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  • Published: 10 July 2014
  • ISBN: 9780425270028
  • Imprint: Berkley
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $36.00

Freud's Mistress



In the tradition of The Other Bolyen Girl by Phillipa Gregory, and Damage by Josephine Hart, comes a novel inspired by the true-life story of the love affair between Sigmund Freud and his sister-in-law, Minna Bernays.

“A thrilling story of seduction, betrayal, and loss, Freud’s Mistress will titillate fans of Memoirs of a Geisha and The Other Boleyn Girl.”—Booklist

In fin-de-siècle Vienna, it was not easy for a woman to find fulfillment both intellectually and sexually.

But many believe that Minna Bernays was able to find both with one man—her brother-in-law, Sigmund Freud.

At once a portrait of two sisters—the rebellious, independent Minna and her inhibited sister, Martha—and of the compelling and controversial doctor who would be revered as one of the twentieth century’s greatest thinkers, Freud’s Mistress is a novel rich with passion and historical detail and “a portrait of forbidden desire [with] a thought-provoking central question: How far are you willing to go to be happy?”*

*Publishers Weekly

  • Published: 10 July 2014
  • ISBN: 9780425270028
  • Imprint: Berkley
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $36.00

Praise for Freud's Mistress


"Historical romance fans will speed through the pages and find fodder for book club discussions." --Library Journal, starred review

"If you liked Loving Frank and The Paris Wife, you'll love Freud's Mistress!" --Katie Couric

"Absorbing and provocative . . . a great read . . . I've been recommending it to friends." --Erica Jong, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"A fascinating read." --Norah O'Donnell, CBS This Morning

"Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman succeed where so many historical novels flounder: They weave an unexpected tale of human desire and the bonds of love, based firmly in the rich and relevant source material they've scoured." --Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author

"[A] wonderful, engaging, and bittersweet novel. I absolutely loved it." --Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain