A beautifully written, carefully observed novel that takes you to the heart of contemporary Paris and into a world of books and witty conversation. With a surprising twist at the end, this book is gripping and hugely satisfying. It can be read on many levels - as a story of people grappling with love and fidelity; as a story about the importance of books in everyday life; as a commentary on living in complex modern-day Europe; and as a page-turning mystery. Peopled mainly by lecturers and students of the Sorbonne The Necessary Angel touches on the machinations of various players as they position for power. Written against the wider backdrop of the political turmoil of 2014 - ISIS, Syria and the threat of Brexit - these themes become global. One of the characters quotes Flaubert: 'There is no truth, there is only perception', and this thread runs throughout.

Karl Stead is a distinguished, award-winning novelist, literary critic, poet, essayist and emeritus professor of English of the University of Auckland. He is the current New Zealand Poet Laureate, has won the Prime Minister's Award for Fiction, and is a Member of the Order of New Zealand, the highest honour possible in New Zealand.