The incomparable New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell explores the fine art of murder.

Lacey Quinn is determined to prove that the striking landscapes she inherited, done by her late, much-loved grandfather, are as good as anything hanging in museums of California Impressionism today. But the paintings now in her possession are more than the works of a talented master; they are anguished voices from the grave . . . crying murder!

Suddenly Lacey's investigation into the life and death of the enigmatic artist is leading her down an ever-darkening road paved with lies, blood, and devastating secrets. It also leads her to Ian Lapstrake, a security specialist employed by the appraisal house Rarities Unlimited, who has taken an interest in Lacey's inheritance . . . and in her safety. Because someone wants to prevent Lacey Quinn from examining her grandfather's work too closely, by any means necessary. And clues to a series of horrific, unexplained killings may be hidden in the brushstrokes—clues that have now indelibly marked Lacey and Ian for death.