The son of working-class Czech immigrants, Christopher “Atlas” Novotny is a gifted painter who arrives at Harvard on a full scholarship. Raised amid hardship, he is unprepared for the world of elite Ivy League students introduced to him by his freshman year roommate, Lucien Orsini-Conti.

A child of privilege, born to wealthy European diplomats, Lucien plays the part of the confident, sophisticated bon vivant. Handsome, charming and intellectually brilliant, Lucien thrives at Harvard and quickly establishes himself as a popular, celebrated presence on campus.

Where Lucien is bold and brash, Atlas is timid and introverted. Growing up a lonely outsider, Atlas is insecure, impressionable, and completely in awe of the charismatic Lucien, and quickly falls victim to his charms. But is Lucien all that he seems?

Sensing a willing disciple, Lucien introduces Atlas to a glittering new world of glamorous parties and exclusive social clubs. When Atlas struggles to afford his new lifestyle, Lucien offers a solution, convincing the naïve artist to produce forgeries that Lucien sells on his behalf.

As time goes on Lucien’s behavior turns erratic and he becomes increasingly reckless. He develops a drug problem and pushes Atlas into a spiral of escalating risk.

The boys go from selling forgeries of minor, unsung impressionists to finding themselves on the hook to deliver a fake Monet. When Atlas resists, and tries to find an escape hatch, Lucien turns on his friend and reveals a darker, more menacing side.

Drawing inspiration from the true crime stories of Christian Gerhartsreiter (a.k.a. “Clark Rockefeller”) and Adam Wheeler, Lucient is as darkly seductive and addictively readable as The Secret History, Creation Lake, and The Talented Mr. Ripley.