Feast: A thrilling historical novel brimming with intrigue by an exciting new voice

Catherine Kurtz

Jun 2026 · Hachette UK

Ebook

336

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'A lush and sensory novel . . .This is a story that lingers' - Emma Pei Yin, author of When Sleeping Women Wake

'Feast held me in its thrall from the first page and never let go . . . an immersive, enthralling, extraordinary piece of historical fiction' - Rachel Blackmore, author of Costanza

In the soot-streaked alleys of 19th-century London, Minha is a girl unlike any other - born with an extraordinary gift: an overwhelming, all-consuming sense of taste. Desperate to escape a life of poverty, she crosses the sea to France, chasing the shimmer of a better future.

At Château de Bellefalaise, a grand estate with fairytale turrets perched above a sleepy village, Minha's talent is discovered when she detects poison in a dish about to be served to the château's master, Duc Nicolas. For the first time in her life, her strange ability becomes her salvation - and her curse. Appointed the Duc's personal poison-taster, she is confined to her tasting room and forced to live in the chateau's shadows. With each dish, she enters a world of glittering porcelain and gilded secrets, where danger simmers beneath every course...

But when she loses her miraculous gift and suspicion coils through the corridors, Minha must confront a terrifying truth: without her gift, who is she - and what remains of the life she's fought so hard to build?

Feast is a sumptuous historical novel brimming with intrigue and sensory wonder - a dark fairytale for readers who love Jessie Burton, Elizabeth Macneal and Bridget Collins.

'A beautiful book, vivid and delicious and alive . . . I loved it' - Alex Hay, author of The Housekeepers

'Feast is a tasty read, a fantastic novel filled with glorious detail and deliciously vivid story-telling . . . I highly recommend it' - Salena Godden, author of Mrs Death Misses Death

'A novel to savour, bursting with rich delights' - Laura Wilkinson, author of Redemption Song

'Sensuous and richly imagined' - Beth Miller, author of The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright

'Where Perfume traced the pursuit of power, Feast examines a life of resistance' - Mark A. Radcliffe, author of Three Gifts

'Kurtz is the real deal - an absolute original' - Mick Jackson, author of The Underground Man

'A novel that truly captures the senses . . . Perfect for readers who love atmospheric historical fiction' - Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City

'A lush and sensory novel . . .This is a story that lingers' - Emma Pei Yin, author of When Sleeping Women Wake 'Feast held me in its thrall from the first page and never let go . . . an immersive, enthralling, extraordinary piece of historical fiction' - Rachel Blackmore, author of Costanza In...

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About the author

Catherine Kurtz was born in Cambridge, was brought up in London and now lives in Kent. She completed an art foundation at Wimbledon School of Art before studying fine art at Chelsea School of Art. Upon graduating, Kurtz was made artist-in-residence at the Royal Ballet School. She is a painter represented by The Redfern Gallery, a member of the Guild of Food Writers, and grand jury member of the International Chocolate Awards. Her journalism has been published in a variety of publications including the Spectator's Scoff, ckbk and Celebrated Living. In her fiction she explores the female experience, her mixed-race heritage and the power of creativity. She has an MA in creative writing from West Dean College and is currently working on her next exhibition and her next novel.

Catherine Kurtz was born in Cambridge, was brought up in London and now lives in Kent. She completed an art foundation at Wimbledon School of Art before studying fine art at Chelsea School of Art. Upon graduating, Kurtz was made artist-in-residence at the Royal Ballet School. She is a painter rep...

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