Using the framework of a 19th-century murder mystery, Leanna Renee Hieber (The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker) borrows themes from The Picture of Dorian Gray while weaving in larger societal issues such as feminism, class disparities and physical disabilities.
At 17, Natalie Stewart lives comfortably as the daughter of the curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. She was struck mute at the age of four when her mother died, but she can hear perfectly, reads voraciously, uses sign language and writes to communicate--and she is very attractive. The events unfold through Natalie's diary entries, from June 1 to June 19, 1880, the day she disappears.
After Natalie sees a portrait of the "devilishly handsome" Lord Denbury in the newspaper, and learns of his alleged suicide in England at age 18, she begs her father to purchase the portrait for the Met. Mrs. Northe, who has bid on the painting, confides to Natalie that she believes the picture has "a connection with a lost part of Denbury's soul." Thus begins a captivating mystery involving runes, hieroglyphs, Christian saints and magic spells. Love blooms between Natalie, who discovers she can enter the painting, and the kindly Lord Denbury trapped within the picture frame. But a doppleganger is using Denbury's body to commit murder. Can Natalie and Mrs. Northe unite Denbury's body and soul before it's too late? To Heiber's credit, Natalie and Mrs. Northe's friendship is every bit as compelling as the romance at the novel's center. This smart novel will have wide appeal.—Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness