The Scandalous Life of Sasha Torte

by Lesley Truffle

Revenge, redemption ... and pastry. The witty new novel from the author of Hotel du Barry, for fans of Jonas Jonasson.

In the winter of 1912 on the wild West Coast of Tasmania, Wolfftown's most notorious heiress and murderess, Sasha Torte, tells the tale of her own spectacular downfall.

Forsaken by her parents and raised by criminals and reprobates, Sasha becomes a world-famous pastry chef at the tender age of seventeen. Entanglement with the disreputable Dasher brothers leads to love, but also to a dangerous addiction.

Behind bars in Wolfftown's gaol, Sasha sips premium champagne as she recalls a life of seduction, betrayal, ghosts, opium and an indiscreet quantity of confectionary - and plots her escape.

The Scandalous Life of Sasha Torte: revenge, redemption and pastry, is a novel of dastardly deeds, intrepid protagonists, dark villains, wild gangs, luxurious hotels … and murder.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Humor, Crime, Paranormal, Historical

416 pages, Paperback

Published January 23, 2017

About the author

London-born Australian Lesley Truffle has travelled extensively and worked in London and Japan. At present she’s living in a garret in Melbourne. She’s worked as a secondary teacher, photographer, hotel maid, fringe actor and in art galleries, bars, nightclubs and other jobs too ghastly to mention.

While exhibiting her art photography in Melbourne galleries Lesley realised she wanted to create imaginary stories and interior monologues, and returned to writing.

Her fiction piece 'A Man of Fashion' was published in 'Scarlet Stiletto:The Second Cut' in 2011, and 'Memoir of a Trollop' was performed by Baggage Productions: Madwomen Monologues in 2013. 'Memoir of a Trollop' will be performed again as part of the Madwomen Monologues retrospective in November 2016.

Lesley's first novel, 'Hotel du Barry' was published in 2016 and 'The Scandalous Life of Sasha Torte' will be published by Harper Collins January 2017.

Reviews

[Mish]

The Scandalous Life of Sasha Torte was pure escapism for me. Hilariously funny book, with mischievous colourful characters and an outrageous storyline that’s not to be taken seriously but to be entertained.

[Ruth Brennan]

The Scandalous Life of Sasha Torte is a rollicking ride of decadence, betrayal, aphrodisiac elixirs, Shakespeare, champagne, poison, love, more champagne, delicious pastries, wild women and reckless, libertine men.

It is pure escapism and I loved it.

From the first page I was captivated by the life of Sasha and the thriving, conniving, lawless Tasmanian harbour-side town of Wolfftown. It is a colourful tale, full of whimsy and magic about making the best of what life hands you amidst a culture of moral ambiguity.

We meet 22 year old Sasha in 1912 languishing (in total luxury) in gaol for murder. Writing her memoir, she takes us back to her tragic childhood with a dead father and runaway, murderess mother. She is cared for by her doting and wealthy grandfather and aunt who, although not social outcasts, certainly have a bad reputation. Early on Sasha realises, quite happily, that she too is likely to become a ‘black sheep’.

She is educated and taught to think for herself. Thanks to her reprobate of a grandfather and open-minded aunt she grows into a worldly-wise, sassy, intelligent woman who decides at a young age to make her own way in the world. She learns that most social conventions in Wolfftown are based on bigotry, hypocrisy, nepotism and ignorance. As she starts up her own patisserie shop, she makes it clear that she will stand for none of these things which make her a nemesis to some, a curiosity to others, and an unobtainable object of desire to many of the men in town.

Sasha is strong, resilient, compassionate and generous to those loyal to her. Her undoing begins upon meeting the Dasher brothers. One betrays, seduces and introduces her to an addiction that nearly claims her life. The other loves her.

The secondary characters are as vivid and alive as Sasha. Her best friend Viola is hilarious and insatiable with a heart of gold. Her jaunty grandfather, Brendan is as rakish as an old man can be (and even more so as a ghost) and her aunt Lil lives voraciously and depicts melancholia with heartbreaking beauty. Even the psychic, Buddhist goldfish, Alphonse swam into my heart.

There is more profanity, sex, drugs and general racy-ness than I usually read, but I was so engrossed with the story I didn’t mind at all. Perhaps, like Sasha, we all have a bit of the black sheep in us. ;)

I love that Truffle set the story in Tasmania. It would have been so easy to base it in Sydney or Melbourne or even one of the pirate coves of Cornwall. There is so much mystery surrounding post-Van Diemen’s Land Tasmania that it lends the story an enigmatic, fantasy element.

