Victoria Hislop

Sunday Times No. 1 best-selling author Victoria Hislop joins broadcaster Matthew Stadlen to discuss her irresistible new novel, The Figurine, which shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price people – and countries – will pay to cling on to them.

Inspired by a visit to Spinalonga, the abandoned Greek leprosy colony, Victoria wrote The Island in 2005. She was named Newcomer of the Year at the British Book Awards and the novel became an international bestseller, translated into 40 languages, with over 6 million copies sold worldwide. Victoria's affection for the Mediterranean is evident in her subsequent publications The Return, The Thread, The Sunrise, Cartes Postales from Greece, Those Who Are Loved and One August Night. Most of Victoria’s novels have hit the number one position in the UK charts, but have also been bestsellers in Greece, China, France, Israel and Norway.