BOOK FEATURE : : : :

Florence Broadhurst was a woman ahead of her time.

Professionally, she was recognized for her groundbreaking paintings and wallpaper patterns. Personally, she traveled the world, inventing different lives for herself on different continents, concocting different names and histories for each one. She was a starlet, couturier, and painter. But sadly, Florence Broadhurst was also a victim of a brutal murder that remains a mystery to this day.

In the first-ever authorized biography of Florence Broadhurst, author Helen O'Neill attempts to demystify this enigmatic woman. O'Neill pieces together her life—or lives—alongside more than 100 never-before-published patterns.

When writing FLORENCE BROADHURST, O'Neill met with Broadhurst's only son, Robert Lloyd-Lewis, now in his 60s. Lloyd-Lewis had steadfastly refused to speak publicly about his mother's life and death. But a desire for recognition for her and a need to know the events surrounding her death encouraged him to open up for the first time.

He tells of meeting with a mysterious lifelong friend of his mother's following her death. When he went to visit her in the nursing home, he pled, "Please. Please tell me about my mother."

"Robert," she replied. "You have no idea who your mother really was."

This anecdote almost serves as a challenge to the author. From here, O'Neill delves deeply into the details, known and unknown, of Broadhurst's life.

"Florence Broadhurst was a woman who loved to lie and live those lies," says O'Neill. "She had an amazing theatrical quality. When she would present herself as a British aristocrat, people took that at face value. When she reinvented herself as a French couturier, there were no questions asked."

Chronicling the colorful life of an independent, talented businesswoman and bon vivant makes this a fascinating biography on its own. But what elevates it beyond a personal story is the archive of work rediscovered and reproduced in this book. Many of Broadhurst's paintings and patterns had languished in obscurity in the time after her death. A recent renaissance has inspired collectors like Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, and Carly Simon.

"The quality of artwork Florence produced is extraordinary," says O'Neill. "Her art was created from art and her own life, and is evocative of a reinterpretation of many familiar images. They are filled with dimension and humor, much like Florence herself."

The mystery of who killed Florence Broadhurst remains unsolved to this day. It's widely speculated that serial killer (and friendly acquaintance) John Wayne Glover is responsible, but lack of forensic evidence makes it impossible to know for sure.

"Very rarely are people as wonderful and colorful as Florence Broadhurst," says O'Neill. "And even more rarely is there the imagery attached to illuminate the story. I think if she were alive today, she'd love to see that people are warming to her as a person and an artist."

Florence Broadhurst Giveaway
To celebrate the release of this exciting book, we're offering the opportunity to win Florence Broadhurst artwork and products. Just visit www.chroniclebooks.com/florencebroadhurst/ for the opportunity to win a limited-edition fine art print (value $2,100), a Florence Broadhurst Saddle Bag, or one of five signed copies of the book.

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