New Delhi, February 17 International bestselling author Ann Patchett, widely considered one of the most celebrated voices in contemporary American fiction, is set to return with a new novel, "Whistler," according to Bloomsbury Publishing, which announced the news on Tuesday.
The book, scheduled for release on June 2, is described as a luminous and intimate exploration of memory, consequence, and the endurance of love.
It paints an intimate portrait of "how the feeling of being known by one other person, even for a short period of time, can change everything."
"Whistler" follows the unexpected reunion of Daphne Fuller and her former stepfather, Eddie Triplett, decades after a brief but life-altering relationship in her childhood. Their chance meeting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art rekindles memories of a pivotal moment that shaped both their lives.
"Meeting again, time falls away; while their relationship was brief, it had a profound impact on them both, and now that they are reunited, they have no intention of ever being separated again," the book's description reads.
Patchett, 62, has previously authored nine novels, three works of non-fiction, and two children's books. She has received numerous honors, including the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Women's Prize for Fiction, and the National Humanities Medal, and was named among TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.
Her most recent novel, "Tom Lake," became an international bestseller, selling over 1.3 million copies worldwide and being translated into more than 30 languages. Another widely acclaimed work, "Bel Canto," won the Orange Prize for Fiction -- now known as the Women's Prize for Fiction -- in 2002.