The Miniaturist's Assistant

by Katherine Scott Crawford

Overview

2004: In historic Charleston, recently divorced art conservator Gamble Vance throws herself into her career restoring centuries-old miniature portraits. But one portrait haunts her: a woman in a fox stole, with familiar hazel eyes. When Gamble meets a girl in an alley, she’s convinced it’s the same woman— and it’s not the first time they’ ve met. For help, Gamble turns to African American Studies scholar Tolliver Jackson— a former foster kid with secrets of his own. But as Gamble’s memories resurface, the pair discover a connection which may endanger more than one life… in more than one lifetime. 1804: Miniature portraitist and fallen-away Quaker Daniel Petigru paints for Charleston’s high society. Daniel and his sister live with a free Black family, their connection long and complicated. When Gamble arrives from the future and her presence puts them all at risk, Daniel must decide if he loves her enough to let her go. THE MINIATURIST’ S ASSISTANT explores the mystery of time, how our choices ripple throughout history, and what it means to be a fully-realized woman— in any century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781646035922
Publisher:	Regal House Publishing
Publication date:	05/13/2025
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Katherine Scott Crawford is the award-winning author of The Miniaturist’s Assistant and Keowee Valley. A former backpacking guide, newspaper columnist, and recovering academic, she’ d rather be in the woods with her dog than anywhere else. She enjoys curious people, adventure, and snow— and believes historical fiction the best way to time travel. An eleventh-generation Southerner, she lives with her family in the North Carolina mountains.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Miniaturist's Assistant
"What a lush, bold novel is The Miniaturist's Assistant by Katherine Scott Crawford, blending love, intrigue, and the role of portrait art in history for a story that is as suspenseful as it is wildly romantic. I’m not a fan of time travel tales in general, but the astounding journey of art restorer Gamble Vance through the Charleston of the present and the very long past transcends genre and takes the reader places that are entirely new."
—Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean and The Birdwatcher

“To read The Miniaturist’s Assistant is to be wooed by the intelligent and humorous voice of Gamble Vance. An art museum historian, Gamble takes you, the reader, by the hand on a journey through Charleston, South Carolina, passing in and out of the 21st and 19th centuries to reckon with a ghost, or is it a ghost? Lovers of art, of culture, of humanity, will want to follow Gamble’s trail. Crawford illustrates the worlds of time and place with a pen so clearly shaped like a paintbrush that you feel you have crawled inside the book, or is it an 1804 miniature?”
—Amy Wallen, bestselling novelist, memoirist & author of How to Write a Novel in 20 Pies: Sweet & Savory Secrets of the Writing Life

“From the moment museum conservator Gamble Vance recognizes a familiar face in a 200-year-old miniature portrait, I was swept away in this immersive time-slip story. Katherine Scott Crawford deftly weaves this art historical mystery with intertwined love stories spanning generations. Readers will find their heartstrings pulled across centuries, turning the pages to see where Gamble’s complicated choices ultimately will lead her.”
—Laura Morelli, art historian and USA Today bestselling historical novelist of The Last Masterpiece, The Stolen Lady, and The Night Portrait

“A richly woven, beautifully researched historical evocative of Susanna Kearsley. Katherine writes about the past as though she lived there. You will want to read this one slowly, so you can linger with these characters and savor the setting.”
—Terry Lynn Thomas, USA Today bestselling author of The Silent Woman

“Rich with historical details, this fabulously fun and transportive novel explores the great mystery of time, asking whether it’s possible to live more than one audacious life. I fell in love with the characters—and with Crawford’s delicious sense of adventure and assured storytelling. Highly recommended for fans of Susanna Kearsley and Diana Gabaldon, The Miniaturist’s Assistant is a delight from start to finish.”
—Heather Bell Adams, author of Maranatha Road and The Good Luck Stone

“Crawford’s sweeping, Southern, and lushly romantic epic slips through time effortlessly, laying out a historic mystery as well as a love story with an immensely satisfying conclusion.”
—Emily Carpenter, bestselling author of Burying the Honeysuckle Girls and Gothictown

“A tiny work of art offers a world of secrets in this delightful time slip story, but only the most courageous will dare to unravel the layers of mystery to reveal the heartwarming truth.”
—Genevieve Graham, USA Today bestselling author of The Forgotten Home Child

“The Miniaturist’s Assistant is a multifaceted love story wrapped in a mystery that unfurls on the changing winds of history. A rollicking, page-turning tale, this unforgettable novel explores time travel, art, passion, the complexity of past sins, and the abundant promises embedded in the here and now. Katherine Scott Crawford has written a beautiful book steeped in humanity, truth, and wonder.”
—Connie May Fowler, author of Before Women had Wings

“Katherine Scott Crawford is a daughter of the Carolinas and she writes as such, tackling this ambitious historical novel with an unflinching eye. Crawford doesn’t shy away from the tangled and troubled history of the region or her heroine, a contemporary feminist who is unapologetically lusty and smart, fully prepared to challenge mores in her own time as well as those of the past she visits. The careening romance and sobering realities in this novel will leave readers with much to contemplate, a surprisingly poignant dose of optimism for humanity, and ultimately, the enduring legacy of love.”
—Kimberly Brock, bestselling author of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare and The Fabled Earth


“Full of mystery and intrigue, The Miniaturist’s Assistant is a riveting exploration of the power of stories to transcend time and place. Crawford’s prose is enchanting, the story rich and layered, and, as a bonus, she offers readers a crash course in the fascinating world of miniature portraits! Part art lesson, part romance, part history, part mystery, this novel is a thrilling testament to the myriad ways we are connected to one another and to the past.”
—Jennifer McGaha, author of Bushwhacking: How to Get Lost in the Woods and Write Your Way Out and The Joy Document: Creating a Midlife of Surprise and Delight
 

From the Publisher