I wish that Wolfftown was a real place so I could walk along the cobbled streets of the old town, see the faded buildings and the harbour docks and if I’m really lucky perhaps glimpse the ghosts of Sasha, Viola, Brendan, Lil and Captain Adam Dasher, all stirring up trouble while guzzling gallons of Tasmania’s finest bubbly.

I can’t wait to be carried away again on Lesley Truffle's next wild adventure.

[Paula Vince]

During the nineties, I used to watch a TV cartoon called 'Horrible Histories', which was a satirical look at world events for kids. This novel is a little like an adult version of the program for romance readers. It's full of risque innuendo, but we're warned about this from the outset if we want to cut and run. The story takes place in Tasmania in 1912, when the 22-year-old heroine begins her memoir which sets out to explain why she's been wrongfully imprisoned on a murder charge in the old town gaol.

The rollicking story takes place in flashbacks, which brings us to Sasha's present, including how she happened to become a world class patissiere. With a play on words name like Sasha Torte, we can predict it's bound to be light-hearted on the whole, but Sasha doesn't gloss over her darker times. In her family background alone, there's a history of bipolar disorder in the women of her mother's side. Of course they never called it that back then, but although it wasn't a recognised condition, they still had to deal with the huge swings between euphoria and crashing depression.

To compress so many genre elements within the one story, it has to be fast moving. There are good guys and bad guys, all larger than life. There's mystery and romance, adventure and history, and even bits of natural history. The quiet appearance of a strange creature which turns out to be a Tasmanian Tiger is up there among my favourite moments.

On the whole, it got a bit too cute and quirky for me at times, yet I found myself wondering if it was just the sassy writing style that I found a bit much in such a big dose. I'd be interested to see how I'd compare the two mediums if I were to see the same story on the screen.

Thanks to Harper Collins Australia and Net Galley for my review copy.

[Bree T]

Honestly, I’m not even sure where to start here because this book was so many things I’m not sure which to talk about first. It begins in 1912 with the protagonist, Sasha now 22 years of age, in gaol on Tasmania’s west coast. She’s writing her memoirs and in these will take the reader back through the events that shaped her life and how it came to be that she is where she is.

What follows is a fantastical, unconventional story revolving around the character of Sasha and her eclectic band of family and friends. From a young age she was raised differently. Her parents had a volatile relationship that led to the disappearance of her mother and the death of her father when she was still a young child. Her paternal grandfather brought her aunt back from Europe to raise her but neither of those were particularly conventional either and Sasha’s education and upbringing was interesting. She becomes a celebrated pastry chef whilst still a teenager and opens her own shop selling beautiful sweet treats.

Sasha is a frank and unflinching narrator, taking no pains to hide anything at all, even some of her darkest moments. She offers up a stark look at life but manages to retain a sense of humour and positive outlook despite the numerous things that happen to her, culminating with her imprisonment for murder. I greatly enjoyed her life story and the way in which she examined people and moments that had shaped her. Her love for her aunt and her grandfather shines through every time they are on the page, as does her later affection for her employees.

Sasha’s life is also shaped by two brothers….one that wants her at any cost and isn’t afraid to stoop to terrible lows. The two brothers offer Sasha two sides of a coin…..one with her highest highs and a deep love and the other with terrible lows and an addiction. You’re clearly supposed to regard one of them as a villain (rightly so, he’s a deplorable character) but if I’m honest I didn’t really like the other brother either. He makes an awful impression and I never really felt as though he did much to redeem himself. He was interesting but not particularly appealing to me.

This book is quite a rollercoaster, with a lot of uplifting and fun moments tempered by some tragic ones. Sasha is a person of remarkable resilience….no matter what happens to her or the people around her, she rolls on. She seems to be the sort of person that inspires loyalty and affection and is in turn, generous to those within her circle.

This book contains so many different elements that it’s possible it has a little something for everyone…..it’s historical fiction with elements of mystery, crime, the supernatural, romance and a lot of quirk. I found it an absolutely fascinating read, one of those books that you pick up to just read a few chapters to get the lay of the land and when you look up it’s three hours later and you’ve finished it. I can’t say that I loved every component of it but put together they certainly made an intriguing story with a uniqueness that’s very appealing. Fans of Truffle’s previous work will probably enjoy the cameo the Hotel du Barry makes here. I haven’t read that one but I have added it to my wishlist after reading this because I definitely want to explore more of Truffle’s work.

