The Muse of Hope Falls

Everyone took a piece of Christie. Now she needs something back As the muse and lover of one of the greatest painters of the late 20th century, Christie McGraw was once a major figure in New York. Now penniless, abandoned and sick, she needs to sell the last thing of any value that she still has in her possession. It's a lost masterpiece by her late lover, and she needs the help of Gabriel Viejo, the world expert on the artist, to authenticate it and get into the market. If he can help, she'll make it well worth his while. Gabriel opens negotiations with a shady tycoon in the hope of saving Christie's life - and of boosting his own fortunes into the bargain. But there are some nasty surprises in store. Alan Kane Fraser's devilishly devious debut is a page-turning plunge into the murkier depths of the art world and the age-old relationship between creator and muse.