The Underpainting

In her sixties, Sealy believes not much can surprise her until she discovers an old-fashioned photo postcard of her mother and a handsome young man aglow with smiles reserved for lovers tucked away in her deceased mother's possessions. More puzzling are her mother's prized treasures, peppered around Sealy's present home, pictured on the postcard.

Part mystery, part discovery, The Underpainting is the story of Sealy's journey to unravel her parents' hidden past, her own life, and that of a small town's sordid history. As Sealy traces her mother's prior life, she enters a world of natural beauty, eccentric characters, and complex relationships. Sealy must reconcile secrets born out of love with those that have generational consequences.

Abbe Rolnick grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland. Her first major cultural jolt occurred at age 15 when her family moved to Miami Beach, Florida. To find perspective, she climbed the only non-palm tree at her condo complex and wrote what she observed. History came alive with her exposure to Cuban culture. After attending Boston University, she lived in Puerto Rico, where she owned a bookstore. Once Stateside, she capitalized on the knowledge she gained as an independent bookstore owner and worked for one of the finest bookstores, Village Books, in Bellingham, Washington. Once a CEO of a manufacturing firm and owner of a healthy foods café, she is now retired and spends her time writing.