Rose Caffrey's sister is dead. And that's only the beginning of Rose's problems. Rose, a performance artist, is tall, dark and arty, with a string of broken romances. Her very different sister Karen was a short blond college professor, immune to romance, who apparently fell from a ladder and broke her neck. Her money goes to a scholarship fund, and her beat-up southern Illinois farmhouse to Rose, who's always short of cash and anxious to sell. While the outside is rough, the inside is partially restored. But the most amazing part is the room whose walls are painted with murals that Karen was having uncovered by art restorer Alex Hague. Buried for over 175 years under wallpaper and paint, the murals fascinate Rose, especially when she learns that the paintings may be related to the Trail of Tears, a branch of which passed right through the area. As she goes about cleaning up Karen's research materials in various locations, Rose is attacked, possibly by a relative of the house's original owners, the Braun family. She eventually finds part of a diary belonging to Emily Lord Braun, who might well have been the mysterious painter. Unable to resist investigating, Rose fights her attraction to Alex and finds that a good many people are lying to her about the murals, which could be very valuable. Despite her reservations, Rose joins Alex on a dangerous hunt for clues to reveal the secrets of the past. In a departure from her Leigh Girard mysteries (Death's Door, 2009, etc.), Lukasik has crafted a highly intriguing tale loaded with suspense and historic interest.
Chicago performance artist Rose Caffrey is desperate to sell her sister's nineteenth-century farmhouse in southern Illinois. She's haunted by her sister's death from a fall inside the house. But when Rose discovers three murals in an upstairs bedroom depicting strange images of Native Americans and bizarre nineteenth-century landscapes, she becomes obsessed with knowing the artist's identity and the meaning of the murals. Buried for over one hundred and seventy-five years under wallpaper and paint, the murals hint at secrets tied to the old house, the artist, and the nearby 1836 Trail of Tears Camp Ground Cemetery. Only one mural remains to be uncovered. And Rose is convinced the hidden mural holds the key to deciphering the other three. As art restorer Alex Hague peels away the layers of wallpaper from the last mural, Rose searches for the artist's identity. But all her discoveries only add to the murals' mysteries. What the last mural reveals launches Rose and Alex on a quest for one of the greatest lost art treasures of sixteenth century America. Pursued by an unknown adversary who seems to know their every move, they race across the country hunting for the treasure. What Rose never expects to find are crimes going back over four hundred years with the potential to transform American history--if she can escape the fate of the other lost artists before her. The Lost Artist is a fast-paced mystery thriller that shatters the very foundation of American history. Beneath the layers of time lurks a truth worth killing for.
Chicago performance artist Rose Caffrey is desperate to sell her sister's nineteenth-century farmhouse in southern Illinois. She's haunted by her sister's death from a fall inside the house. But when Rose discovers three murals in an upstairs bedroom depicting strange images of Native Americans and bizarre nineteenth-century landscapes, she becomes obsessed with knowing the artist's identity and the meaning of the murals. Buried for over one hundred and seventy-five years under wallpaper and paint, the murals hint at secrets tied to the old house, the artist, and the nearby 1836 Trail of Tears Camp Ground Cemetery. Only one mural remains to be uncovered. And Rose is convinced the hidden mural holds the key to deciphering the other three. As art restorer Alex Hague peels away the layers of wallpaper from the last mural, Rose searches for the artist's identity. But all her discoveries only add to the murals' mysteries. What the last mural reveals launches Rose and Alex on a quest for one of the greatest lost art treasures of sixteenth century America. Pursued by an unknown adversary who seems to know their every move, they race across the country hunting for the treasure. What Rose never expects to find are crimes going back over four hundred years with the potential to transform American history--if she can escape the fate of the other lost artists before her. The Lost Artist is a fast-paced mystery thriller that shatters the very foundation of American history. Beneath the layers of time lurks a truth worth killing for.
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940171325213 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Books in Motion |
| Publication date: | 04/30/2015 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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