[Carol Seeley Reads]

More soon

[Tricia]

Sasha Torte is a world renown pastry chef, heiress, drug addict and now has just been convicted of murder. She occupies prison with her Buddhist goldfish and her ghostly relatives and contemplates her life. How did she fall so far? So begins the memoirs of a very feisty character and her scandalous life.

I really enjoyed this book, but not as much as Hotel Du Barry (which got 5 stars from me). Still I found Sasha Torte a really fun character. It is a bit naughty and may not appeal to some readers but if you are after a light read, this is something you might enjoy.

[Pam Tickner]

2 1/2 stars. Thank you Goodreads and Harper Collins for my free copy (s) as I was sent 2. Larger than life and a very over the top writing style - but you are told from the outset to expect this. Expect a wild romp, not to my taste, but if you like sinfully rich desserts, this might be for you.

[Amanda]

Was thoroughly enjoying this historic Australian novel and then it took a strange turn to the mystical. Now this usually doesn't bother me at all but it just didn't seem to fit in with the feel and style of the first half of the book.

[Tracy Smyth]

I really enjoyed this book.

[Karen]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I found it a very enjoyable novel

[Karen Brooks]

The Scandalous Life of Sasha Torte is the fantastically titled second novel by Melbourne-based writer, Lesley Truffle and I have to say, it is unlike any book I have ever read. Part historical fiction, part-fantastical and whimsical romp, part crime mystery, cooking extravaganza and cautionary fable, it’s also a picaresque novel that tells the tale of the irrepressible Sasha Torte, flame-haired daughter of a murderess and heiress to a bad reputation and melancholy, who becomes not only a world-famous pastry-chef in, of all places, the wilds of Tasmania in the early 1900s, but courts men, drugs and danger with abandon.
Told with Truffle’s wonderful flair, at first I wasn’t sure what to make of a book that opens with the heroine in a luxuriously appointed prison accused of murder. Deciding to pen her memoirs, Sasha then takes the reader back through her childhood, revealing how she grew up in a brutal and unconventional family surrounded by dedicated servants and a doting grandfather. As she matures, she learns to deal with nepotism, bullying, the cruelty of strangers and their kindness in equal measure. When her Aunt Lily enters her life, she finds a soul-mate and confidant to whom she can also aspire.
Launched into the society that wants to reject her, but finds they’re unable to resist her, the beautiful Sasha appears set to conquer not only men, but the globe.
But in earning devotion, Sasha also attracts enmity, even from those who purport to love her and it’s when the handsome Dasher brothers enter her sphere that trouble for Sasha and those she cares about looms large and deadly.
Featuring wilful, sassy and smart women, dedicated and dastardly men, horses, dogs, a psychic goldfish (no, I’m not kidding) ghosts, gangs, and, of course, amazing confectionary and pastries, this novel is fast-paced, enormous fun and heart-aching at the same time. Able to transport you from the docks of fictitious and rough Wolftown, to parties on wealthy estates, then sail you to London (where the Hotel Du Barry has a cameo role), Paris, Vienna and beyond, you find yourself captivated by Sasha – honest, steadfast and fair – as you ride the roller-coaster of her full and often tragic life.
For all its fantastical elements, the book coheres into a luminous whole, an adventure and story like no other that you feel the richer and more fulfilled for reading. Like one of Sasha’s sweet creations, it lingers in your mouth, head and heart long after you’ve finished it. Quite simply, it’s so completely different and a real treat.

[Holly Anderson]

Entertaining even when it's being ridiculous. I'm a fan of the narrator. I don't think I would've been a massive fan of the book itself without her.

[Dylstra]

Oh look, with a title like this you go into it hoping its whimsical and not just on the nose…

It starts promisingly but it doesn't take long to devolve into a romance novel with more pretension than subtlety.

In some ways it's a more even work than Hotel du Barry but that almost renders it utterly prosaic.

