Woman with Eyes Closed 
     by Rue Matthiessen

Publication date: June 17, 2025

U.S. Distribution: Ingram

Hardcover:     978-1-957607-33-7          $29.95

Paperback:      978-1-957607-32-0          $19.95

eBook:              978-1-957607-34-4           $9.99

Publicist: Sharon Bially, BookSavvy

Latah Books contact: jon@latahbooks.com

​Book Description:

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On a full moon night in Rotterdam, three Dutch thieves break into the Kunsthal museum and steal four paintings—including two Monets, a Picasso, and Woman with Eyes Closed. Inspired by the real 2012 art heist, this literary thriller follows British MI-6 agent Kit Hobbs, who is unexpectedly assigned to the case. A tip leads him to Sagaponack, New York, where the Monets may be hidden in the bunker of a Russian mobster with a beach house—and a taste for stolen masterpieces.

Just down the beach, Perrin Clayton—daughter of a once-famous abstract expressionist painter—is newly married to art-world superstar Jack Triplett. Their glamorous Hamptons life dazzles from the outside, but something vital is missing. When Kit, whose connection is Jack’s gallerist, meets Perrin at a party in the Russian’s home, he notices the mobster’s fascination with her—and devises a risky plan to draw her into his investigation.

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Meanwhile, the thieves are on the run, their alliance unraveling. As Kit and Perrin are pulled deeper into each other’s lives, and a hurricane barrels toward the coast, the fate of Woman with Eyes Closed hangs in the balance—along with their own uncertain futures.

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Praise for Woman with Eyes Closed:

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"This moderately to briskly paced novel has skillfully crafted twists and consequences that branch into emotional turns of events. Multilayered and diverse characters help paint the atmosphere, add intrigue and drama to the storyline, and drive the plot.... Woman with Eyes Closed will appeal not only to fans of thrillers, suspense, and romance but also to readers curious about the culture and dynamics of the art world."

     ~Carmen Tenorio, Readers' Favorite

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​"...especially for East End readers, Woman with Eyes Closed will longingly resonate, recalling a time before luxe buildings and big money art acquisitions came to dominate a once genuine artists’ community. And the novel has — no spoiler alert — a lovely ending."

     ~Joan Baum, Sag Harbor Express

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"A compelling suspense novel, Woman with Eyes Closed explores the contrasting lives of the wealthy living in opulence and the desperate actions of the underprivileged longing for a way out.... [Woman with Eyes Closed] delves into themes of relationships, romance, trust, money, and crime, making it an intriguing read for fans of suspenseful mysteries."

     ~Angelique Papayannopoulos, Readers' Favorite

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Author Bio:

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Rue Matthiessen is based on the East End of Long Island. Nominated for the Pushcart Prize twice, her essays and short fiction have been published in numerous literary journals. Her memoir, Castles & Ruins, about growing up in Sagaponack, NY, with parents of ardent literary ambition, was published by Latah Books in February 2024. Her art-theft novel, Woman with Eyes Closed, set in Sagaponack, London, and the Netherlands, will be released by Latah Books in June of 2025. Recently, Rue was featured in the Bridgehampton Museum's Distinguished Lecturer Series, and Longhouse Talks in East Hampton. See more at ruematthiessen.com.  

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Praise for Castles & Ruins:

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"Rue Matthiessen’s memoir is unforgettable, a true testament to human will and the healing nature of understanding and owning one’s truth, even while wishing that things might have been different."

     --Story Circle Network

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“Matthiessen’s powerful storytelling vividly portrays her childhood and coming-of-age years…. thought-provoking and moving.”

     --Edith Wairimu, Readers’ Favorite

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“Rue Matthiessen's heartfelt memoir, Castles & Ruins is, in essence, configured like a Celtic cross.... we see how the figure of the circle is at the very center of Matthiessen’s being. Celtic tradition calls for both mourning and celebrating at death. Precisely the emotions and the rituals that Rue Matthiessen gives the reader in this complex, deeply felt work.”

     --Lou Ann Walker, The East Hampton Star

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"Castles & Ruins is inspired by a summer Rue Matthiessen spent in Galway with her husband and son, when she returned to the place of one of her most idyllic childhood memories, hoping to recapture the magic with her own child. As soon she arrives back in Ireland, trying to search out the area where she spent a summer with her parents (writers Peter Matthiessen and Deborah Love), she finds that it’s much more than a vacation with an end point, it is a trove of memories—a Pandora’s box. Rue’s feelings about having lost her mother rise to the surface afresh, as well as memories of her moody, intense father, who was just then on the cusp of a major literary career. The sixties, and her parents’ passionate, always crumbling marriage become vivid, like a film reel before her eyes. But will she be able to rediscover the castle of her childhood memories? Or will she find only ruins?"

     --Mom Egg Review

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“Castles & Ruins is a masterpiece, a must-read for anyone who sees beauty in the broken, finds solace in the unraveled, and believes that stories, like ancient stones, hold the power to illuminate the paths of the present.”

     --Midnights Book Tours

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“Prepare to be transported through the vibrant landscapes of Ireland as Rue Matthiessen unravels a captivating tale in her memoir, Castles & Ruins. This enchanting narrative goes beyond the ordinary, immersing readers in a world where the past and present converge in a lyrical dance of memories, familial bonds, and the enduring legacy of literary brilliance.”

     --Twins Reading Books

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