooks has an uncanny ability to hear and transform characters from history, and this beautifully written, unvarnished saga of faith, desire, family, ambition, betrayal, and power will enthral her many fans.

"Here is a man who is both great and flawed, just like those tragic heroes Oedipus and King Lear. But in making David so satisfyingly human, Brooks has crafted from The Secret Chord a compelling read, contemporary in relevance" - Guardian

"A haunting, memorable novel" - Sunday Times

"The Secret Chord paints a portrait so layered and rich in detail it makes you feel you can reach out and touch him" - Woman's Own

"Vividly drawn . . . a beautiful and thoughtful book" - The Times

"This David is ecstatic, visceral and virile" - Independent

"The Secret Chord is sensual historical fiction, full of rich descriptive language" - Third Way