The Black Painting

In this taut psychological thriller from Olson (The Icon), the heirs of the late Alfred Arthur Morse—his three children and four grandchildren—reunite for the first time in years, at his house on Owl’s Point on the Connecticut coast, for Alfred’s funeral and the reading of his will. Decades before, a painting was stolen from Alfred’s library, one of the 14 or 15 so-called black paintings produced by Francisco José de Goya at a time when the artist believed he was possessed by a demon. Morse family legend had it that anyone who looked at the painting would suffer death or some other misfortune. This myth was reinforced when an art historian, who came to appraise the painting, died while sitting in front of it. Philip, one of Alfred’s two sons, has only recently learned that his father suspected him of taking the painting, and hires PI Dave Webster to uncover the real thief. Dave is drawn into long-held family secrets that reveal how the black painting brought out the worst in each of the Morses. This dark, supernaturally tinged tale ends on an unexpectedly hopeful note. Mystery readers interested in art history will be rewarded. [em](Jan.) [/em]