The Woman on the Stairs: A Novel

In a museum far from home, a lawyer stumbles across a painting of a woman he once knew, Irene. Decades before, he had become entangled in her affairs when he was called on to settle a dispute between her husband, who had commissioned the portrait, and the painter of the work–who was also her lover. When, ultimately, the lawyer fell in love with her himself and risked everything for her, she mysteriously disappeared–along with the painting.

Now, face to face with the portrait once again, the lawyer must reconcile his past and present selves. When he eventually locates Irene, he is forced to confront the truth of his love–and the reality that his life has been irrevocably changed. A poignant, intricately crafted novel of obsession, creativity, and love, this is Bernhard Schlink at his peak.

Editorial Reviews

Spellbinding. . . . Runs on taut suspense.“ –O, The Oprah Magazine

„Has the grip of a mystery. . . . A satisfying ending . . . keeps the novel alive after the last page has been turned.“ –The Washington Times

„At the heart of this terse novel is a love rectangle, decades in the past. . . . A chance glimpse of the picture in a gallery on the other side of the world leads to a series of reunions and examinations of male possessiveness.“ –The New Yorker

„Elegant. . . . Exquisitely wrought. . . . Profound and moving.“ –Buffalo News

„A page-turner. . . . Shine[s] a light on Schlink’s brilliance as a contemplative writer who, through simple prose and complex characters, mediates on life and all its challenges.“ –New York Journal of Books

„Schlink, a professor of law in both Germany and the United States, writes with lawyerly precision, and his protagonist’s midlife search for meaning is thought-provoking and surprisingly tender.“ –BookPage

„Flawlessly simple prose. Bernhard Schlink is a master. . . . His writing is understandable, transparent and intelligent. Seemingly effortless, he manages to create a variety of complex characters, tangled plots and moral dilemmas.“ –Die Welt

„A gripping novel about what happens when life’s plans fall apart.“ –Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung

„A daring, hugely emotional work of literature.“ –News (Austria)

„[Schlink] has succeeded in writing a veritable thriller, which subtly and expertly intertwines perceptions of art and contemporary political events.“ –Weser-Kurier

„Gripping and intelligent, offset with a good portion of thoughtfulness.“ –Rhein-Main-Press

„Exquisite. . . . A profoundly moving meditation on how one’s life is affected by the choices one makes along the way.“ –Publishers Weekly (starred review)

„A mysterious, character-driven, and history-enriched story. . . . Schlink’s prose captivates.“ –Booklist

„[A] poignant meditation on recrimination and regret.“ –Library Journal
– From the Publisher