Book excerpt: He collects books: Interior designer for the rich and powerful, Matt de Voy lends his tasteful eye to the households of his wealthy female clients. He also advises on which books should adorn their shelves. His deep knowledge of literature becomes his sharpest tool of seduction. He collects women: Despite himself, Matt begins to fall in love with one of his most beautiful clients, Claudia. She is modest, clever and married. But is he a murderer? Matt's fixation on the unavailable Claudia threatens to drive him over the edge. Set at the cusp of the City of London's financial meltdown, THE BOOK LOVER'S TALE opens a door into the extravagant world of the filthy rich, the smart and the debauched. This chilling encounter between old money and new, between the real world and the imagined, is also a moving portrayal of a confused hero's battle to know himself.