[Natasha Dennerstein]

“The Scandalous Life of Sasha Torte” is a good title for this book: it has a lengthy, quaint, Victorian ring about it. A spirited romp through Tasmanian life at the turn of the twentieth century, this picaresque novel follows the exploits of its eponymous heroine. I was immediately reminded of that under-rated Erica Jong book “Fanny,” wherein the female protagonist retells her adventures with an insouciance that has traditionally been the territory of male protagonists in the “picaresque” tradition. It is refreshing to have a female narrator bedding, enjoying and discarding a cast of male lovers.
Sometimes there are inconsistencies in the voice: Sasha uses elided forms like “I won’t” in formal sentences that beg for “I will not.” But that is a small quible: the writing is lively and engaging and I was eagerly dragged along for the ride. Sasha Torte has the sixth sense and can communicate with animals. The otherworldly, esoteric, witch-craft undertone to the story really added a further dimension to it.
The action takes place in 1900 Tasmania and we learn that by the methods of dress and transportation described. The sinking of the Titanic near the end is the only formal anchor to time and place. I wondered what happened to the Federation of Australia in 1901 or the death of Queen Victoria in 1900. That was a choice made by the author, to leave out these historical occurrences and I can respect that.
Expositional material about such matters as pastry preparation are sometimes squeezed in, most effectively when they are germane to the dialogue. The dialogue is for the most part snappy and appropriate with a lot of salty 1900 antipodean cursing.
The material describing prostitution and it’s widespread existence in the times was enjoyable to read and always from the woman’s perspective, unlike, for example, John Fowles’ “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” where a condemnatory male voice describes the profession. In many ways “The Scandalous Life of Sasha Torte” is a contemporary feminist novel, without the polemic and dogma. A feminist, historical romance of the highest order. This very picky reader was engaged from start to finish.

[Lara]

5 Stars

"We should not speak ill of our enemies. They are the only people who do not deceive us"

This book was fantastic.

Sasha Torte (the hilarity) has a scandalous life thrust upon her and despite all her efforts she becomes a scandal.

It's a common rich, educated girl who tries to be kind to all around her but get drawn into conflict. The depth of the story is there and it's stunning. I'm bias as it's set in Tasmania and she's my age and I understand what she's feeling even if it's not why she is feeling that. I love that everything loops back round and is tied off nicely.

This book made me fear for the character: there's sex, drugs, travelling to foreign countries to drink Russian diplomats under the table and throughout it all I was worried for her well-being. Due to her family curse there's a sense of foreboding throughout the whole story and I was left guessing what was going to happen through the whole story.

I absolutely adored her grandfather and his weird socialist values while also getting into bar fights to form close male bonds because masculinity and all. I think he was a fantastic character - too hard on girls because he knows the world won't be soft.

My gripe is purely that the current events were quite slow. We get her childhood, her life, her scandalous travels through diary entries and they're entertaining and great. In comparison her current times are dull and boring, nothing is occurring and the end is sort of anti-climatic. Heart-wrenching surely, but not so energetic. The rest of the book certainly was so perhaps it was just too stark a contrast for me.

Note: this is probably better suited to older teens and up - there is sex, prostitution, scandal and a rape scene (not graphic but non-consensual).

"Hatred is too close to love; if you truly want to get over someone who has wronged you, aim for indifference. Because if you hate someone - they will have you forever"

[Alistair]

It is Tasmania, 1912, and few children have had the upbringing Sasha Torte is experiencing. Daughter of Rose (née Kane) and Alain Torte has the freedom to do whatever she pleases. Rose's mood swings from ebullience to melancholia and Alain is a roaring drunkard. Only her maternal grandfather, the imposing Brendan Kane attempts to instill some education in her. With the disappearance of Rose after a murder and Alain's early death, Sasha further comes under the influence of Brendan and the sudden appearance of Rose's sister Lily, recently returned Europe. Lily single-handedly rinses the reputation of the Torte family, in no small part to the patisserie skills of Sasha, tutored by Charlie who has washed up in Wolfftown via Paris. Wolfftown is a microcosm of the larger world: a world where whores, pimps, crime, corruption and murder rub shoulders with the cream of the town - in this case, the Dasher family; the widowed and libidinous Lady Clare and her three sons, Caesar, Roger and Adam. Both Roger and Adam will play an important role in the life of Sasha. This is a rollicking yarn told with gusto by an irresistible heroine.

[Denise Skilton]

I liked the style of this book, well written and great characters. It was easy to read and jamb packed with high adventure. This has everything in it, even a Tasmanian tiger.
Set in Tasmania in 1912 Sasha Torte left by her parents, is brought up by her well to do Grandfather.
The book starts with Sasha incarcerated in the wolf town gaol for murder. She fills in her time writing about her life and her down fall. It is full of scandalous adventures in Tasmania and in Europe.
With Drugs gangs lovers, murder, pubs, whores and ghosts.
But Sasha has loyal friends in her business as a pastry chef that look out for her through this crazy adventure.
It kept me reading to see what outrageous predicament Sasha would find herself in next. How the evil Roger Dasher who is obsessed with having Sasha for his own, and the sinking of the Titanic changes everything for Sasha forever. I feel another instalment coming on as the Second World War is about to begin.
A good read and keeps you guessing and on your toes.

