Alyson Richman

Alyson Richman is the #1 internationally bestselling author of the The Velvet Hours, The Garden of Letters, The Lost Wife, The Last Van Gogh, The Rhythm of Memory (previously published as Swedish Tango) and The Mask Carver's Son. Her novels have been translated into twenty languages and "The Lost Wife" is in development to be a major motion picture. Visit her website here.

THE TIME KEEPERS (2024)

An unforgettable novel that captures the power of longing, loss, and love, The Time Keepers transports us from 1979 suburban New York to war-torn Vietnam, revealing that sometimes the most unexpected friendships can save us.

Two women from different worlds, Grace and Anh, are indelibly changed when a runaway boy is found on a street in their small Long Island town. Brought together by the love of this child displaced by war, the women find friendship and healing from their own painful pasts when their lives intersect with a mysterious wounded Vietnam vet. The vet, Jack, works at the Golden Hours, a watch store that mends timepieces—and might even mend damaged souls.

Richman interweaves the journeys of these wonderfully diverse characters who will grip, fill, and break your heart—only to bring them together with the care and precision of an expert watchmaker, one piece at a time. Inspired by the true story of a Vietnamese refugee who entrusted the dramatic account of her escape from Vietnam to the author, and also that of a wounded veteran, Richman sheds light on those whose lives were forever impacted by the devastation of that war.

"Weaving the characters' pasts with the present keeps the reader turning pages to the powerful ending. Those who enjoy family stories and uplifting books will be captivated by this novel." —Booklist

“Once again, Alyson Richman entrances the reader with her signature lyrical prose and captivating storyline. Powerfully humanizing various perspectives of the Vietnam War, The Time Keepers interweaves the journeys of a wonderfully diverse cast. A poignant, memorable tale that I loved to the very last page.”—Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday

"The Time Keepers holds so much power. It has the power to stop a bitter word on the very tip of your tongue. It has the power to change how you see those around you, to replace judgment and criticism with understanding and kindness. And like any truly great book, it has the power to bridge divides, to remind readers of the redemptive power of love and forgiveness, and to heal. Reading The Time Keepers is like applying a salve to an invisible wound you didn't know you had, and you will feel so many things when you finish this book: hopeful, grateful for the bonds that bring us together as humans, inspired to be better.” —Katherine J. Chen, author of Mary B: An Untold Story of Pride and Prejudice and Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc

“A powerful and emotional saga, woven with themes of love and compassion. The Time Keepers poignantly explores the bonds of friendship and the universal need to have a place to call home. This novel will make your heart soar.” —Sofia Lundberg, international bestselling author of The Red Address Book

THE THREAD COLLECTORS (2022)

1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician.

Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. Between abolitionist meetings, Lily rolls bandages and crafts quilts with her sewing circle for other soldiers, too, hoping for their safe return home. But when months go by without word from her husband, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him.

As these two women risk everything for love and freedom during thebrutal Civil War, their paths converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us. Loosely inspired by the authors' family histories, this stunning novel will stay with readers for a long time.

“An unforgettable story of female strength, hope and friendship. This collaborative work is magnificent—a true revelation!” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star

“A brilliant story brimming with unexpected friendships and family ties. Historically sound and beautifully stitched, The Thread Collectors will stay with you long after the last page is turned.” —Sadeqa Johnson, international bestselling author of Yellow Wife

THE SECRET OF CLOUDS (2019)

Katya, a rising ballerina, and Sasha, a graduate student, are young and in love when an unexpected tragedy befalls their native Kiev. Years later, after the couple has safely emigrated to America the consequences of this incident cause their son, Yuri, to be born with a rare health condition that isolates him from other children. Maggie, a passionate and dedicated teacher agrees to tutor Yuri at his home, even though she is haunted by her own painful childhood memories. As the two forge a deep and soulful connection, Yuri’s boundless curiosity and unique wisdom inspires Maggie to make difficult changes in her own life. And she’ll never realize just how strong Yuri has made her—until she needs that strength the most.
 
