Turn, Magic Wheel

A tartly funny and wistful cautionary tale about turning others' lives into art, set against the bright lights of 1930s Manhattan, from master satirist Dawn Powell.

“A gleaming, brittle and slightly brutal New York novel.” —The New York Times

Dennis Orphen is a young, clever novelist with a keen eye for a compelling story. This time, however, his inspiration comes not from the world at large but from the romantic misadventures of his closest friend, Effie Callingham.

More than a decade earlier, Effie’s husband, the celebrated writer Andrew Callingham, abandoned her for a younger, prettier woman. Despite the years that have passed, Effie has clung stubbornly to the hope that Andrew might one day come to his senses, defending his reputation with a fierce loyalty that masks her private heartbreak.

When Dennis publishes his latest novel, the delicate balance of their friendship is thrown into chaos. In his thinly veiled portrait, Effie’s private pain is laid bare before a scandal-hungry literary society, while Andrew is revealed as the self-absorbed womaniser. Meanwhile, Dennis finds himself embroiled in romantic entanglements of his own, navigating a fraught relationship with Corinne, a married woman whose presence sparks longing, jealousy and moral uncertainty.

Set against the seedy glamour of New York society, from brandy-soaked nightclubs to cab-lined curbs, Dennis and Effie are forced to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves. Witty, poignant and unflinchingly observant, this is a satire that blends laughter and insight, exposing the absurdities and heartbreaks of love, friendship and ambition.