[Lesley]

I was notified I had won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in April but I never received the book until 25 October . It was worth the wait . What a fascinating read . The book opens from the prison where Sasha Torte is spending her time , before going back in time to take the reader on an exciting journey with Sasha. Despite a troubled upbringing Sasha becomes a world famous pastry chef at 17 , but her involvement with the Dasher brothers brings challenges which lead to her down fall . Set in Tasmania the book is well written and flows well and will be of interest who enjoys a romantic suspense laced with some humour. Thanks for the opportunity to read this book , the first by this author for me and I will be sharing it with my book buddies .

[Marcia]

Loved this book, thank you so much Lesley Truffle and Goodreads for the opportunity to read. I didn't really know what to expect from this book, but it is a total romp of wild characters and scenarios, a "murderess" in a wing of a jail that has been renovated so every luxury is available. Set in Tasmania in the early 1900's Sasha tells the tale of her life and how she ends up in the sorry state of sitting in jail. High society, criminals, mental illness, delectable pastries, drugs, orgies, reprobates, jazz, ghosts, dastardly deeds and murder are all mixed into a delicious pot from which springs this wonderful talk. Highly recommended

[Richard Gray]

A fun and often witty spin on Australian history, filtered through the salacious misadventures of the titular Sasha Torte. Truffle has a ball with these characters, and while it meanders a bit in the back of the second act (with the odd addition of ghosts to the tale), the framing device of a prison memoir keeps readers engaged for the most part.

Fun sidebar game: take a drink every time the phrase "half-cut" or a reference to Truffle's beloved Hotel du Barry is referenced. You'll be half-cut by the time you're finished.

[Anita]

This is a deliciously decadent read, with rich flavourful descriptions. Lesley Truffle just might have the same effect on readers as the swashbuckling Captain Dasher has on our heroine Sasha - she wooed me with a rollicking and at times risque story until I was smitten and feeling that Miss Truffle was 'about to devour my soul, and frankly I was more than ready to hand it over'.
And for those of us who'd rather savour than slave over a hot stove - no page-wasting recipes included!!

Thanks to Harper Collins for an ARC

[Melisende]

A slightly off-kilter tale that throws up a cast of wonderfully absurd characters, with all the ingredients for the making of an entertaining story of a woman who refused to be shackled to life's social mores. A sweet and salacious read.

Full review here at: http://melisendeslibrary.blogspot.com...

[Annette]

I received my copy from a Goodreads' giveaway. It is the tale of a rebellious libertine from the west coast of Tasmania who in 1912 finds herself in prison convicted of murdering her lover. Here she writes her memoirs outlining how she fell foul of the law after years of misbehaving. If you enjoying smutty humour this is for you. I found it too long and not my type of humour.

[Emily Carse]

Whilst I did enjoy the story line, characters, passionate scenes and the setting, I found the main character slightly contradictory and hard to relate to at times, and the style of writing was sometimes hard to read. The story also dragged a little towards the end, but overall an enjoyable, light read.

[Margaret]

I enjoyed reading the story and noted some inspirational quotes from the book:
- Hatred is too close to love; if you truly want to get over someone who was wrong you, aim for indifference. Because if you hate someone – they will have you forever.
- The secret to happiness is intimacy with another being.

[Lise]

I listened to the audio version of this book.

I enjoyed the beginning of the book. it was outrageous and rather funny, but it dealt with rather weighty topics in too light of a manner, but at the same time it was too heavy. And it went on waaaaaay too long.

I would not read another book by this author.

[Maree Gray]

I wasn't too sure what to expect when I picked this book up but I am so glad that I did!

What a ride that was. It was everything the blurb promised - 'a wild romp of dastardly deeds, intrepid protagonists, dark villain, wild gangs, luxurious hotels, mouth-watering treats...and murder'.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Marie (UK)]

not my favourite - i cant really think of anything good to say about it. Just dint really rock it on the storyline which was ponderous until the very end but thank goodness i can listen on double speed and it did pass the long journey.

[Scott]

I just couldn’t get into this novel. I tried numerous times and came back to it to try again but failed. I felt the plot was flimsy and the characters even flimsier.
Maybe it’s just not my style or genre.

[Jocelyn]

I needed a paperback for a weekend at the beach house. It's light and slightly effervescent ... lost it fizz fast. I'll leave it on the shelf of the beach house for some stranger.