“An exquisite story…Richman’s great strength in designing the emotional ebb and flow of her engaging narrative should win accolades and a heap of new readers.”―Washington Independent Review of Books

“Richman writes a captivating…contemporary novel of making unexpected friendships and living life to its fullest. For fans of Marie Bostwick and Karen White.”―Library Journal

“With lyrical writing and a compelling story…this book is tailor-made for book groups.”—Booklist

“[A] devastating novel…bolstered by Richman’s perspective on how teachers and students can learn from each other, resulting in a heartening tale.”―Publishers Weekly

“Exquisite and haunting. Richman writes with the soul of a poet, and her captivating new novel enchants while tugging ever so gently at the heart. Her story stands as a reminder to never take any day for granted.” -Fiona Davis, Author of Dollhouse

“A story of family bonds, heartbreak, healing and hope—one that reminds us it is not how long we live but how well we live that matters most. The tenderly written ending will bring you to tears, but in the best possible way.” –Lisa Wingate, Author of Before We Were Yours

Rights: Berkley, North America, Cappelen Damm, Norway; Penn, Israel; Matica, Macedonia; Planeta, World Spanish

THE VELVET HOURS (2016)    

As Paris teeters on the edge of the German occupation, a young French woman closes the door to her late grandmother’s treasure-filled apartment, unsure if she’ll ever return. 

An elusive courtesan, Marthe de Florian cultivated a life of art and beauty, casting out all recollections of her impoverished childhood in the dark alleys of Montmartre. With Europe on the brink of war, she shares her story with her granddaughter Solange Beaugiron, using her prized possessions to reveal her innermost secrets. Most striking of all are a beautiful string of pearls and a magnificent portrait of Marthe painted by the Italian artist Giovanni Boldini. As Marthe’s tale unfolds, like velvet itself, stitched with its own shadow and light, it helps to guide Solange on her own path. 

Inspired by the true account of an abandoned Parisian apartment, Alyson Richman brings to life Solange, the young woman forced to leave her fabled grandmother’s legacy behind to save all that she loved.

"Richman fills her novel with vibrant details, much as Marthe decorated her apartment: always with care, craft, and a sharp eye."—Publisher's Weekly, starred review

"Richman's background in art is evident on every page of this opulent story of passion and transformation."—NY Journal of Books

“Tragedy and hope, love and loss, and the strength to endure are examined through Richman’s graceful writing and powerful characters.”—Booklist

"Alyson Richman's writing sings in her evocative new novel set in Paris at the dawn of World War II.  The Velvet Hours is a beautiful and compelling portrait of two women facing their unknown past and an unimaginable future as their world begins to crumble."—Kristin Hannah,  #1 New York Times Bestselling author of The Nightingale

"Alyson Richman deftly weaves fact and fiction to create an enthralling tale of love and sacrifice in The Velvet Hours.  Richman slips flawlessly between time periods, her sense of place in depicting Paris in the 1880's and 1940's spot on.  The reader navigates the streets of the City of Light alongside Solange and Marthe, two carefully crafted and worthy heroines.  The author does a superb job of creating a Paris apartment full of exquisite treasures and a priceless painting, a world of light and shadow, beauty and darkness. Ultimately, this is a carefully wrought story of love, of what the heart chooses to give up, and what it chooses to keep.  Highly recommended to readers who enjoyed Kristen Hannah's The Nightingale."—Karen White, New York Times bestselling author

"A masterful mix of the glamour of the Belle Epoque and the shadows of impending war as the stories of two generations twist and twine together in delightful, heart-wrenching, and sometimes unexpected ways." —Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author

“Staggeringly evocative, romantic, heartrending, sensual, and beautifully written.”—John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author

“A book as full of treasures as the Paris apartment that inspired it....A masterful mix of the glamour of the Belle Epoque and the shadows of impending war.”—New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig

“If you love graceful, mellifluous writing, you should read this book.”—Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author

Rights: Berkley, North America; Cappelen Damm, Norway; Xander, Holland; Penn, Israel

THE GARDEN OF LETTERS (2014)

Written in dazzling prose and set against the rich backdrop of World War II Italy, Garden of Letters captures the hope, suspense, and romance of an uncertain era, in an epic intertwining story of first love, great tragedy, and spectacular bravery.

Portofino, Italy, 1943. A young woman steps off a boat in a scenic coastal village. Although she knows how to disappear in a crowd, Elodie is too terrified to slip by the German officers while carrying her poorly forged identity papers. She is frozen until a man she’s never met before claims to know her. In desperate need of shelter, Elodie follows him back to his home on the cliffs of Portofino.

Only months before, Elodie Bertolotti was a cello prodigy in Verona, unconcerned with world events. But when Mussolini’s Fascist regime strikes her family, Elodie is drawn into the burgeoning resistance movement by Luca, a young and impassioned bookseller. As the occupation looms, she discovers that her unique musical talents, and her courage, have the power to save lives.

In Portofino, young doctor Angelo Rosselli gives the frightened and exhausted girl sanctuary. He is a man with painful secrets of his own, haunted by guilt and remorse. But Elodie’s arrival has the power to awaken a sense of hope and joy that Angelo thought was lost to him forever.

"Richman seamlessly weaves together the languages of music and love, reaching into the heart of the reader with artful portraits of heroism, sacrifice and redemption. Fans of The Lost Wife will again savor Richman's ability to tell a remarkable story about people who are unforgettable and real."—Pam Jenoff, International bestselling author

“The Garden of Letters demonstrates artistry of the highest order. Lyrical and compelling, Alyson Richman’s novel of a cellist coming of age in wartime Italy is as layered as a symphony. Exquisite.”—Erika Robuck, author of Fallen Beauty

“A brilliant novel that will haunt me for years to come.”—Kristina McMorris, bestselling author of The Pieces We Keep

“Alyson Richman crafts a transportive novel vivid with history and fragile with hope.”— Jessica Brockmole, author of Letters from Skye

“Sensual in its descriptions of the Italian countryside and the allure of music, this moving story also graphically depicts the heroism and sacrifice of wartime.”—Booklist

Rights: Berkley, North America; Cappelen Damm, Norway;  Heyne, Germany; Penn, Israel; Xander, the Netherlands; Piemme, Italy; Euromedia, Czechoslovakia; Matica, Macedonia

THE LOST THE LOST WIFE (2011)

Josef Kohn is a successful New York obstetrician who still dreams of his first wife, Lenka, an art student he left behind in Czechoslovakia while fleeing the Nazis.  Lenka, who he believes died during the war, continues to haunt his dreams, while his second wife, Amalia, remains more of a ghost to him than is Lenka.  As we follow Lenka’s journey to the ghetto of Terezin, where she is forced to draft technical drawings for the Germans and is a witness to the secret paintings of an underground group of artists involved in their own form of resistance against their captors, we see not only the endurance of the human spirit, but also of the artist, whose desire to create and document, cannot be extinguished.  From the glamourous ease of pre-War Prague, to the ensuing horror of Nazi Europe, we witness both the dawning of Lenka’s and Josef’s love affair to its tragic unravelling.  Each character must forge their own path for survival and each must struggle to adapt to post-war America, while their secrets, their past, and the ghost of their first marriage, are known only to them.  The Lost Wife is a story that explores the depth — the power — of first love, the resilience of the human spirit, and our capacity to remember.

I've read pretty broadly on the Holocaust--both fiction and non-fiction--and to me, The Lost Wife is one of the best. The horrors of war serve as a backdrop to a love affair that spans a lifetime, and that love story stayed with me long after I put down the book."— Lauren Weisberger, New York Times bestselling author of Devil Wears Prada

"Richman, once again finds inspiration in art, adding evocative details to a swiftly moving plot. Her descent into the horrors of the Holocaust, lends enormous power to Lenka's experience and makes her reunion with Josef all the more poignant."—Publishers Weekly

"Tragedy and hope, love and loss, and the strength to endure are examined through Richman's graceful writing and powerful characters."—Booklist

"Staggeringly evocative, romantic, heart-rending, sensual and beautifully written, Alyson Richman's The Lost Wife may well be the Sophie's Choice of this generation."—New York Times bestselling author, John Lescroart

"Daringly constructed, this moving novel begins at the end and then, a fully-realized circle through the most traumatic event of the 20th century, returns you there in a way that makes your heart leap. Richman writes with the clarity and softness of freshly-fallen snow."—Emmy winning playwright, Loring Mandel

"Begins with a chilling revelation and had me hooked throughout. A love story wrapped in tragedy and survival, I read The Lost Wife in one sitting. Tense, emotional and fulfilling: a great achievement by Alyson Richman."—Martin Fletcher, Special Correspondent NBC News, Winner of the Jewish National Book Award

"The Lost Wife is a luminous, heartbreaking novel. I was barely able to put it down and can't stop thinking about it. Not only is the writing exquisite but I have seldom seen such skill in sweeping a reader back and forth over sixty years until the journey of Josef and Lenka, both such brave and beautiful people, becomes one glorious circle of the triumph of love over evil."—Stephanie Cowell, author of Claude & Camille and Marrying Mozart

Rights: Berkley, World English; Hodder, UK; Cappelen Damm, Norway; Xander, Holland; Civilizaçao, Portugal; Piemme, Italy; Euromedia, Czech; City Editions, France; Mono&Manjana D.O.O., Serbia; Proszynski, Poland; Penn Publishing, Israel; Editora Bertrand Brasil, Portugal; Planeta Mexico, Spanish; Pegasus Yayincilik Tic. ve San., Turky; Matica Makedonska, Macedonia; Znanje D.O.O., Croatia;Izdatelska Kashta Hermes Eood, Bulgaria. 

Film: Optioned by Waxylu Films