Publishers Weekly
04/29/2024
Stratton (Not So Perfect Strangers) interweaves the stories of two budding artists living a century apart in this entertaining chiller. In 1920s New York City, Estelle Johnson’s dream of becoming a successful painter appears to come true when she meets eccentric philanthropist Maude Bachmann. Maude becomes Estelle’s patron, lavishing her with money and resources and insisting that Estelle call her “Godmother.” But when Maude is found murdered in her home, Estelle vanishes. In a parallel story line set in contemporary Washington, D.C., aspiring writer Shanice Pierce loses her magazine internship and is dumped by her long-term boyfriend. In the aftermath, she agrees to help her grandmother clear out her house before she sells it. Among her grandmother’s belongings, Shanice finds a painting by Estelle, which has apparently been in her family for generations. Her grandmother insists Shanice take the painting home with her, and shortly after she does, a dealer comes knocking with a lucrative offer. Shanice turns him down, and before long, people she’s discussed the painting with turn up dead, leaving her to wonder what makes it so sought-after—and what might have happened to its creator. Some readers may have trouble suspending disbelief as Stratton unveils the grand conspiracy behind the killings, but there’s more than enough style and atmosphere on offer to keep the pages turning. This gets the job done. (June)
From the Publisher
"Stratton’s thriller featuring two women facing daunting obstacles and danger is dark, twist filled, and suspenseful." —Booklist "Stratton (Not So Perfect Strangers) interweaves the stories of two budding artists living a century apart in this entertaining chiller."—Publishers Weekly “Stratton delivers a tightly woven dual-timeline thriller. Elements of occult horror, historical fiction, and whodunit will intrigue readers of all stripes. Give this to fans of Alyssa Cole’s When No One Is Watching.”—Library Journal “Deftly exposes the layers of creative ownership, especially when race and wealth are involved.”—NPR
Library Journal
04/19/2024
Shanice has had the worst time lately. Her boyfriend left her, she lost her terrible job, and then her grandmother guilts her into taking a painting that has been in the family for generations. The painter, Essie Johnson, was an up-and-coming artist during the Harlem Renaissance who gained sponsorship from art patron Maude Bachmann, known as "the Godmother." When Bachmann was murdered, Essie fled New York. As she learns more about the pair, Shanice becomes fascinated with the painting and Essie's life. While she's struggling to make ends meet, Shanice's luck gets even worse when an overzealous gallery owner will stop at nothing to get the painting. What sent Essie fleeing in the middle of the night all those years ago, and why is a painting from an obscure artist suddenly attracting so much attention? Shanice is determined to uncover the truth of Essie's tumultuous life, but she may not discover the answers in time. VERDICT Stratton delivers a tightly woven dual-timeline thriller. Elements of occult horror, historical fiction, and whodunit will intrigue readers of all stripes. Give this to fans of Alyssa Cole's When No One Is Watching.—Portia Kapraun
