Jenny Bell has run away from a dark past in Hamilton, Ontario and has found her way to New York with a new name, new look and a continuing dream to be an artist. Now, in 1924 Jenny's magnificent studies in black, white and grays in an attempt to capture light have won her a coveted spot in Louis Comfort Tiffany's art colony in Long Island along with her friend Minx. Jenny is inspired by the beauty around her, especially that of Mr. Tiffany's grandson, Oliver. However, the anxiety of her past catching up to her stays with Jenny especially when another artist begins to hint at knowing her past.
Engaging and mysterious, M.J. Rose has taken the unfortunate burning of Louis Comfort Tiffany's Laurelton Hall and created a story of beauty, danger and intrigue. Jenny's character brought me into the story with her puzzling past and intricate artwork. Her refusal to use color in her art was a conundrum considering she saw color in everything else, including people's voices. Rose's writing masterfully created a world of art, color and light; I could perfectly see paintings, imagine Laurelton Hall and the way the sun shone through the stained glass windows. The mystery was well crafted with a slow reveal of Jenny's past, who was torturing her with that knowledge in the present and stolen Tiffany jewels. The Jazz Age was also brought alive in speakeasies, bootleggers, the grandeur of Laurelton Hall and the spiritualism that so many people believed in. Overall, an engaging and fascinating mystery that brings together history, mystery, art and spiritualism.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Engaging and mysterious, M.J. Rose has taken the unfortunate burning of Louis Comfort Tiffany's Laurelton Hall and created a story of beauty, danger and intrigue. Jenny's character brought me into the story with her puzzling past and intricate artwork. Her refusal to use color in her art was a conundrum considering she saw color in everything else, including people's voices. Rose's writing masterfully created a world of art, color and light; I could perfectly see paintings, imagine Laurelton Hall and the way the sun shone through the stained glass windows. The mystery was well crafted with a slow reveal of Jenny's past, who was torturing her with that knowledge in the present and stolen Tiffany jewels. The Jazz Age was also brought alive in speakeasies, bootleggers, the grandeur of Laurelton Hall and the spiritualism that so many people believed in. Overall, an engaging and fascinating mystery that brings together history, mystery, art and spiritualism.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.