If Sarah Waters decided to explore the darker side of the Belle Epoque Paris art-world, she might come up with something like The Paris Winter. Through a trio of characters - a spoiled Russian princess, a prostitute/art model with a heart of gold and an aspiring female painter from England with secrets of her own - Robertson brings all the beauty and grime of Paris to life. The characters sometimes stray too close to stereotypes but the setting is the real star here. A wealth of details and a handful of double-crosses make for an exciting read.