There are four cousins in the Morse family: Kenny, the lawyer; James, the medical student; his hard-drinking sister Audrey; and Teresa, haunted by the fear that she will go mad. Their grandfather summons them to his mansion, where he has lived in bitterness since the theft of a prized painting many years before. Teresa arrives to find him dead, and wonders how it connects to the lost self-portrait by Goya, rumored to cause insanity or death upon viewing. As the family gathers and suspicions mount, Teresa uncovers ugly secrets and confronts those who would keep them hidden.

"With its page-turning plot and moody atmospherics, Olson's tale proves seductive…. Get ready for a thrilling ride through the worlds of the unhappy rich, whose acquisitions can prove very dangerous indeed."—Toronto Star