For four fraught, mysterious days of her doomed maiden voyage in 1912, the Titanic sails towards New York, glittering with luxury, freighted with millionnaires and hopefuls. In her labyrinthine ppassageways are played out the last, secret hours of a small group of passengers, their fate sealed in prose of startling, sublime beauty, as Beryl Bainbridge's haunting masterpiece moves inexorably to its known and terrible end.

'Brilliant . . . do not miss this novel' Victoria Glendinning, Daily Telegraph

'Extraordinary . . . both a psychologically convincing re-creation and a wholly new and highly individual work of art . . . beautifully written' Independent

'A moving, microcosmic portrait of an era's bitter end' Erica Wagner, The Times

'Marvellous . . . exquisite pacing . . . stunning descriptions' Independent on Sunday

'Darkly Brilliant . . . a rare and remarkable novel' Observer

'Bainbridge's masterpiece' Evening Standard