In her sixties, Sealy believes not much can surprise her until she discovers an old-fashioned photo postcard of her mother and a handsome young man aglow with smiles reserved for lovers tucked away in her deceased mother's possessions. More puzzling are her mother's prized treasures, peppered around Sealy's present home, pictured on the postcard.

Part mystery, part discovery, The Underpainting is the story of Sealy's journey to unravel her parents' hidden past, her own life, and that of a small town's sordid history. As Sealy traces her mother's prior life, she enters a world of natural beauty, eccentric characters, and complex relationships. Sealy must reconcile secrets born out of love with those that have generational consequences.