This epic, beautifully crafted novel spans the entire 20th century and tells the story of Violeta, who is born into a rich Chilean family on a stormy day in 1920. Her childhood is marked by Spanish flu, the Great Depression and her father’s suicide, while her adult life incorporates heartbreak and lacklustre marriages. 

Gripping from start to finish, it will also make you yearn to visit Chile.  

Read by Melissa Twigg, Telegraph Luxury commissioning editor

The Maid 

By Nita Prose (HarperCollins, £14.99)